“Bangsar aerial shot, about 30 years ago” (EatDrink Malaysia, December 2017: |"The Evolution of Bangsar").

“In 1906, the London based Kuala Lumpur Rubber Co. Ltd. (KLR) was incorporated and it was set out to plant rubber trees around Kuala Lumpur. This is to feed the demand for rubber tyres for modern motor-cars that were quick to replace horse-drawn carriages in the United States. Edouard Bunge and Alfred Grisar were the first board of directors of KLR and “Bungsar Estate” is a contraction of the gentlemen’s names. The plantation firm Societe Financiere des Caoutchoucs, or Socfin owned the estate and later sold it to various companies to develop it into a township. “Bungsar” is now known as Bangsar an affluent and vibrant suburb in Kuala Lumpur.”

“Note: Thank you to Mr M R Chandran (Former Director and Head of Plantations, Socfin Company Bhd) and his acquaintance, Serge from Paris for the verification of Edouard Bunge and Alfred Grisar’s photographs.”

(Sumber: The Malaya Collective @ Facebook, 15 Oktober 2020: "What does Bangsar mean?").

“This estate is said to be originally located at the crossroads between Jalan Damansara and Jalan Maarof, where the condominiums of the Condo Hills loom overhead. At that time, Jalan Damansara was only a winding service road. The estate was reputedly founded by a Belgian called Bunge and a Frenchman called Grisar. It was called Bunge-Grisar, which was gradually localised and inflected into Bungsar, and thereafter into the present Bangsar. In the early days, it was a “model estate” owned by the plantation firm Socfin and the one nearest to Kuala Lumpur. Curious expatriates and colonials used to visit it to get a taste of estate life. Of course, the rubber trees are all gone now and greenery in Bangsar is scarce. Land in the Bangsar area is also very expensive.” (Zakiah Koya @ The New Straits Times, 1998: |"My Wakil Rakyat and I: Bright and ugly sides of Lembah Pantai").

Menurut peta tahun 1904, kawasan perladangan yang kemudiannya menjadi Bungsar Estate, telah pun dibuka.

Peta sekitar Bungsar Estate, 1904 (Edinburgh Geographical Institute, 1904 @ Yale University Library - Digital Collections: |"Selangor, Federated Malay States, 1904 / John Bartholomew & Co ; W.T. Wood, chief draftman").

Pada 19 Mei 1906, Everard Feilding, Edward Henry Tootal, Edward Bunge, Alfred Grisar, dan Methold Sidney (M.S.) Parry telah menubuhkan The Kuala Lumpur Rubber Company Ltd., yang mengusahakan ladang-ladang getah di sekitar Kuala Lumpur dan Lembah Kelang, termasuk “Bungstar Estate” (gabungan “Bunge” dan “Grisar”, kini “Bangsar”). Syarikat ini kemudiannya telah mengambil alih beberapa syarikat lain, antaranya Kepong Rubber Estates (sekitar 1959-1961) dan Taiko Plantations (1983), dan kini dikenali sebagai Kuala Lumpur Kepong Berhad.

“Incorporated on 19 May 1906, KLK will be 100 years old on 19 May 2006. Registered as “The Kuala Lumpur Rubber Co. Ltd. (“KLR”), with its office at 9 Arundel Street, London, it set out to plant rubber around Kuala Lumpur – then under the British administration – to capitalise on the booming rubber price brought about by the introduction of the modern motor-car and pneumatic rubber tyres as replacement for horse-drawn carriages in the US. Not much is known about the early founders of KLR, except that the first Board comprised the following:

Hon. Everard Feilding (Chairman)
Edward Henry Tootal (Vice-Chairman)
Edward Bunge
Alfred Grisar
Methold Sidney Parry

It seemed that Mr Feilding was a member of the royal family and also Secretary of the Society of Psychic Research, although any linkage with rubber planting if any, must be coincidental. … With a paid-up capital of £180,000 KLR managed to acquire 5 estates, namely; Kent, Uganda, Wardieburn, Mount and Klang Gates, totalling 640 ha and for a princely sum of £160,000. Although certain of the estates were named after familiar places back in the homeland, there was no doubt all these purchases were located in what is now known as the Klang Valley. With success achieved, newer estates were added on, for example, Kuang and Rawang Estates in 1912.”

(Sumber: Kuala Lumpur Kepong Berhad, 2005: |"Kuala Lumpur Kepong Berhad Annual Report 2005").

“By 1906, British capitalists were seizing the opportunity to make fortunes by investing in Malayan rubber plantations. The London-based Kuala Lumpur Rubber Company was incorporated on May 19, 1906, and began planting rubber trees around Kuala Lumpur. Among its first board members were Edouard Bunge and Alfred Grisar. The estate they owned was Bungsar Estate. The nomenclature was derived from a contraction of their joint names and was adopted by Bungsar Road (now Jalan Bangsar) when it was built in 1912. …. In 1982, Jalan Parry was posthumously renamed in the memory of P. Ramlee, who is considered by many as Malaysia’s greatest singer, producer, director and silver screen idol.” (Alan Teh Leam Seng @ New Straits Times, October 21, 2019: |"How KL's streets got their names").

“The board of directors has 4 to 8 members; currently, it is composed by MM. Everard Feilding, President; Edouard Bunge, Alfred Grisar, John Gurdon, esq., Mr. Sydney Parry and Edward Henry Tootal.” (Alain LÉGER @ Les entreprises coloniales françaises: Comptoirs français de l'Inde INDOCHINE: Indes néelandaises, Malaisie, Siam, 2020: |"Kuala Lumpur Rubber Company Ltd (The)").

Bunge dan Grisar kemudiannya menubuhkan la Société Financière des Caoutchoucs (Socfin) bagi mengambil alih dan menyatukan beberapa syarikat perladangan. Secara langsung, ini termasuk Bungsar Estate.

“La SOCFIN a été créée par deux puissantes familles belges d’Anvers, Bunge et Grisar, en 1909.” (Google Translate: “SOCFIN was created by two powerful Belgian families from Antwerp, Bunge and Grisar, in 1909.”). (Serge Jardin @ Lettres de Malaisie, 13 Ogos 2019: "Henri Fauconnier, from adventure to literature (1/2)").

“1909 : Bunge (Anvers) et Banque de l’Union parisienne = co-fondateurs.

(Le Capitaliste, 11 novembre 1909)

On a introduit mardi, sur le marché de Paris, les actions de la Société financière des caoutchoucs.

Cette compagnie est une société anonyme belge, constituée le 8 juillet 1909, à Anvers, au capital de 3.100.000 fr., porté depuis à 10 millions de francs par le conseil d'administration, en vertu des pouvoirs spéciaux qui lui ont été conférés à ce sujet par l'article 6, paragraphe 2 des statuts.

Ce capital est représenté par 100.000 actions de 100 fr., entièrement libérées.

L'objet de cette société est la reprise de l'actif et du passif d'un syndicat de plantations de caoutchoucs et la continuation de ses opérations sur une base élargie.

Il n’a pas été créé de parts de fondateur ni d'actions d'apport. Le portefeuille du syndicat de plantations de caoutchoucs a été repris à des cours très sensiblement inférieurs aux cours actuels.

La Société financière des caoutchoucs a pour but :

1° Toutes opérations sur valeurs immobilières et mobilières, principalement sur les valeurs de plantations de caoutchoucs.
2° Elle peut recevoir en dépôt des titres et faire toutes opérations et tous actes de surveillance auxquels la possession de ces titres peut donner lieu, effectuer toutes opérations commerciales ou financières qui seront relatives à celles sus indiquées, et, d'une manière générale, toutes opérations faisant partie de l'activité normale d'un établissement de banque.

S'intéresser par voie d’apports, participations, [etc.]
Société financière des caoutchoucs
(Le Capitaliste, 18 novembre 1909)

Aux renseignements que nous avons donnés il y a huit jours sur la Société financière des caoutchoucs dont les titres viennent d'être introduits sur notre marché, nous devons ajouter que le conseil d'administration de la Société est ainsi composé :

MM. Ed. Bunge, de MM. Bunge et C°, Anvers, président ; N. Arnold, directeur général au ministère des colonies, Bruxelles ; Ernesto A Bunge, de MM. Ernesto A. Bunge et J. Borne, Buenos-Ayres ; Jules C. Bunge, de MM. Bunge et C°, Amsterdam ; Ed. Chenevière, de MM. Chenevière et C°, administrateurs de l'Union financière de Genève, Genève ; Maurice de Lagotellerie, négociant à Paris ; Auguste de Lantsheere, banquier à Bruxelles : Hon. Ev. Feilding, président de la Kuala Lumpur Rubber Company, Limited, Londres ; Willy Friling, fondé de pouvoirs de MM. Bunge et C° Anvers ; Émile Grisar, de MM. Grisar et C°, Anvers ; Alfred Grisar, administrateur de sociétés, Anvers ; W. F. de Bois Maclaren, président de la Serdang Central Plantation, Limited, Londres ; M. S. Parry, administrateur de Kuala Lumper Rubber Company, Limited, Londres ; Charles Poirson 1, de la Banque de l'Union parisienne, Paris ; C.-J den Tex Bondt, de MM Determeyer, Weslingh et Zoon, Amsterdam ; Herbert Wright, ci-devant Controller Government Experiment Station Ceylan, à Londres.

Nous rappelons que le service des titres est fait : à Anvers, par la Banque d'Anvers et la Banque de Reports, de Fonds publics et de Dépôts ; à Bruxelles, par la Société générale de Belgique [SGB] ; à Paris, par la Banque de l'Union parisienne ; à Genève, par l'Union financière de Genève, qui sont chargées du paiement des coupons.”

Google Translate:-

“1909: Bunge (Antwerp) and Banque de l’Union parisienne = co-founders.

(Le Capitaliste, November 11, 1909)

The shares of the Société Financiere des Caoutchoucs were listed on the Paris market on Tuesday.

This company is a Belgian public limited company, incorporated on July 8, 1909, in Antwerp, with a capital of 3,100,000 francs, since increased to 10 million francs by the board of directors, pursuant to the special powers granted to it in this regard by Article 6, paragraph 2 of the bylaws.

This capital is represented by 100,000 fully paid-up shares of 100 francs.

The purpose of this company is to take over the assets and liabilities of a rubber plantation syndicate and to continue its operations on an expanded basis. No founder's shares or contribution shares were created. The rubber plantation syndicate's portfolio was acquired at prices significantly lower than current prices.

The Rubber Financial Company's purpose is:
1. All transactions involving real estate and securities, primarily rubber plantation securities.
2. It may receive securities for deposit and carry out all operations and supervisory acts to which the possession of these securities may give rise, carry out all commercial or financial transactions related to those indicated above, and, generally speaking, all transactions forming part of the normal business of a banking institution. Taking an interest through contributions, participations, [etc.]

Financial Rubber Company
(Le Capitaliste, November 18, 1909)

In addition to the information we provided eight days ago on the Financial Rubber Company, whose securities have just been introduced on our market, we must add that the Company's board of directors is composed as follows:

Messrs. Ed. Bunge, of Messrs. Bunge and Co., Antwerp, President; N. Arnold, Director General at the Ministry of Colonies, Brussels; Ernesto A. Bunge, of Messrs. Ernesto A. Bunge and J. Borne, Buenos Aires; Jules C. Bunge, of Messrs. Bunge and Co., Amsterdam; Ed. Chenevière, of Messrs. Chenevière and Co., directors of the Financial Union of Geneva, Geneva; Maurice de Lagotellerie, trader in Paris; Auguste de Lantsheere, banker in Brussels; Hon. Ev. Feilding, president of the Kuala Lumpur Rubber Company, Limited, London; Willy Friling, attorney-in-fact for Messrs. Bunge and Co., Antwerp; Émile Grisar, of Messrs. Grisar and Co., Antwerp; Alfred Grisar, company director, Antwerp; W. F. de Bois Maclaren, president of Serdang Central Plantation, Limited, London; Mr. S. Parry, director of the Kuala Lumper Rubber Company, Limited, London; Charles Poirson, of the Banque de l'Union Parisienne, Paris; C.-J. den Tex Bondt, of Messrs. Determeyer, Weslingh and Zoon, Amsterdam; Herbert Wright, formerly Controller Government Experiment Station Ceylon, London.

We remind you that the securities are serviced: in Antwerp, by the Bank of Antwerp and the Bank for Reports, Public Funds and Deposits; in Brussels, by the Société Générale de Belgique [SGB]; in Paris, by the Banque de l'Union Parisienne; in Geneva, by the Union Financiere de Genève, which are responsible for paying the coupons.”

(Sumber: Les entreprises coloniales françaises: "Financière des Caoutchoucs (Socfin)(1909-1919) : période Bunge-Banque de l'Union parisienne").

Kiri: Peta sekitar Bungsar Estate, 1904 (Edinburgh Geographical Institute, 1904 @ Yale University Library - Digital Collections: |"Selangor, Federated Malay States, 1904 / John Bartholomew & Co ; W.T. Wood, chief draftman").
Kanan: Peta sekitar Bungsar Estate, 1926 (Malaya Survey Department, 1926 @ University of Minnesota Libraries: |"Selangor : Federated Malay States 1926").

Kelihatan di dalam peta tahun 1926, sebahagian kecil bahagian selatan dan tenggara Bungsar Estate telah pun diambil alih oleh pihak pentadbiran British (sebahagian kawasan Bukit Persekutuan kini).

Kiri: Peta sekitar Bukit Persekutuan, di sebelah tenggara Bungsar Estate, 1935: “Second section of this map shows Mukim boundaries, town boundaries, buildings, museum, schools, roads, milestones, railway, rivers, bridges, public gardens, cemeteries, cooly lines, Chinese temples, churches, Hokkien cemetery, Cantonese Cemetery, Cemetery Hill, Victoria Institution, Federal buildings reserve, Chandu Monopoly, Electric Light Transmission Line, Kuala Lumpur Railway Station, Flying Club, Sultan of Pahang's Residence, Sydney Lake, Lake House, Kuala Lumpur, Bungsar Estate, Seputeh, Klang River, Bungsar Road, Petaling Road, Brickfields Road, Lornie Road, Birch Road and others” (Surveyor-General, Federated Malay States (F.M.S.) and Straits Settlements (S.S.) @ Survey Department, Singapore; 测量局; Singapore. Survey Department, 1935: |"Kuala Lumpur,1935").
Kanan: Peta sekitar Bukit Persekutuan, di sebelah tenggara Bungsar Estate, 2025 (Mapcarta).

Menurut laman rasmi “The Estate on Federal Hill” (dibina pada tahun 1950, ditandakan di sebelah utara peta 2025 di atas, sebelumnya tanah rizab Carcosa dalam peta 1935), ia diambil alih oleh Syarikat Socfin dan menjadi pejabat pengurusannya: “The estate, referred to as “The White House” during its era, was constructed in 1950. Situated amidst lush tropical plantations on top of Federal Hills, it enjoys a central location. Due to unknown reasons, “The White Palace” was sold, and The Socfin Group acquired the land for “The Estate.” Since its construction, it has always been the residence of the General Manager. It has housed numerous generations of General Managers of the Socfin Group, bearing witness to a portion of Socfin's history. Therefore, it holds great significance for Socfin.” (Gart Management Sdn. Bhd. @ The Estate on Federal Hill: |History - About The Heritage).

Kiri: Peta sekitar Bungsar Estate, 1926 (Malaya Survey Department, 1926 @ University of Minnesota Libraries: |"Selangor : Federated Malay States 1926").
Kanan: Peta sekitar Bungsar Estate, 1950 (Surveyor General, Malaya, 1950 @ Australian National University: |"Malaysia, Malaya, Selangor 1950, Land Use, South Sheet, 1950, 1:126 720").

Kiri: Peta sekitar Bungsar Estate, 1962 (Director of National Mapping, Malaysia, 1962: |"Malaysia, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Series: L7010, Sheet 94, 1962, 1:63 360").
Kanan: Peta sekitar Bungsar Estate, 2025 (Mapcarta).

Di sempadan sebelah timur Bungsar Estate, pernah terdapat suatu kawasan perkampungan yang dinamakan Kampung Bukit Mati (ditandakan dalam peta 1962, kini sekitar Jalan Jelutong - Jalan Ledang):-

“In one of the evergreen valleys of Kuala Lumpur's Lake Gardens is a Malay kampong which has all the beauty of 'Shangrila'. But, paradoxically, its name has for a long time been 'Kampong Bukit Mati' - the village of the hill of the dead. This valley is more than a mile long, with Guillemard Road snaking along the hill on its right and King's House on its left. All that visitors to the gardens see is the bottleneck leading into the valley in which is one of the most beautiful kampongs of Kuala Lumpur. Despite its ominous name, Kampong Bukit Mati is a sanctuary of peace and contentment. And its 400 villagers live in harmony with one another like the members of a very large family. Recently an influx of settlers flowed into the vallley and turned it into a hive of activity. These settlers were Malays who had been obliged to quit their 'squatter' homes behind the Lucky World Amusement Park in Batu Road.

Today, there are more than a hundred homes in the valley and over thirty are brand new. There is still room from many more homes and the kampong folk say they will welcome suitable settlers with open arms. With the growth of its population, the people have decided that the name Kampong Bukit Mati should be discarded. And after much deliberation, they have decided to cut out the dead and make it simply Kampong Bukit. The story of Kampong Bukit can never be complete without any mention of Inche Yahaya bin Sheik Abdul Rahman, the valley's pioneer inhabitant, who is looked upon unofficially, as the headman of the kampong. Inche Yahaya, although only 28 years old, is undoubtedly the moving force behind all the advancement in the valley. He was a teacher in Batang Kali shortly before the Japanese invasion which took place about two months after his arrival in the country from Menangkabau, Sumatera. When the Japs surged south, Inche Yahaya fled to Kuala Lumpur and found security in the valley. He became the first inhabitant of the kampong.

Early in the occupation, thousands of his countrymen from Menangkabau were brought into the country and then moved up to work on the notorious Siamese Death Railway. Around 1943, hundreds of these slave labourers escaped the Japs and found shelter in Inche Yahaya's valley. But medicine was scarce and many perished from diseases contracted while in Siam. The valley had become a valley of death….Kampong Bukit Mati. Kampong Bukit Mati needed no renaming then. Its name was a very apt one and in fact, the pensioners enhanced this name. It was a valley where almost everyone waited patiently for the end. More people settled in the valley and about three years after the liberation, faced with the shortage of accomodation, many government pensioners found homes in the kampong to finish their lives in quiet enjoyment. During all this time, Inche Yahaya had not been idle. He started a grocery business which is the only one in the valley. He feels there is still a lot to be done. 'At the moment, the people are getting their water supply from a monsoon drain which runs through the valley. I am trying to negotiate for pipes to be laid.' It is Inche Yahaya who is called upon when there are letters to write. He is the kampong's petition writer.

When there is a quarrel in the village, Inche Yahaya is the peace maker. Should there be any knotty family problem, Inche Yahaya becomes an adviser. If anyone has business with the government, Inche Yahaya invariably finds himself the representative. Inche Yahaya must be a very busy man indeed because he is also a correspondent for a Malay newspaper in Singapore. 'There are many children who are old enough to go to school. At present, those of school age have to leave their homes early to go to the Malay schools. I would like to see a school built here. 'Children who fall sick have to be taken to town to get treatment. The people here would appreciate it very much if the authorities or the British Red Cross set up a clinic here to cater to the children and women,' he said.”

“Inche Yahaya bin Sheik Abdul Rahman is a proud father of a bonny little boy - his 'pride and joy.' He left off writing a newspaper story to pose for the Sunday Times. - Sunday Times picture.”

(Sumber: Peter Kum @ The Straits Times, 17 May 1953, Page 10: |"Kampong Bukit "Shangrila' of Kuala Lumpur").

“In 1969, Bangsar Park was the first housing development constructed in the neighbourhood and private buyers started buying the surrounding lands from Socfin. Today, she is a thriving metropolitan, carrying one of ‘the most desired postcodes’ in the Klang Valley for home buyers and business communities alike.” (Sumber: The Malaya Collective @ Facebook, 15 Oktober 2020: "What does Bangsar mean?").

“The first area in Bangsar to be developed was Bangsar Park. That was said to be one of the first planned housing estates in the capital. Dennis Appadurai of the Bangsar Park Residents' Association says the first houses came up in 1969. 'The development started soon after Socfin estates sold the land to private developers,' he says. The place has grown to such an extent that there are now more than 700 households in Bangsar Park. Mumtaz Ali, who has been a Bangsar resident since the early 1970s, says he has watched Bangsar grow so rapidly that it can be said to have converted from a green jungle into a concrete one. “There was no road leading from Jalan Maarof to Damansara and much of the area was undeveloped. The only shopping stretch for Bangsar residents in those days was where the present TMC and Jolly Green Giant are,” Mumtaz says, reminiscing the days when Bangsar was much more peaceful. Mumtaz stays in Bukit Bandaraya, which is the most populated of the Bangsar areas. “People went to work and returned to their homes in the evening,” he says, adding that at that time, there was no such thing as a Bangsar nightlife.” (Zakiah Koya @ The New Straits Times, 1998: |"My Wakil Rakyat and I: Bright and ugly sides of Lembah Pantai").