Just looking around

Apr 2004

Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia

http://profiles.friendster.com/7723967

Sandakan

Sandakan

Leo

Founding of Sandakan (Age 125)
Sandakan, situated on the East Coast of Sabah was founded by William B. Pryer on 21st June 1879. However it was William Clarke Cowie, a Scotsman from Glasgow who established the first European settlement on the north-east coast of Sabah known as "Kampung German" in 1872. When Kampung German was accidentally razed to the ground on 15th June 1879, Pryer decided not to rebuild the village but to move to Buli Sim Sim. He named his new settlement 'Elopura' which means "The Beautiful City". A few years later, the name was changed to "Sandakan" which in Sulu means "The place that was pawned".


Towards development and modernization
In 1884, when Sandakan became the capital of British North Borneo, the population had increased to 3771 people consisting of a mixed population with the Chinese and Sulus being the two largest ethnic groups.

Many establishments were established in the following years such as :

In 1886 - The Sun Kwong Lung's Hotel, the first hotel;
In 1887 - The Chinese Temple, Sum Sing Kung or The Three Saint's Temple (which is the oldest building in Sandakan today);
In 1887 - St.Mary's School, the first school in Sandakan was opened;
In 1888 - St.Michael School was opened;
In 1893 - The St.Michael and All Angels Church was started but the stone church was only completed in 1906. (Today it stands as a landmark of Sandakan);
In 1902 - The Sandakan Recreational Club was formed;
The Sandakan Town Mosque was opened;


In the early 1900's modernization began in Sandakan with the building of rows of corrugated iron roofs brick shops. Roads were metalled and by 1912, motor cars had made their appearance on the roads of Sandakan. Other facilities such as the automatic telephone exchange and electricity were also installed. Sandakan recorded its first film show in 1912 with the Chinese opera also being introduced during this era.

On the economic scene, the Chinese dominated in trade and commerce a

Sandakan Born PPl & Sandakan Residents, also welcome who supports Sandakan!!~~ :)