Meet Yasmin Hanoum Ariff

Yasmin Hanoum sent me a letter and a photo of herself. She is the younger daughter of Sir KM Ariff, Penang's most eminent early Malay doctor.  I knew her name when I wrote her father's biography. I have never met her. She wrote she knew my grandfather (Dr Che Lah Md Joonos), mother (Tulip) and father (Abdul Rashid).

Yasmin Hanoum (b.1932) attended St Georges Girls' School in Penang before going to England. Her parents are Sir Dr Kamil Mohamed Ariff and Lady Rahiman Bee. Her parents and a huge entourage were present at her send-off at the Mata Kuching Airbase in Butterworth. She attended the Malayan Teachers' Training College in Kirkby, near Liverpool in England, for two years (1952-54). She was in the second batch of Malayan teachers.

From my father's photo collection, I saw a photo of Nuruddin bin Jamin with my father on board a ship, probably sailing to England in 1951, to go to Kirkby. The two men were in the first batch of Malayan teachers at Kirkby.

Nuruddin bin Jamin married Yasmin Hanoum in December 1954. They have three children-Ahmad Ariff, Amin Ariff, and Shirin.

Dato' Dr Amin Ariff bin Nuruddin is with the National Heart Institute (Institut Jantung Negara, IJN) in Kuala Lumpur. I have met him twice but I didn't know he is Yasmin Hanoum's son. I met him at the National Conference & MQA here at USM in Kubang Kerian. I have a photo of him discussing with Prof Zabidi Hussin. I met him again at a Telehealth meeting at the Ministry of Health complex in Jalan Cedrawasih in Kuala Lumpur before the Ministry moved to Putrajaya.

Yasmin Hanoum bt Sir Dr KM Ariff

Source:
Faridah Abdul Rashid. 2012. The Ariff Family, in Biography of the Early Malay Doctors 1900-1957 Malaya and Singapore, pp506-515.

Tan Sri Dato' Dr Hj Yahaya bin Ibrahim

Tan Sri Dr Yahya Ibrahim

Tan Sri Dato' Dr Hj Yahaya bin Ibrahim was a close friend of my parents. He was from Bayan Lepas in Penang. They were together at Kirkby in England.

Our families lived at Maktab Perguruan Kota Bharu, Pengkalan Chepa, Kelantan when I first met him. I was in Primary 5 till Form 1. He often came to our house. I sometimes went over to his house for tea and to watch the fishes (kelisa) in the aquarium. My brothers played with his son Badril. I lost track of him after our families left Kelantan in 1971.

(Arwah) Cikgu Ramli bin Shaari informed me that Tan Sri Yahaya Ibrahim heads the Kirkby Alumni in Malaysia.
Arwah Cikgu Ramli Shaari's page on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ramli.shaari He uploaded a lot of old photographs, including those at Kirkby. He has passed away.

My late parents, as well as Chikgu Ramli bin Shaari and wife Chikgu Zainab bt Hamid Don, Tan Sri Dr Yahaya bin Ibrahim, Safiah bt Ismail (Tan Sri Abdul Majid's sister), Yasmin Hanoum Ariff (Sir Kamil Ariff's daughter) and her the future husband Nuruddin Jamin, Tuanku Bainun (former Sultanah Perak), and many more were colleagues at the Malayan Teachers' Training College in Kirkby, near Liverpool in England in the early 1950s (first batch 1951-54; second batch 1952-55)

Kirkby College existed from 1951 and closed down in 1962. The place is no more. Tan Sri Yahaya Ibrahim is continuing efforts to let prospective students to experience something like Kirkby College. His grandson Shafiq Badril is handling the running of operations for students to study overseas. Readers can enquire further from Shafiq Badril.

IJN heart surgeon Dr Mohd Amin Nuruddin is Yasmin Hanoum-Nuruddin Jamin's son. I'm uncertain whether I have met her son. I only know that he is Sir Kamil Ariff's grandson after I spoke to Aunty Yasmin Hanoum on the phone. I have never met Aunty Yasmin Hanoum. Nuruddin Jamin is Sir Kamil Ariff's son-in-law and my father's batchmate at Kirkby.

I met a doctor named Dr Mohd Amin twice, once at a Ministry of Health Telehealth meeting in Jalan Cenderawasih MoH complex and another at a National Conference on Medical Sciences held at USM Kubang Kerian, Kelantan.

Entry from Tan Sri Yahaya Ibrahim. From The 1957 Album (the Star). The caption says "A family picture during our stay at the government quarters near the Botanical Gardens in Kuala Lumpur".

(Tan Sri Yahya Ibrahim is standing at far right. His wife is standing at far left.) Photo source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/the1957album/703130690/in/photostream

My father is at right with songkok. Mustaffa is standing next to him.
They were sailing to England in 1951 to attend the Malayan Teachers' Training College, Kirkby. They were in the first batch of teachers sent there for 2 years (1951-1954). 

Malayan trainee teachers at Kirkby, early 1950s. One of the Malay ladies is Safiah Ismail, Tan Sri Dr Abdul Majid's sister. Photo from Bapak's collection

Malayan trainee teachers at Kirkby in England, 1952-53 hockey team. My mother was hockey captain - she's kneeling in centre. Kneeling 2nd right is Tuanku Bainun.
Photo from Mak's collection.

Entry from Tan Sri Yahaya Ibrahim. From The 1957 Album (the Star). The caption says. "One of the form five classes which I taught in the Malacca High School back in 1957. (first from right) I am seating with the other teachers in this picture". Photo source:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/the1957album/703130656/in/photostream 

Could this be En Yahaya Ibrahim in 1957 or later?
Photo from Bapak's collection.

Tan Sri Dato' Dr Yahaya bin Ibrahim (red baju Melayu) with grandson Shafiq Badril (black baju Melayu). Photo was sent to me by Shafiq Badril.