Relics from the Past

1. I would like to share with the readers several belongings of my father's which are still in my possession. These include several books, journals, photographs and a silver salver.

2. My father left behind more than a dozen Agatha Christie novels of which only a few are still on my bookshelves. There are several novels by Charles Dickens and other authors and a few non-fiction work as well.

3. One book has a greeting note on the inside of its front cover. It was from one G. B. Kellagher living at Bude, Cornwall at that time (1947). Later I learned that Kellagher was a Judge of the First Division of the High Court of Kedah. He had compiled a book, The Laws of the State of Kedah.

4. I still remember an impressive collection of the Journal of the Malayan Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society on my father's bookshelf, but now there are only a few of the journals left.

5. There is an old photograph of my father with his adopted family members. I'll write about the photo later to point out that what I've written earlier about  my father's marriages is quite misleading.

6. There is a silver salver given by Kedah State government as a souvenir for his service as unofficial member in the State Council. The inscription on the salver was in "Jawi" and read thus:  

Kepada yang berhormat Cik Mohamad Ismail bin Bapu Marikan, J. P. ahli Majlis Mesyuarat Kerajaan daripada 1367 sampai 1374 dan Majlis Mesyuarat Negeri daripada 1367 sampai 1374 sebagai kenangan di atas jasa tuan daripada kerajaan Negeri Kedah.

Published in 1952

JMBRAS, December 1930

Published in 1920

My father with his adopted family members

Greeting note by Kellagher