THE HISTORY OF THE CONVENT INCLUDING THE CHAPEL
In 1935 a place was needed to shelter children from overseas. European children whose parents were working in Malaysia needed a boarding school in order to start their studies near their families.
The land allocated on a lease for 99 years by his Highness, the Sultan of Pahang, Sultan Abu Bakar Riayaltud-Din, Al-Muddzam Syah to the Sisters on the condition that the building erected would be used only for educational purposes.
Mr. Nathan was the architect, who put up a beautiful building, consisting of the Sister’s Quarters with a chapel (Our Lady of Mount Carmel), a Primary School and a boarding house.
The official opening of the Convent took place on 1st May, 1935.
War broke out in 1941. In a fortnight, the Convent was empty. The Sister’s had to leave for Kuala Lumpur with lots of difficulties.
The building including the chapel was used by the Japanese for Japanese lessons and soon it was transformed into a Japanese Hospital as well as a military base. All furniture was removed and the building declared “Japanese property”.
On 23 rd August, 1943, the Japanese sold the furniture of our convent.
After the war in 1945 the Convent was then transformed into a convalescent hospital for the British soldiers and so the Sisters rented the bungalow of “Fair Wind” where they stayed until February 1971.
In 1960, the Sisters erected a new building near the small bungalow, 10 rooms and a big hall replacing the chapel of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
For quite a number of years after the Japanese occupation (1945), our Sisters lived in the Convent Bungalow. During that period and until February 1971, the British used the Convent as a military convalescent hospital.
