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Argus Residence: Celebrating the memories of a former Eurasian ‘enclave' in George Town
GEORGE TOWN, June 20 — Every evening along a short narrow lane, just behind the Assumption Church in George Town, shrieks of laughter would fill the air as children ran and played.
It was a time before there were many cars on the roads and that narrow lane was a playground for the children living in the row of five terraced houses.
'It was like a dead end because the road leads to a narrow back lane so cars didn't come in,' said Stan De Souza.
The 86-year-old was one of the children who used to run and play along Argus Lane back when Eurasian families lived in that row of houses.
That was between the 1930s to the early 2010s, a period of over 70 years.
The five terrace houses, built in 1928 and owned by the Church of the Assumption, were rented to the Eurasian families.
'We were like one big family where everyone knew everyone who lived there,' De Souza said.
Among those who lived there were the De Souza, Scully, Newman and Cutter families.
De Souza, who lived in the first house of the row, said his parents lived there from the 1940s.
'We went through World War II here, watched the bombs drop, hid in our homes,' he said.
He remembered going to school at the nearby St Xavier's Institution before it was bombed during the war.
'After that, school was in a small attap house next to Convent Light Street,' he said.
He reminisced about going back to study in a newly built St Xavier's Institution when he was in Form Four.
'I came back in January this year, wondering what happened to my childhood home when I met the George Town Heritage Hotels (GTHH) people who were restoring the buildings,' he said.
GTHH has leased the row of houses from the church and restoration started last year.
Today, Argus Residence is an extension of Seven Terraces Hotel — also a part of GTHH — and they are connected by a back lane.
Each of the houses is named after each Eurasian family who lived there; Dragone, Cutter, Newman, Scully and De Souza.
According to De Souza, Dragone was his mother's maiden name.
'My mother was Sybil Dragone and she was a teacher at Convent Light Street,' he said.
'I hope to book a weekend in this house one day and bring my siblings and our families to relive our memories growing up here,' he said.
The last of the Eurasian residents living there was Ann Cutter who died a few years ago.
Her niece, Corinne Cutter, who used to live in one of the houses too, remembered the strong sense of community among those who lived there.
'We used to gather outside and sing Christmas songs during Christmas,' she said.
GTHH founder Chris Ong said the residences are decorated in an eclectic Edwardian mid-century style. — Picture by Opalyn Mok
GTHH unveiled the Argus Residence yesterday and invited some of the former residents to visit the newly restored buildings
GTHH founder Chris Ong said the residences are decorated in an eclectic Edwardian mid-century style; a mix of modern furnishings and Ong's unique creations.
'We are honoured that the church approached us to restore these buildings,' he said.
He said GTHH hoped to also collect stories from the Eurasian community who used to live in these houses.
The Argus Residences are decorated in an eclectic Edwardian mid-century style. — Picture by Opalyn Mok
'We want to honour the memories of those who lived here and tell their stories too,' he said.
The Argus Residence is now open for booking here.
