Photo taken 2009 at Klang, Selangor, West Malaysia where we spent a relaxing time with our dear Dad
You can view my eulogy to my dad below. View the tribute on the video.
See why I spoke with such intense passion. You will catch the sincerity of how much our Mum and Dad meant for the Nicholas family. Tears were shed. How could they not be!
Within the talk Anton sensed and spoke a prophetic word for the year 2016:
Posted 10 July 2015.
The Nicholas family placed the obituaries for our Dad Albert Arasaratnam in the following newspapers:
- A full page colour obituary in The Star (Malaysia)
- A full black and white obituary in The New Straits Times (Malaysia)
- A full black and white obituary in The Malaysian Harian Tamil Malaysia Nanban
- A half page obituary in The Straits Times (Singapore)
- A full page colour obituary in The Sunday Observer (Sri Lanka), the highest English circulation newspaper in Sri Lanka.
- In Canada, the obituary was placed on the Karampon website.
Please do view Dad's 95th birthday party below. Albert Nicholas was one of the Directors and the Manager of Oriental Bank of Malaya Ltd-Klang.
Nearly 2000 people from around the world have connected with BP Nicholas on this Facebook page and shared it with their friends. We are encouraging our readers to do likewise.
Jeyamani Theresa Nicholas
WEDDING Article from The Catholic Guardian Jaffna, Ceylon.
January 10th, 1947.
On Saturday 28th December 1946 Mr Albert Arasaratnam Nicholas, the second son of the late Mr B. P. Nicholas, the founder of the Oriental Bank of Malaya Ltd., and of Mrs Ester Chellammah Nicholas led to the altar at the Church of St Anthony, Pandateruppu, Miss Theresa Jeyamani Veerasingham, eldest daughter of Mr J. Simons Veerasingham, Malayan Pensioner and of Mrs Veerasingham.
Revd. Father P.J. Jeevaratnam O.M.I., an uncle of the bride sang the Nuptial High Mass assisted by Revd. P.T. Fathers James O.M.I. and Leo Thuraisingham O.M.I. The Choristers of the church sang selected hymns with Reverend Fr. L. J. Augustine O.M.I. presiding at the organ.
Fr Augustine preached an instructive homily on the holy state of matrimony. The attending witnesses were Benedict Ponniah Esq., C.C.S., a cousin of the bridegroom and F.A. Sandrasegra Esq., Asst. Registrar at Co-operative Societies, Jaffna.
The bridesmaids were Misses Alageswari Singanayagam and Beatrice Veerasingham while Misses Anna Joseph and Sylvie Pedropillai acted as flower girls. The bridegroom was supported by Mr Anton Joseph Veerasingham as his best-man and Master Damian formed the role of a charming little page-boy.
The bride was attired in silver brocade and carried a bouquet of madona lilies. Her going away saree was one of gold tissue.
After the ceremony in the church, a neatly arranged reception was held in the residence of the parents of the bride. Mr F. A. Sandrasegra proposed the toast in a short humorous speech followed by Revd. Brother Innasimuttu S.S.J.
On the 30th December Mrs B.P. Nicholas held a social at the Bank House, Chapel Street, Jaffna. Guests flocked in large numbers and Malayan friends from all parts of the Jaffna Peninsula graced the occasion with their presence.
The Bank House was tastefully decorated with fresh flowers and greenery. Refreshments were lavishly served. The social ended late in the night with the customary dinner to numerous relatives and closest friends of the family. May all prosperity attend the new couple.
Anton conducted a short interview with his Dad.
A) In what year was Klang Branch established?
The Klang Branch of the Oriental Bank of Malaya Ltd was established in the year 1936. It was declared opened by the late Mr B. P. Nicholas, the founder and Managing Director of the Bank.
B) How many staff (approximately) did Klang Branch have when they first opened for business?
There were 6 staff in the Branch excluding the Manager at the inception of the Branch.
C) How many customers (approximately) did Klang Branch have when they first opened for business?
There were about 450 constituents (a number of Klang residents who had accounts with Head Office in Kuala Lumpur who transferred their accounts to the Klang Branch).
The accounts constituted of:
- Current Accounts
- Fixed Deposit Accounts
- Fixed Loan Accounts
- Savings- Investment Fund Accounts
D) Among the Oriental Bank branches, was Klang Branch the 1st, 2nd or the 3rd Branch to open?
The 1st Branch of The Oriental Bank of Malaya Ltd was established in Klang, the 2nd Branch was opened at Seremban and the 3rd Branch was opened officially in Ipoh in 1940. The Ipoh Branch was closed down in December 1941 with the invasion of the Japanese Imperial Forces in Malaya during the Second World War.
This is my Dad in the picture below (with the good looks!), Albert Arasaratnam Nicholas as a young man sitting on the front row, fifth from the left. The director and manager of Oriental Bank of Malaya Ltd., Jalan Sultan, Klang, Selangor, West Malaysia. This photograph was taken in 1949.
Left to Right (bottom row)
1) G Rajan, ran a jewellery shop 2) S. Sundranpillai, District Office, Chief Clerk 3) G. Savarimuthu, Hospital Assistant 4) S. N. Maruthu, Carey Island, Businessman 5) A. A. Nicholas, Manager of Oriental Bank 6) Rev. Father Simon Edmund, Parish Priest of our Lady of Lourdes Church, Klang, 7) Mr. Cyril Nicholas, Assistant Manager, Oriental Bank, Klang
8) I. Ramanathan, Accountant, Oriental Bank, Klang 9) Encik Mohammed Ismail 10) Lim Eng Lim, Chartered Bank Officer. 11) S. Chellapah, Building Site Manager
Left to Right (middle row)
12) Mr. Chettiar, a money changer 13) still unknown 14) Mr. Vinisithamby, High School teacher 15) still unknown 16) Mr Francis Xavier, Electrical Engineer 17) Mr.Yong Kee Mee, Businessman 18) Mr. Ramasamy, former owner of the land where Klang Club stands now 19) Mr.Lee Swee Wah, Planter 20) still unknown 21) Mr. Nagappan Chettiar, Dr Valiappan's father 22) Mr. Ng Kai Shah, Lai's father in law 23) still unknown (he was once a Petition Writer) 24) still unknown 25) Mr. Karthivelu, a clerk at the Oriental Bank
Left to Right (back row)
26) The youngish looking, late Tan Sri Dato' Seri V. Manikavasagam, who was the sixth President of the Malaysian Indian Congress and the former Minister for Communications in the Malaysian Cabinet 27) still unknown (a former Shopkeeper) 28) still unknown 29) still unknown 30) still unknown (Shopkeeper's son) 31) still unknown (worked in the Cooperative Society) 32) Mr.Chanadin, Watchman/ Guard/ Security 33) Mr. Letchumenan Chettiar 34) still unknown 35) still unknown
If anyone recognizes a face that we have not as yet identified on the photograph that you can put a name to and the profession/ job they were involved in, then please email us
This picture below was taken in the year 1932. My Dad's football team called The Alberta X1 played at a self named Yankee Stadium on Chan Ah Tong Padang (field), located along Chan Ah Tong Street near the 100 Quarters, Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur. Would you believe this if we told you that after all these years the 100 Quarters is still in existence!
Incidentally my Dad's younger brother, Alfred Nicholas, was once the Treasurer of the Football Association of Selangor. Sometime later Alfred became the Assistant Treasurer of the Football Association of Malaysia.
(Year 1932) Standing back row commencing from the left
1) Peter Dawson, 2) Mr. K.K. Pillai, wearing a football blazer– was the advisor and Manager for my Dad’s football team. Mr Pillai was a former Selangor, Tamilian Physical Culture Association (TPCA) football player. He also played hockey and rugby. He was Police Traffic Chief – Inspector in charge of a Police Station in Kuala Lumpur, 3) Soh Chin Chye
Second row
1) Das – also played for TPCA and Selangor Chinese Association Club (SCAC), 2) John Chye, 3) Nadarajah — played football for the State of Selangor. Also triumphed as a hockey player. Once President of TPCA.
Front row
1) Teoh — played for SCAC 2) Anadan — played for TPCA 3) My Dad Albert Nicholas, aged 17 years old – Captain and centre forward of the football team. Well known personality in Brickfields. Obviously football ran in the Nicholas blood for his son Anton had a team joined by the Jalan Sultan, Klang Chettiar boys. His other two son’s Sylvester and Fintan had their own teams too 4) Cyril Gomez — played for the Selangor Rangers 5) Chan Ah Fook — played for SCAC.
This water fountain was built in honour of our Mum, Jeyamani Theresa Nicholas. It speaks of how much our Mum loved the Scriptures. The water is continually flowing over the plaque.
The picture below is of the Church where my dear Mum and I attended daily services, at Our Lady of Lourdes Klang: No. 114, Jalan Tengku Kelana, Klang, Selangor, Malaysia. I received much spiritual nurturing within these premises. Our whole family worshipped there on Sunday mornings.
I was a daily communicant, attended Saturday Novenas, and Stations of the Cross. There was also a grotto at the Klang Church that resembled Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto in France, which is located on the south-western part of the Hautes-Pyrenees.
Read about his visionary father: For Bastianpillai Paul Nicholas made an historical impact in colonial Malaya. It makes an interesting read.
I have joined the Twitter Club and will now be tweeting @AntonNicholas1 Do joyfully follow and track my tweets and may you be blessed!
Tweets by @AntonNicholas1Flag Counter
The counter below was introduced for the first time on 8th January 2014. Sadly the firm who installed my previous beautiful counter many years ago, and filled it with exciting statistics, suddenly went out of business. As a result we lost all our treasured statistics.
We like national flags portraying on our website so we are re-introducing the flag counter freshly again through another firm. It is so exciting to see visitors coming from the far corners of the earth!
