Kuala Lumpur becomes Capital

When the Federation of the Protected Malay States (comprising Selangor, Perak, Negeri Sembilan and Pahang) was formed in 1895, with Kuala Lumpur as its capital, the first Resident-General appointed, in 1896, was Sir Frank Swettenham  (who had previously been Resident for Selangor). Largely due to an influx of imported workers drawn from China to work the Klang valley's huge tin deposits, Kuala Lumpur was then a rough and ready frontier town, growing fast and primarily Chinese in character. Kuala Lumpur was, however, centrally located, of economic significance and Swettenham was determined to turn the city into a fitting symbol of British rule.  Centre-piece of his plan was a majestic new official Residence, designed to project a sense of grace, permanence and colonial authority.

Swettenham lived temporarily in what had previously been the Government Secretary's house, which stood in Lake Gardens on the site of the present War Memorial. By the end of June 1896 the site for the new house had been chosen, to the West of the Lake Gardens. It was on land apparently owned previously by F.G. West, Manager of the Straits Trading Company and a leading figure in Kuala Lumpur's expatriate community. The site chosen for the new Residence was a prominent hill close to the Padang (today's Merdeka Square) and near the meeting point of the two rivers, the Gombak and the Klang, that give Kuala Lumpur its name (in Malay, Kuala Lumpur means "muddy confluence"). The Padang was the anchor of the city's colonial growth. In 1887, St Mary's Cathedral was built on its eastern flank. The Royal Selangor Club was already established. On the opposite side of the Padang sat the then seat of colonial administration, which was built in 1894 in a peculiarly "Moorish" style, including copper domes and external spiral stairways.

“Carcosa”

In looking for ideas, Swettenham did not turn to faux-Moorish inspiration, but rooted his building solidly in English traditions, albeit somewhat eclectic. The building itself is High Victorian, and would not look out of place as a industrial magnate's hunting lodge on a Scottish grouse moor. The "villa" is complemented by a gable that is distinctly Elizabethan and an ornamental "medieval parapet" adorns several of its sides. The larger windows sport Anglo-Saxon cross lattices, topped off with lancet arches from the Regency period. Swettenham's greatest achievement was to offer a Residence that was both domestic in scale, but could also serve as a palpable symbol of colonial authority and power. He was helped in this regard by the site, a wooded hill overlooking the city and protected by forty acres of private, manicured, botanic gardens.

The new Residence, named "Carcosa", was formally opened on 29 August 1898 (although Swettenham had entertained the Selangor and Perak cricket teams there to a lunch reception on 1 June).  The building was estimated to have cost $67,300 of which $15,000 was needed for roads and outbuildings.  (The Colonial Office appears to have been notified of the construction of the house only as an afterthought.)  Preparations for moving in and the ball itself were reported in detail in the local press: "Mr Swettenham's Palace", was the headline to one story.  

The ceremonial opening was marked by a fancy dress ball.  Invitations were sent out early to allow costumes to be ordered from Europe.  Those who attended were the social elite of Kuala Lumpur.  Mrs Baxendale, wife of the head of the Public Works Department, appeared as Unaddressed Letters, in a yellow dress, embroidered with white fleurs-de-lys, in imitation of the cover of the recently published controversial book of the same name by Swettenham.  There were only three local participants, including the Kapitan China (the head of the Chinese community).  Music was provided by the Perak and Selangor massed bands.
There remained for many years some controversy over the name "Carcosa", which was widely believed to be a derivation by Swettenham from the Italian "Cara Casa" or "dear house".  Eventually, in 1936, he was asked to provide the explanation and did so in a letter to British Malaya.  At the time when he moved into "Carcosa" he had been reading The King in Yellow, a book of horror stories by the American writer, Robert W. Chambers.  The first of four dedicatory verses at the front of the book read as follows: "Along the shore the cloud waves break, The twin suns sink beneath the lake, The shadows lengthen in Carcosa."

So closely did Swettenham identify himself with the house that he used the name "Carcosa" as telegraphic code for Resident-General in subsequent years until his elevation to Governor of Singapore.

The inter-war Years

The history of "Carcosa" mirrors the ups and downs of colonial and post-colonial life. In the inter-war years, an invitation to Carcosa, for dinner or to a tea-party in the grounds, was the height of social ambition. It was the centre of a successful and wealthy colony. The British insisted that, where possible, colonies pay their own way. The wealthier and larger the colony, the greater the resources available to the colonial government. With tin and rubber backing the economy, Malaya was recognized as one of the gems of the empire and its civil servants knew it. But in 1941, Malaya fell to the invading Japanese forces and during the Second World War, "Carcosa" was used as a Japanese officer's mess and accommodation.

Post-War

In 1946, "Carcosa" reverted to the British. In the post-war years during the communist insurgency known as The Emergency, "Carcosa" was a heavily defended site. The British lost one Governor in a Communist ambush and were intent not to be embarrassed at the centre of their government.  The days of gay tea parties had been replaced by barbed wire and revetments.

Independence

With the end of The Emergency and independence for the Federation of Malaysa in 1957, "Carcosa" did not go to the newly independent government. In September 1956, the Chief Minister (later Prime Minister) of Malaya, Tunku Abdul Rahman, moved a resolution in the Federal Legislative Council that read, "this Council approves of the proposal to make a free gift of the house and buildings known as "Carcosa", together with the gardens and land attached, as a token of the goodwill of the Malayan people to Her Majesty's Government, for use as the residence and office of the future representative of that government in an Independent Federation". "Carcosa" therefore stayed with the British government and housed successive British High Commissioners as a diplomatic residence.
Inevitably, that such a prominent and resonant property should remain in British hands sparked resentment, and the "Carcosa issue" was taken up by young radical politicians, in particular one Anwar Ibrahim. When launching Henry Barlow's biography of Swettenham a few years later, in "Carcosa", Anwar noted the irony:

The radicals prevailed and in 1987, "Carcosa" was handed back to the Malaysian government. Two years later, after extensive refurbishment, its first official visitor was, appropriately, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.  Today, "Carcosa" is run as boutique hotel and restaurant and the Malaysian government uses it as a national guesthouse.. In 1998, Queen Elizabeth returned once more to "Carcosa" while on a State Visit and for the opening of the Commonwealth Games.

The New Residence

In return for giving up "Carcosa" the British government was given a plot of land near the corner of Jalan Tun Razak and Jalan Ampang, then a fair distance from the city centre (but now very convenient to the Twin Towers!), on which it decided to build a new High Commission building.  At the same time, it was necessary to construct a new Residence for the High Commissioner.  A nearby one acre site, previously occupied by the Defence Adviser in the High Commission at 27 Jalan Langgak Golf was selected and an architectural competition was launched.  A number of bids were received from British architects working hand-in-hand with Malaysian partners and the winning consortium was one made up of Kumpulan  Akitek Sdn Bhd and Brian Clouston & Partners.

In a talk in 2003, the lead architect Dato' Dr Hisham Albakri described how he met the brief by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office's Overseas Estate Department by developing a concept which was functional, formal and dignified, but not too over-powering and modern and fresh in its appearance.  One of the main requirements was to create space which offered flexibility for different types of entertainment, from small dinners to large cocktail parties and the extensive annual Queen's Birthday Party, which would be held in the lower level and spill over into the rear garden.  But the building also had to provide private accommodation for the High Commissioner and his/her family.

The new Residence attempts to be a blend of traditional Malay and British architectural styles and materials.  The roof is made of English blue-black natural slates.  Windows, doors and balustrades are of English oak and the designs are based on a series of geometric patterns reflecting the Union Flag.  These patterns are picked up also in the floors, ceilings, stained glass, furniture and external paving.

Today the Residence still serves the dual purpose for which it was designed: as a location for official entertainment provided by the British High Commissioner and as home to the High Commissioner's family.  Each year dozens of events of all sorts and scales are held and thousands of guests pass through the doors of the house.  Many of these events are held in conjunction with British companies, trade missions, universities and organisations such as the British Malaysian Chamber of Commerce.    
 


Front entrance of the Residence.



A view of the Residence from the rear garden.



Detail of the rear elevation of the Residence.

Footnote: The above notes draw heavily on "Swettenham" by Henry Barlow (published by Southdene Sdn Bhd) and an article entitled "Carcosa: A Colonial Gem" by: Andrew Barber (included in his book "Senses of Malaya")