The clock tower, with its 6ft 6in bell, was erected in 1909 in memory of James WW Birch, Perak’s first British Resident. Birch was murdered in 1875 at Pasir Salak by local Malay chiefs. The friezes on the clock tower are meant to illustrate the growth of civilisation, featuring figures such as Moses, Buddha, Shakespeare and Charles Darwin. A figure representing Mohammed has since been erased.
The road on which this memorial stands has been renamed for one of Birch’s killers. Today they are considered nationalists while Birch is remembered for his disregard of local custom.
