DOWN MEMORY LANE
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Duckworth: ‘A few families would share a home and we were very surprised to find house No 5 empty’
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MANY flock to Jalan Bellamy for the Ikan Bakar while others may recognise the road as home to one of the country’s oldest international school, Alice Smith.
The road has not changed much since the country’s pre-independence days and remains a quiet path that most city dwellers do not use.
With old government quarters hidden by the large trees on the road, the aroma of fish being grilled waft out from Gerai Seri Menanti and Seri Melaka while the chatter and laughter of children from the Alice Smith school livens up the atmosphere.
Rosemary Alder Duckworth who lived at 5, Jalan Bellamy from 1947 to 1949 remembers the days when housing was scarce in post-war Malaya and when most houses on the street housed two or more families.
“A few families would share a home and we were very surprised to find house No 5 empty.
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Spooky: Many strange tales abound of House No 5 on Jalan Bellamy.
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“We moved in but for the next two-and-half years, we had a lot of problems, especially with servants who would just disappear in the night without even collecting their pay,” said Duckworth.
She had come to Malaya with her family when her father, Frederick Victor Duckworth, was appointed the last British adviser of Selangor.
The family managed to trace a few of their former workers and they recounted tales of paranormal activities that took place in the servants quarters and kitchen.
“We then realised that the house was not snapped up because it was considered haunted. Many of the servants told us that they would be jolted awake from sleep and see blinding lights circling on top of them. Some said they even saw vegetables flying around the kitchen,'' said Duckworth.
She had the chance to speak to the Richardson family who had lived in the house before the war and they confirmed the unusual sightings in the house.
“Corinne Richardson was one of those who lived in the house and she related an incident that took place one night.
“She told me she was awakened by loud banging noises and saw an old Chinese man standing next to her bed. Corinne’s sister, who was in the room, also saw the man,” said Duckworth.
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Well-tended: Rumah Melaka is part of the landmarks on Jalan Bellamy.
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“Corinne asked the man what he wanted but there was no reply and the man just walked away. The banging noises, however, continued. Corinne told her parents and although they looked everywhere, the man was not found.''
The Richardsons later found out that at the exact time that Corinne saw the old man, the chief of a nearby village on Jalan Bellamy had passed away.
“When she was shown a picture of the village chief, Corinne recognised him as the old man who had appeared in her room.''
During the Duckworth family’s stay at the house, the haunting worsened and they had to conduct an exorcism ceremony.
Other than this, the family enjoyed their stay on the quaint Bellamy road.
“It was a very quiet and nice residential area with big trees. said Duckworth.
