The former Residency, touted as the home of Captain Speedy, first assistant to the first British Resident in Perak, J.W.W. Birch, now lies in spectacular ruin.
History
The Residency is reported as having been built in 1894, as a home to the Assitant Resident. It should be stated here that the British administration, after the treaty of Pangkor, saw it fit to station the Resident in Kuala Kangsar, closer to the Perak Sultan, so as to easier “advise” the Sultan on administrative affairs of the State. Larut, being the richest district in Perak, would be home to the Assistant Resident, so as to easier administer the affairs of the district. As Captain Speedy was already accustomed to local culture and customs, as well as having a close personal relationship with Long Jaafar, the Mantri of Larut (and also the second most powerful man in Perak at the time) he was deemed the best candidate for this role of Assistant Resident. Captain Speedy already had a residence in Matang, close to the residence of Long Jaafar. The residence in Matang was later abandoned to the care of the State, and Captain Speedy occupied this building, dubbed “The Residency”.
Not much is known besides this from the sources that could be gathered, and it is a point of contention on whether subsequent Assistants to the Resident or even the Residents themselves occupied this building after Captain Speedy retired from service in Perak’s British administration. It should be also stated that there exists some confusion between the Residence of the Secretary to the Resident, and the Residency, with both buildings being reported as the residence of the Assistant Resident. The post of Secretary to the Resident is entirely different from that of the Assistant Resident, and it could be true that Assistant Residents occupied the building known as the Residence of the Secretary to the Resident in the years following the departure of Captain Speedy.
It is known that in the pre-World War II days the building was used as a rest house for British officers from the local militia and for visiting British officers. Post-independence, the building was reported as having been abandoned, and in 1972, Residency, and used as a hotel and rest house, managed by the Perak State Government.
In the new millennium, a new structure was erected behind the original building of the Residency, and was named the Casuarina Inn, officiated by the then Menteri Besar of Perak, Tajol Rosli, in the year 2000. The hotel housed guests from all walks of life, with 2 VVIP suites usually patronised by Royalty and ranking government officials, but the hotel rapidly gained notoriety as being haunted. In 2010, the hotel finally closed down, and the buildings have been abandoned since. It is unclear when the original building of the Residency was destroyed.
Today, both the Residency and the Casuarina Inn lie in ruins.
A silver lining to this somewhat tragic history of this site is that now, and for several years since the closure of the hotel, the ruins have become a site for exercise classes, with group aerobics classes held in the mornings in the midst of the ruins. The ruins are also a popular spot for local paranormal investigators and thrill-seekers looking for proof of the reported otherworldly existence in this area. Observing the fun being had by the morning fitness enthusiasts in the area, it is hard to imagine that the place could truly be haunted, however.
To join the group exercising here in the morning, just talk to the instructor.
