Birch Memorial Clock Tower, Ipoh

Birch Memorial Clock Tower, Ipoh (1 October 2022)

Birch Memorial Clock Tower (GPS: 4.59686, 101.0762) is a heritage clock tower and monument in Ipoh, Perak. It is located off Jalan Dato Sagor (formerly known as Post Office Road). It was built to commemorate JWW Birch, the first British Resident to Perak who was assassinated by Dato' Maharaja Lela (read also Pasir Salak and Ngah Ibrahim Fort) and Dato Sagor. It is no coincidence that the memorial is sandwiched between roads that have been renamed Jalan Dato Maharajalela and Jalan Dato Sagor.

I have earlier incorrectly mentioned that the Birch Memorial Clock Tower was erected in honour of E.W. Birch. Instead it was E.W. Birch, who was the son of the late JWW Birch, and who also became the British Resident of Perak from 1905-1909, who spearheaded the project to build the clocktower monument to remember his father. The younger Birth was a popular administrator who helped drive the economy of Kinta and Penang, and after whom Birch House in Penang was named. The monument was erected by the people of Ipoh who pooled together the funds amounting to $25,000.

The Birch Memorial was completed in 1909. It consists of a clocktower, with one mother bell weighing 10 cwt, and four smaller bells weighing together 10 cwt. On the four corners of the belfry are sculptured figures representing the "Virtues of the British Administration" - Loyalty, with sword and shield, Justice, blind and carrying a sword and a pair of scales, Patience, unarmed, and Fortitude, bearing a spear. Further down the tower are illustrated panels showing 44 famous figures of the world.