Sunday, November 4, 2012

布朗草場 - Padang Brown


財務總管前來詢問, 在柑仔園草場小販中心(Padang Dato Kramat)的紀念碑, 石刻撰文裡閱讀到的David Brown(大衛 布朗) 究竟是何人?

其實,撰文裡已對David Brown這位著名人物的性格, 特征,與對檳島的貢獻,留下詳細的記載。


撰文如下

THIS MONUMENT
WAS ELECTED BY PUBLIC SUBSCRIPTION
THE EUROPEAN AND NATIVE INHABITANTS OF
PINANG:
TO THE MEMORY OF
THE LATE
DAVID BROWN ESQUIRE
IN TESTIMONY OF THEIR ESTEEM AND APPROBATION OF HIS CHARACTER
AND FOR HIS UNWEARIED ZEAL AND USEFULNESS AS A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY
DURING THE LONG PERIOD OF 25 YEARS WHICH HE WAS A RESIDENT ON THE ISLAND
HIS DEALTH TOOK PLACE ON THE 12TH SEPTEMBER 1825
IN THE 49TH YEAR OF HIS AGE
ON BOARD THE H.C.S.WINDSOR CASTLE
ON HER PASSAGE TO
MALACCA.


檳城市議會在1966426日所豎立的牌子, 顯示當年大草場還稱為Padang Brown 也算是記得這塊草場的捐贈者, 乃是David Brown

David Brown (大衛布朗, 1776-1825) 對檳榔嶼殖民地政府的行政與立法,經濟, 社會事業之貢獻,不容抹煞。


檳榔島嶼開辟初期,萊特極力提倡香料種植, 如檳榔,胡椒,丁香,豆蔻。

隨后跟着萊特, 由蘇格蘭來檳榔嶼發展的布朗,斥資拓荒,應用本身力量與智慧, 二十五年后的業績,成為島上最大的種植豆蔻園主。


曾經在其產業名下的園丘,分別在今日的牛汝俄Gelogor(包括鬧出拆村風波的豆蔻村Kampong Buah Pala),USM理科大學大部分土地,雙溪居鑾Sungai Kluang (蛇廟) 亞依淡,升旗山別墅。

還有捐贈給檳城市議會,柑仔園這塊包括一個康體休閑會館, 一座小型人工湖和一個小型香科植物園,供島民聚集的十二英畝大草場。


檳城市議會給街道命名Brown Road,早已肯定其貢獻, 也保留着后人對先賢的敬仰。

曾幾何時,大多數的檳城人民,把大草場叫成Padang Dato Kramat, 張冠李戴把功勞都記在Dato Kramat身上。

以此為依據, 請還原一個真實的歷史,以后若要到這小販中心享受美食, 請把大草場喚回Padang Brown

修訂  17/07/2011 multiply-692

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