Robert Joseph Miles and Mary Miles (St. Michael's Catholic Church Ipoh Cemetery)

Robert Joseph Miles passed away at the age of 72 on 25 February 1936. Mary Miles passed away the same year on 8 September 1936. She was 68.

Robert Joseph Miles or R.J. Miles whose death occurred in is seventy-second year, had been a resident in Kinta since 1891, the year he arrived at Gopeng on transfer from the Singapore office of the Straits Trading Co., Ltd. Prior to the foundation of that company in 1887, he had been in the service of its first managing directors, Messrs. James Sword and Hermann Mullinghaus with the manager of Perak being Mr. Otto con Ortlepp and R.J. Miles long connection with the company continued until, as chief clerk in the F.M.S branch head office, Ipoh. He retired at the end of 1923 after serving for 30 years.

Other papers reported that he passed away at Falim, Ipoh a place he has been living in retirement for many years. The Rev. Father Dubois, acting Parish Priest officiated at his funeral. 

What is also interesting to note is the tomb of Robert Joseph Miles and Mary Miles is not marble but uses Shanghai plaster. Shanghai plaster is a type of cement-based finish facilitated by the widespread availability of modern Portland cement, a material patented in the UK in 1824. In this region it became colloquially known as Shanghai plaster (although it doesn't originate from Shanghai. Also known as ‘granolithic finish’, Shanghai plaster is made of exposed finely crushed stone aggregates held together in a cement-based binder. 

The tomb mason that constructed their tomb is Shanghai Lee Sing Co. Their premises is located at Menglembu Road, Ipoh. 

Robert Joseph Mile and Mary Miles 

References

Untitled. (1924, January 17). The Straits Times, page 15

Untitled. (1936, March 5). The Straits Budget, page 5

Malayan Doctors meet. (1936, February 28), The Straits Times, page 14

An Imitation of Grandeur. The Shanghai Plaster Story (website). Roots.gov.sg