James Wheeler Woodford Birch, commonly known as J. W. W. Birch (3 April 1826 – 2 November 1875) was a British colonial official who was assassinated in the Malay state of Perak in 1875, an event that led to the outbreak of the Perak War and ultimately to the extension of British political influence over the Malay Peninsula.
Born in 1826, Birch served for a short period in the Royal Navy before joining the Roads Department in Ceylon in 1846. His career in Ceylon was successful, and on 6 June 1870[1] he was transferred to Singapore to take up the position of Colonial Secretary.[2]
Following the Pangkor Engagement, under which the Raja Abdullah had agreed to accept a British political agent to be known as a "Resident" at his court, Birch was appointed to the post on 4 November 1874 as the government custodian to the Sultan of Perak.
Assassination
Birch was killed on 2 November 1875 by followers of a local Malay chief, Dato Maharaja Lela, including Sepuntum, who speared him to death while he was in the bath-house of his boat, SS Dragon, moored on the Perak river-bank below the Maharajela's house, in Pasir Salak, near today's Teluk Intan (Teluk Anson).[3]
Richard Olaf Winstedt in his "A History of Malaya" on page 226 published in the Journal of the Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, reprinted in 1986, wrote that a Malay deputation entreated with Governor-General Andrew Clarke in Singapore "to prevent the Resident from interfering with religion and custom, from acting without consulting Sultan and chiefs, and from depriving them of their property, namely fugitive slaves and feudal dues." Clarke had already observed on 25 March 1875 that, "I am very much annoyed with Birch and the heads-over-heels way in which he does things; he and I will come to sorrow yet, if he does not mind." On 21 July 1875 Raja Abdullah, in despair, called a meeting of chiefs where after discussing poisoning Birch, he accepted the Maharajalela's offer to stab Birch to death.
Dato' Maharajalela, who was the individual chiefly responsible for Birch's death, is regarded by most Perak Malays as a heroic figure who resisted British imperialism. He and the others involved were hanged by the British.
Sultan Abdullah, who was also believed to have some complicity in the assassination, was deposed and exiled to the Seychelles. His arch-rival Raja Yusuf[4] was installed as Sultan in his place.
In the aftermath of the event, the administration shifted to Taiping. A new Resident, Sir Hugh Low, was appointed and went about his administration of Perak in a more diplomatic way. Whilst still banning outright slavery, he gradually phased out debt-slavery and assuaged the feelings of the ruler and chieftains by allowing for adequate monthly compensation to them.
Memorial
Birch's grave is located near the site of British fort at Kampung Memali, about 24 km from Pasir Salak. His grave is now covered by a palm oil estate. The Birch Memorial Clock Tower was built in 1909 and still stands in front of the Ipoh State Mosque. One of the 44 figures on the clock, an image of the Prophet Muhammad, was painted over in the 1990s due to religious sensitivities.[5] Roads in Kuala Lumpur and Taiping were thought to have been named after him (Birch Road), but this was for a different Birch (namely, his eldest son Ernest Woodford Birch, also a Resident of Perak). The same road was renamed Maharajalela Road (Malay: Jalan Maharajalela) after Malaysia's independence in 1957. Similarly, there are Birch Roads in several towns in Malaysia (Seremban, Penang and Ipoh) and in Singapore.
Historical interpretations of Birch's assassination
Malaysian historian Cheah Boon Kheng argues that while "in present-day Malaysian school history textbooks," Birch's assassination "is presented as an anti-colonial uprising, in which almost all the Perak Malays participated", in fact the political situation in Perak was more complex, with deep divisions between supporters of the two rival claimants to the throne of Perak, Raja Abdullah and Raja Ismail.[6] Cheah argues that Maharaja Lela's actions in contributing to Birch's death must be understood in the context of Malay feudal rivalries and not as an early example of resistance to imperialism.
Drama and film
Malaysian dramatist Kee Thuan Chye's 1994 play We Could **** You, Mr Birch is a dramatic reinterpretation of the events around the Birch assassination.
There have been several unsuccessful attempts to make a film based on the Birch assassination. The late Malaysian actor, director and politician Jins Shamsuddin, who was from Perak, announced plans in 2004 to make a film entitled The King of the River: Pasir Salak, which was to have been an epic production involving 1,500 extras.[7] However, the film was never completed: Jins Shamsuddin commented in 2009 that making a film about Birch was a lifelong dream, saying, "I hope to complete my movie on the historical events that happened in Pasir Salak before I die."[8] Malaysian director Mamat Khalid, who was also from Perak, commented in December 2016 that after 18 years of preparation, his film about Birch, Pasir Salak Pasir Berdarah (The Sand of Pasir Salak is the Sand of Blood) would soon enter production.[9] At the time of Mamat Khalid's death in 2021, the film was unfinished but the National Film Development Corporation Malaysia announced that it would support the completion of the film.[10]
See also
Corresp: Actions of Perak Expeditionary Force post-murder of Birch
References
^ ab"Untitled". Straits Times Overland Journal. 17 June 1870. p. 7.
^Barlow, Henry S. (1995). Swettenham. Kuala Lumpur: Southdene. p. 63.
^"More than just about Birch and Maharaja Lela". The Star. Malaysia. 13 November 2017.
^Sultan Yusuf Sharifuddin Mudzaffar Shah Ibni Almarhum Sultan Abdullah Muhammad Shah I (1877–1887)
^. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
^Cheah, Boon Kheng (1998). "Malay Politics and the Murder of J.W.W. Birch, British Resident in Perak, in 1875: the humiliation and revenge of the Maharaja Lela". Journal of the Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society. 71 (1): 74–105. JSTOR 41493353.
^"Coming: Epic English film on Perak War and Birch". New Straits Times. Singapore. 17 March 1994.
^. AsiaOne News. 10 January 2009. Archived from the original on 3 March 2017. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
^Azizi, Mohd al Qayum (23 December 2016). "Mamat Khalid Ambil 18 Tahun Buat Kajian Filem Pasir Salak". MStar (in Malay). Retrieved 1 March 2017.
^"Tributes paid to Malaysian filmmaker Mamat Khalid, who has died". nme.com. 26 October 2021.
External links
Death on the Perak River – The assassination of J W W Birch*
james, birch, this, article, multiple, issues, please, help, improve, discuss, these, issues, talk, page, learn, when, remove, these, template, messages, neutrality, this, article, disputed, relevant, discussion, found, talk, page, please, remove, this, messag. This article has multiple issues Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page Learn how and when to remove these template messages The neutrality of this article is disputed Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page Please do not remove this message until conditions to do so are met February 2013 Learn how and when to remove this template message This article possibly contains original research Please improve it by verifying the claims made and adding inline citations Statements consisting only of original research should be removed February 2013 Learn how and when to remove this template message Learn how and when to remove this template message James Wheeler Woodford Birch commonly known as J W W Birch 3 April 1826 2 November 1875 was a British colonial official who was assassinated in the Malay state of Perak in 1875 an event that led to the outbreak of the Perak War and ultimately to the extension of British political influence over the Malay Peninsula James Wheeler Woodford Birch1st British Resident of PerakIn office 4 November 1874 2 November 1875Preceded byPosition establishedSucceeded byFrank A Swettenham2nd Colonial Secretary of Straits SettlementsIn office 6 June 1870 1 4 November 1874MonarchQueen VictoriaGovernorHarry St George OrdEdward AnsonHarry St George OrdEdward AnsonAndrew ClarkePreceded byRonald MacPhersonSucceeded byThomas Braddell Acting Personal detailsBorn 1826 04 03 3 April 1826Died2 November 1875 1875 11 02 aged 49 Pasir Salak British MalayaManner of deathAssassination Contents 1 Background 2 Assassination 3 Memorial 4 Historical interpretations of Birch s assassination 5 Drama and film 6 See also 7 References 8 External linksBackground EditBorn in 1826 Birch served for a short period in the Royal Navy before joining the Roads Department in Ceylon in 1846 His career in Ceylon was successful and on 6 June 1870 1 he was transferred to Singapore to take up the position of Colonial Secretary 2 Following the Pangkor Engagement under which the Raja Abdullah had agreed to accept a British political agent to be known as a Resident at his court Birch was appointed to the post on 4 November 1874 as the government custodian to the Sultan of Perak Assassination EditBirch was killed on 2 November 1875 by followers of a local Malay chief Dato Maharaja Lela including Sepuntum who speared him to death while he was in the bath house of his boat SS Dragon moored on the Perak river bank below the Maharajela s house in Pasir Salak near today s Teluk Intan Teluk Anson 3 Richard Olaf Winstedt in his A History of Malaya on page 226 published in the Journal of the Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society reprinted in 1986 wrote that a Malay deputation entreated with Governor General Andrew Clarke in Singapore to prevent the Resident from interfering with religion and custom from acting without consulting Sultan and chiefs and from depriving them of their property namely fugitive slaves and feudal dues Clarke had already observed on 25 March 1875 that I am very much annoyed with Birch and the heads over heels way in which he does things he and I will come to sorrow yet if he does not mind On 21 July 1875 Raja Abdullah in despair called a meeting of chiefs where after discussing poisoning Birch he accepted the Maharajalela s offer to stab Birch to death Dato Maharajalela who was the individual chiefly responsible for Birch s death is regarded by most Perak Malays as a heroic figure who resisted British imperialism He and the others involved were hanged by the British Sultan Abdullah who was also believed to have some complicity in the assassination was deposed and exiled to the Seychelles His arch rival Raja Yusuf 4 was installed as Sultan in his place In the aftermath of the event the administration shifted to Taiping A new Resident Sir Hugh Low was appointed and went about his administration of Perak in a more diplomatic way Whilst still banning outright slavery he gradually phased out debt slavery and assuaged the feelings of the ruler and chieftains by allowing for adequate monthly compensation to them Memorial EditBirch s grave is located near the site of British fort at Kampung Memali about 24 km from Pasir Salak His grave is now covered by a palm oil estate The Birch Memorial Clock Tower was built in 1909 and still stands in front of the Ipoh State Mosque One of the 44 figures on the clock an image of the Prophet Muhammad was painted over in the 1990s due to religious sensitivities 5 Roads in Kuala Lumpur and Taiping were thought to have been named after him Birch Road but this was for a different Birch namely his eldest son Ernest Woodford Birch also a Resident of Perak The same road was renamed Maharajalela Road Malay Jalan Maharajalela after Malaysia s independence in 1957 Similarly there are Birch Roads in several towns in Malaysia Seremban Penang and Ipoh and in Singapore Historical interpretations of Birch s assassination EditMalaysian historian Cheah Boon Kheng argues that while in present day Malaysian school history textbooks Birch s assassination is presented as an anti colonial uprising in which almost all the Perak Malays participated in fact the political situation in Perak was more complex with deep divisions between supporters of the two rival claimants to the throne of Perak Raja Abdullah and Raja Ismail 6 Cheah argues that Maharaja Lela s actions in contributing to Birch s death must be understood in the context of Malay feudal rivalries and not as an early example of resistance to imperialism Drama and film EditMalaysian dramatist Kee Thuan Chye s 1994 play We Could You Mr Birch is a dramatic reinterpretation of the events around the Birch assassination There have been several unsuccessful attempts to make a film based on the Birch assassination The late Malaysian actor director and politician Jins Shamsuddin who was from Perak announced plans in 2004 to make a film entitled The King of the River Pasir Salak which was to have been an epic production involving 1 500 extras 7 However the film was never completed Jins Shamsuddin commented in 2009 that making a film about Birch was a lifelong dream saying I hope to complete my movie on the historical events that happened in Pasir Salak before I die 8 Malaysian director Mamat Khalid who was also from Perak commented in December 2016 that after 18 years of preparation his film about Birch Pasir Salak Pasir Berdarah The Sand of Pasir Salak is the Sand of Blood would soon enter production 9 At the time of Mamat Khalid s death in 2021 the film was unfinished but the National Film Development Corporation Malaysia announced that it would support the completion of the film 10 See also EditCorresp Actions of Perak Expeditionary Force post murder of BirchReferences Edit a b Untitled Straits Times Overland Journal 17 June 1870 p 7 Barlow Henry S 1995 Swettenham Kuala Lumpur Southdene p 63 More than just about Birch and Maharaja Lela The Star Malaysia 13 November 2017 Sultan Yusuf Sharifuddin Mudzaffar Shah Ibni Almarhum Sultan Abdullah Muhammad Shah I 1877 1887 Birch Memorial Clock Tower Ipoh Archived from the original on 3 March 2016 Retrieved 21 November 2015 Cheah Boon Kheng 1998 Malay Politics and the Murder of J W W Birch British Resident in Perak in 1875 the humiliation and revenge of the Maharaja Lela Journal of the Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society 71 1 74 105 JSTOR 41493353 Coming Epic English film on Perak War and Birch New Straits Times Singapore 17 March 1994 A filmmaker who is 73 going on 20 AsiaOne News 10 January 2009 Archived from the original on 3 March 2017 Retrieved 2 March 2017 Azizi Mohd al Qayum 23 December 2016 Mamat Khalid Ambil 18 Tahun Buat Kajian Filem Pasir Salak MStar in Malay Retrieved 1 March 2017 Tributes paid to Malaysian filmmaker Mamat Khalid who has died nme com 26 October 2021 External links EditDeath on the Perak River The assassination of J W W Birch WorldStatesmen Malaysia Education Malaysia Rewriting our history History of Malaysia a tale of Tussels Tin and ToleranceGovernment officesPreceded byRonald MacPherson Colonial Secretary of Straits Settlements1870 1874 Succeeded byThomas Braddell Acting New title British Resident of Perak1874 1875 Succeeded byFrank A Swettenham Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title James W W Birch amp oldid 1106138304, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
