黃亞福故居的落成年份 . Wong Ah Fook‘s Mansion: How old is it？

關於新山黃亞福故居的命運，近日謠言紛起，由於本人即日要出差三天，把最近對這座『新山市區最後一棟戰前華人洋房』的考證放上來，希望不要等我回來的時候，只剩下殘簷斷瓦可供弔唁。

Although this so-called Wong Ah Fook’s Mansion, probably the LAST Standing Chinese Mansion constructed during Pre-War period in Johor Bahru town district, was bought by someone and going to re-develop that area, various rumours are rising, predicting the destiny of this precious 100-year-old building, whether there will be a partial renovation, or a total demolition, sadly.

But as one of the students of local history, I did try to gather info related to the early history of this beautiful mansion. I think it's the right time for me to share them before I leave for my 3-day working trip.

黃亞福故居的月初側拍，當時的七十二家房客尚未搬空。
Side view of The Mansion with her inhabitants, early this month.

所謂『黃亞福故居』，黃亞福不一定住過，但至少他的夫人趙氏肯定住過（Patrica Lim, 2002）。這個記載提供了我們對這棟建築物的初步斷代，因為趙氏是在1932年去世的（Patricia Lim，同上），因此這棟洋房不可能晚於1930年代落成。

This Mansion, named behind Wong Ah Fook, which actually is not certained whether this famous Chinese entrepreneur had been living under her shelter or not. However, it's much confirmed that Mrs. Wong Ah Fook had been staying here occasionally as a resort while visiting Johor(Patricia Lim, 2002).

Mrs. Wong died in 1932, which provide us a good point for periodization: The Mansion should exist not later then 1930s.

故居正觀
Front view of The Mansion

『黃亞福故居』坐落在武吉明里南（Bukit Meldrum），Meldrum即James Meldrum，蘇格蘭人，柔佛近代實業先驅，1860年起在新山紗玉河畔經營柔佛火鋸廠（Johore Steam Sawmill），也在火鋸廠旁的山丘（即Bukit Meldrum）蓋了他的木造豪宅『Iskander Hall』

The Mansion stands on the hill named Bukit Meldrum. The previous owner of the land on this hill is James Meldrum, a Scottish, who is also known as the pioneer of Johor Modern Industrialisation. He owned and managed Johor Steam Sawmill which situated beside the mouth of Sungai Segget, and built himself a wooden residence on the hilltop of Bukit Meldrum, named as Iskander Hall.

紗玉河畔的柔佛火鋸廠，背景那棟有大煙囪的屋子就是Iskander Hall
Johor Steam Sawmill on the riverbank, and Iskander Hall on the hill, with an identical huge chimney

(Photo taken from Johor: Local History, Local Landscapes 1855–1957, Patrica Lim, 2009)

早就灰飛煙滅的Iskander Hall，在武吉明里南上到底存在到幾時？通過海峽時報舊報章，我們可以知道James Meldrum是於1904年4月，在Iskander Hall去世的。換句話說，Iskander Hall至少到1904年仍存在。既然如此，地點與之非常接近的『黃亞福』故居，應該不可能早於1904年建成。

According to The Strait Times（12th April 1904，page5）, James Meldrum passed away in Iskander Hall during April 1904. Due to the narrow distance between Iskander Hall and Wong Ah Fook's Mansion, I believe that the later one should be established after the date mention above, because these two buildings are practically, by my visual estimation, using the same place to build.

拿督明里南1904年的訃告摘錄，刊載於新加坡海峽時報

Extract of Dato James Meldrum's obituary, The Strait Times, 1904

接下來，讓我們來看看建築材料（感謝建材專家Victor Lim友情鑑定）：
Let's take a look at the building material（Identified by my specialist friend Victor Lim）:

全建築採用牛踏磚，這種磚塊在本地沿用至1920年代
The Mansion is built by using handmade bricks, which still being manufactured and used locally until 1920s.

屋內使用的瓷質通風磚，1900-1910年生產

Porcelain roaster, circa 1900-1910

 走廊的瓷質欄柱，1900-1910年生產
Porcelain pillar, circa 1900-1910

換言之，從建材上鑑定，『黃亞福故居』的建築年代是1900-1910年左右。由於採用中式設計的通風磚和欄柱，是否可以輔證它是由黃亞福、黃亞炎、黃朝輝等新山的廣府台山建築承包商所承建的？

Base on building material，we can say The mansion was built in-between 1900s to 1910s. As the pillars and roasters are both considered as Chinese traditional design, this might be an support evidence of the hypothesis saying that The Mansion was built by Chinese contructors of Johor Bahru at that period, such as Wong Ah Fook, Wang Ah Yam, etc. 

新山廣肇會館，創於1878年

Johor Bahru kwong Siew Wai Kuan, est.1878

但是，黃亞福和黃亞炎都投入甚多的新加坡廣益銀行，卻在1913年底爆發財務危機。廣益銀行最後清盤，對黃亞福叔侄而言，都是很大的打擊。甚至到處賣房產來償還銀行債務。（Patrica Lim，2002）廣益的夢魘一直糾纏黃亞福，直到他1918年去世。

However, financial crisis occured in Singapore Kwong Yik Bank since 1913 really hurt Wong Ah Fook bad，as he was the main trustee of the bank. He himself even had to sell lots of assets in local and China to settle the bank's trouble. （Patrica Lim，2002）Eventually, Kwong Yik did bankrupted, and this bad result troubled the later years of Wong Ah Fook until he passed away in 1918.

黃亞福（1837-1918）
Wong Ah Fook (1837-1918)

因此結合以上的種種證據，我推測『黃亞福故居』的建築年份是1904年到1913年期間。也就是說，她作為『新山市區最後一棟百年華人洋房』的地位，應該是可以確信的。

As Conclusion, by combining all the clues gathered above, we might suggest that The Mansion was built in the period of 1904 to 1913, which definitely makes her become THE only century-old Chinese Mansion left in Johor Bahru town area.