Harper Memorial Fountain - Kuala Lumpur - 1897
Jln Raja, Kuala Lumpur.
Seemingly transplanted from Manchester or Glasgow, this glazed green-tile drinking fountain, replete with griffins would look completely at home as a civic adornment in any late-Victorian city centre in the UK. However, set among the surrounding Indo-Saracenic architecture of Kuala Lumpur's Padang ('field'), this small feature is completely incongruous to its location.
The fountain commemorates the service to Selangor of Inspector Steve Harper of the Selangor Military Police who was cut down in the prime of life in 1895. Such was the regard for this popular and highly unorthodox officer that funds for the memorial were raised by public subscription. The fountain was erected by the Sanitary Board using material imported from England with the assistance of local engineers, Messrs Riley, Hargreaves & Co. Harper was reknown for his love of boxing and instead of drilling police around the parade ground, preferred to inculcate discipline within the boxing ring.
The remainder of the funds raised from the Harper Memorial was invested in a fund for the purchasing of school books for those students from disadvantaged backgrounds attending the prestigious Victoria Institution.
Harper Memorial Fountain - Kuala Lumpur - 1897
Jln Raja, Kuala Lumpur.
Seemingly transplanted from Manchester or Glasgow, this glazed green-tile drinking fountain, replete with griffins would look completely at home as a civic adornment in any late-Victorian city centre in the UK. However, set among the surrounding Indo-Saracenic architecture of Kuala Lumpur's Padang ('field'), this small feature is completely incongruous to its location.
The fountain commemorates the service to Selangor of Inspector Steve Harper of the Selangor Military Police who was cut down in the prime of life in 1895. Such was the regard for this popular and highly unorthodox officer that funds for the memorial were raised by public subscription. The fountain was erected by the Sanitary Board using material imported from England with the assistance of local engineers, Messrs Riley, Hargreaves & Co. Harper was reknown for his love of boxing and instead of drilling police around the parade ground, preferred to inculcate discipline within the boxing ring.
The remainder of the funds raised from the Harper Memorial was invested in a fund for the purchasing of school books for those students from disadvantaged backgrounds attending the prestigious Victoria Institution.