Queen Fatimah of Johor

Cukuplah sudah Allah memberi
Senang sentosa di dalam negeri
Bersukacita sepanjang hari
Selagi ada hidup Permaisuri

2.18

Permaisuri yang tua besar daulatnya
Sangat mustajab apa katanya
Cinta Baginda sangatlah padanya
Dari muda sampai hari tuanya

2.19

Baginda sangat segan dan malu
Sekarang ini dan tempoh dahulu
Apa katanya tiada dilalu
Mesyuarat padanya apa yang perlu

2.20

. . . and then, in other carriages, we drove to the Sultan's pretty villa, Tyersall, some two miles out Singapore, where we had (Liberian) coffee and cream, a luxury in the tropics, and examined His Highness's collection of In 1883, the Sultan visited Hong Kong, Japan, and China.Chinese and Japanese curios, imported by himself. The Sultana lives at Tyersall. She is no longer young; but the Sultan esteems her highly, and consults her in everything. It is true he has other, younger, wives, but only the Sultana is a power in the state. She possesses also the power of the purse, for ‘in Malay marriage contracts it is agreed that all savings and “effects" are to be the property of husband and wife equally, and are to be equally divided in case of divorce.' It is currently reported that the Sultan has already spent his share, or rather invested it in improvements, jewels, furniture, and splendour; and it is rumoured she gives him an allowance. Any way, they seem an amiable couple. He talks of re-building and enlarging her house at Tyersall . . .

Florence Caddy (1889) To Siam and Malaya in the Duke of Sutherland's yatch ‘Sans peur', Hurst and Blackett, London. Florence Caddy (1837 - 1923) was an English geographer and naturalist, she was recruited by the the third Duke of Sutherland, George Granville William Sutherland-Leveson-Gower (1828–1892) to accompany him to Siam and Malaya. Caddy and the Duke left England in the December of 1888, and their meeting with Sultan Abu Bakar and Queen Fatimah took place between 9 - 11 March 1889.

Permaisuri itu rezekinya murah
Sangat mustajab dia punya bicara
Apa dia suruh buat segala perkara
Sangatlah mujur tiada terkira

2.21

Permaisuri itu sangatlah bertuah
Apa katanya tiada yang kecewa
Apa yang dikata nanti bersua
Sayang Baginda sepertikan jiwa

2.22

Selama Permaisuri tua lagi ada
Sangatlah senang hatinya Baginda
Jarang hatinya ada bergundah
Sakit tiada datang menggoda

2.23

Hatinya senang sihatlah anggota
Tiada ada datang berdukacita
Bertambah makmur mendapat harta
Senang membeli intan permata

2.24

柔妃噩耗 ■ 柔佛蘇丹元妃，秉性慈祥，持躬淑慎，待人無忤，佐治有方。入柔宮者數十年，佐蘇丹以敷內政，未嘗失德。近因蘇丹往遊歐境，而國中政事悉交妃攝理，以故益形勞瘁，逐至積勞成病，玉體時覺不安。屢召名醫迄無大效，旋愈旋發。因來叻邸就醫，以冀靜養天懷，不意時數限，人遽於本月十七日一點鐘越十二分時，薨於叻邸。一時之交臣庶得聞是耗，莫不悼哭同聲。想蘇丹在歐若得訃音，正不知若何悲慟也。現聞世子之意，擬擇日扶妃之金棺回柔佛奉安園寢云。

叻报 1891年2月27日 Lat Pau - 27 February 1891. The date of death reported in Lat Pau is Wednesday, 25 February 1891 (Year of Xinmao, 28th year of the sexagesimal cycle, 17th day of the 1st lunar month 辛卯年正月十七日). The text in Lat Pau reads: Demise of the Queen of Johor. The Queen of Johor, known for her gentle and benevolent nature, modest and prudent conduct, and adept administrative abilities, has passed away. The Queen had been with the Royal family Lau Pat's choice of word of 數十年 (shù shí nián = a few decades) was problematic if we consider the fact the marriage was solemnized in December 1885 (i.e. 5.2 years before the Queen died and when Sultan Abu Bakar was 54-year-old).

However, Florence noted that the Queen was ‘no longer young' in March 1889. Thus it is reasonable to say that both the Queen and the Sultan were no longer young in December 1885. It is not known whether the Duke Sutherland and Florence were told that the couple were only married 6 years ago, but this is unlikely to be the case, because ‘no longer young' suggests that Florence assumed that the couple must have been together for many years and slowly faded to old age together.

Lau Pat's description of ‘shù shí nián' may not, after all, be that problematic, after all.for decades, she assisted Sultan Abu Bakar in managing state affairs without any lapse in virtue. About 18 months ago, Sultan Abu Bakar embarked on a journey to Europe and state affairs were entrusted to the Queen, leading to increased fatigue. Consequently, she succumbed to illness, and despite repeated consultations with renowned physicians, there was no significant improvement. (About 6 months ago), the Queen sought medical attention in Singapore, with the hope of finding tranquility and solace, her condition unexpectedly worsened. Succumbing to accumulated fatigue, she peacefully passed away in Tyersall on the seventeenth day of this month, at 12 minutes past 1 o'clock. Close friends and the people of Johor are collectively mourning and expressing their sorrow. It is believed that, Sultan Abu Bakar, if informed of this news while in Europe, would undoubtedly grieve deeply. It is now heard that the heir apparent, Crown Prince Tunku Ibrahim, intends to select a date to transport the Queen's coffin back to Johor for internment in the Royal Mausoleum, Bukit Mahmudiyah (محمودية).

Suatu pun tiada kekalnya ada
Dahulu senang sekarang bergundah
Apakah daya takdirnya sudah
Akan mendukakan hati Baginda

2.25

Demikianlah ada kisah dan peri
Geringlah sudah Permaisuri bestari
Segala macam ubat sudah diberi
Tiada menolong kepadanya diri

2.26

Sudahlah takdir apakan daya
Luputlah budi dengan upaya
Sudahlah sampai ajalnya dia
Mangkat Permaisuri meninggal dunia

2.27

The death of the Sultanah of Johore, which occurred Wednesday, 25 February 1891yesterday, at Tyersall, the Singapore residence of the Sultan, is a matter of regret but not of surprise as the deceased lady had for a long time past been a keen sufferer and had been almost bedridden, from dropsy. For fully six months the Sultanah had been under the immediate attendence of Sir David James Galloway (8 May 1858 - 5 March 1943)

The 27-year-old Dr. Galloway arrived in Malaya on 15 February 1885 to take over from the old family physician Dr. Robertson. He was the personal doctor of Sultan Abu Bakar and founding member of Straits Settlements and Federated Malay States Government Medical School (1905) and later, a faculty of the University of Malaya, Singapore.

On 17 April 1895, three days after the Johor Constitution was proclaimed, Dr. Galloway accompanied Sultan Abu Bakar in his last trip to England. The Sultan reached London on 29 May 1895 and died six days later on 4 June 1895 (8:15 pm), at Bailey's Hotel, South Kensington.Dr. Galloway, and yesterday in making an earlier call than usual at Tyersall - Dr. Galloway found the Sultanah in a semi-conscious condition, and from that time he knew that all hope was past. The Sultanah gradually lost consciousness and at a few minutes after 1 o'clock the heart's pulsation ceased. The Dato Menteri of Johore happened to be present at Tyersall in the morning, and being informed of the lady's critical condition, he remained with the Sultanah up till the time of her death. The burial will take place in Johore. The news was at once telegraphed to the Sultan.

Straits Times, 26 March 1891, p. 2. Sultan Abu Bakar received the news of the death of his Queen via telegraph when he was in England. The Sultan left Johore two summers earlier and reached Frankfurt in September 1889. The Sultan spent 18 months, from September 1889 to February 1891 in multiple cities in Europe before he set sail to England. In October 1890, we were told that Sultan Abu Bakar was in Frankfurt and was suffering from lung inflammation, and Queen Fatimah asked the King not to rush back because her health has improved. At Windsor Castle, Sultan Abu Bakar was received by Queen Victoria. They took lunch on 21 February 1891 and dinner on 25 February 1891. Note that 25 February 1891 (5:12 am UK) coincided with the date of death of Queen Fatimah (1:12 pm SG). Note that the ‘Tyersall' referenced here is the old Tyersall (present-day Istana Woodneuk), the Queen was staying at Woodneuk so that the supervision work of the construction of her new Tyersall can be easily facilitated.

Gemparlah orang di dalam negeri
Dari mangkatnya Permaisuri
Merataplah orang di dalam puri
Demikian lagi Baginda bestari

2.28

Merataplah orang di peraduan
Berapa dayang yang perempuan
Masuk di dalam berkawan-kawan
Segala perempuan yang bangsawan

2.29

Berkabunglah orang di dalam negeri
Dari mangkatnya Permaisuri
Datanglah isteri perdana menteri
Bersama wazir empunya isteri

2.30

Banyaklah orang yang berdukacita
Demikian Baginda jangan dikata
Banyak mengeluarkan airnya mata
Kehilangan Permaisuri yang tercinta

2.31

Penuhlah orang dalam istana
Segala isteri wazir menteri perdana
Semulanya hadir sudah di sana
Baru dimandikan jenazah Sultanah

2.32

Sudah bersiram lalu dikapankan
Dalam usungan lalu dimasukkan
Berapa fatihah sudah dibacakan
Mufti yang sudah mendoakan

2.33

When the Trial run with first engine was concluded on 4 February 1890. Both Jalan Maharani and Jalan Sulaiman were swarmed with spectators.

In 1906, we were told that the Bandar Maharani-to-Parit Jawa line was poorly maintained. The MSR train was reputedly notorious for burning passenger's clothes, as a result of sparks emitting from the engine funnel. Poor maintenance and operation safety were likely the primary reasons why we shutdown MSR in 1929.state railway (MSR) was introduced in Muar, the left side of the high street of Muar was renamed Jalan Petrie. In Latin script, the word ‘petrie' looks odd because it is not a standard orthographic form of any known Malay word. In Arabic script, however, the word is just the normal Malay word for princess: PTRɎ = puteri (ڤتري). The plan and paperwork around MSR was concluded in 1887, which coincided with the birth year of Tunku Azizah (1887 - 1926). This fact appears to support the official attribution: ‘Petrie adalah merujuk kepada puteri DYMM Sultan Abu Bakar bersama DYMM Sultanah Fatimah', although the spelling ‘petrie' is often connected to This is a photograph of Tunku Besar Petrie (Tunku Gondol) when she was a little girl:

This is Tunku Besar Petrie when she was older:

G. 17251. This is the young Tunku Besar Petrie, shown together with Queen Fatimah.

Tunku Besar Petrie (>1871? - 1945), a half-sister of Tunku Azizah. Tunku Besar Petrie's mother was Ungku Wan Chik of Pahang, whom Abu Bakar married before he inherited the Dato Temenggong Sri Maharaja title from Temenggong Ibrahim.

Tiadalah dilanjutkan rencananya
Diangkat orang jenazah Sultanahnya
Serta segala adat kebesarannya
Sangatlah ramai tiada sepertinya

2.34

Banyaklah orang dalam negeri
Pergi menghantar jenazah Permaisuri
Segala orang besar wazir dan menteri
Ramainya sangat tiada terperi

2.35

Berapa alatan kebesaran negeri
Segalanya sudah hadir terdiri
Sepanjang adatnya dahulu hari
Segala menghantar jenazah Permaisuri

2.36

The Illustrated London News, 10 June 1865. Blowing-up of the Steamer Johore, at Singapore. The same correspondent at Singapore, Mr. John Lawrence Kirby, to whom we were indebted for a sketch of the wreck of the French mail-steamer Hydaspe upon a reef of rocks off that coast, towards the end of last year, has us an Illustration of the blowing-up of the iron steam-vessel Johore, belonging to his Highness the Temenggong, or native Prince of the independent Malay territory of Johore, at the extremity of the Malayan peninsula. This vessel, which was of 150 tons burthen, schooner-rigged, a paddle-wheel steamer, armed with a ram and a Blakeley gun, had visited Singapore with two of the Temenggong's brothers on board to pay a compliment to the English Governor, who had, with a party of the European residents at that port, been invited to join in a pleasure-trip round the island. The steamer had been lying there for some days when this disaster took place. Among the persons who happened to be on board were Captain Cleghorn and Mr. Bain, engineer, in the service of the Singapore Dock Company; with Mr. Henry Sanders, boiler-maker; and these, as well as Mr. John Young, the gunner, and Mr. Miller, the engineer of Johore, were killed. One of the Temenggong's brothers, Haroo, was also killed, with twenty-two other natives; the second brother, Tunku Abdulrahman, had a narrow escape, being thrown overboard, but not hurt. Two Europeans and five or six natives were badly scalded. With regard to the cause and manner of this terrible accident, it seems that Mr. Miller, the engineer of the steamer, had found some difficulty in starting his engines, and had sent Mr. Bain to come and see what was amiss. While these gentlemen were looking after the engine, the native fireman continued feeding the fires, without taking care to keep up with the quantity of water in the boiler; so that the boiler tubes became red hot, and when cold water was pumped in, the boiler burst, and the vessel was blown to pieces, as shown in our Illustration . . .

. . . His Highness the Sultan had no children by his [25] Sultan Abu Bakar's first wife was Ungku Wan Chik (m. June 1858, in Pahang), the daughter of Raja Bendahara of Pahang. The first marriage produced a daughter named Tunku Besar Putri | Petrie (>1871? - 1945) and no male heir. This is the second political union between Johor and Pahang, a year earlier in 1857, Ungku Wan Chik's brother married Abu Bakar's sister.

[37] The Sultan's second wife was Cecilia Catherina Lange (m. 1870, in Singapore). The second marriage produced a daughter named Tunku Mariam (1871 - 1952) and a son named Tunku Ibrahim (1873 - 1959, who later ascended to the throne of Johor).

[?] Tunku Azizah (1887 - 1926), the third daughter of the Sultan. She was the only daughter of Queen Fatimah.

[?] The Sultan's fourth wife was Khadijah Khanum. The fourth marriage produced a daughter named Tunku Fatimah (1891 - 1947) and no male heir.

The number indicated in the square bracket is the age of Sultan Abu Bakar when the marriage was actualized.

The report appears to have mixed up Queen Fatimah and Ungku Wan Chik of Pahang, since Bandar Maharani Muar and Jalan Maharani were named after the former and not the latter. Jalan Petrie in Muar, however, was named after the daugther of Ungku Wan Chik. Both Jalan Maharani and Jalan Petrie are topologically the same river-facing high street of Muar, they are punctured by Jalan Sulaiman (the short-lived Muar state railway, 1889 - 1918).first wife, who was a lady of undoubted ability, and assisted in considerable measure by her influence in the progress of the State. The chief town of Muar is named Bandar Maharani, after her. An incident that occurred thirty years ago is said to have been the commencement of her great influence over the Sultan. On Easter Monday, 1865, the Governor, Colonel Cavenagh, and a party of the leading officials and residents were to go round the island with the Sultan on his steamer Johore. Steam was ordered to be got up to bring the vessel to Johnston's Pier. Cold water was carelessly allowed to be pumped into the over-heated boiler and a serious explosion took place. Several Europeans were killed and several natives, while many were injured, including the Datuk Mentri. The point is that the Sultan had intended to go on board before the explosion took place, and was only deterred by the cries and entreaties of his wife, who had a strange presentiment that there would be an accident. After this the Sultan had the greatest faith in the lady, rarely undertook any step without consulting her, and there is little doubt that her deeply-regretted death a few years ago contributed in no small degree to His Highness's recent failure of health . . .

The apocryphal story of how the young Wong Ah Gew prevented the probable injury/death of her future husband, the 32-year-old Temenggong Abu Bakar, was recounted in the death of the sultan of johore, The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser, 6 June 1895, p. 3. The report mentions that the steamer was supposed to carry the Sultan and Governor Cavenagh on Monday (17 April 1865), but it exploded on the preceding Saturday (15 April 1865), as reported in Glasgow Herald (11 May 1865), Lancaster Gazette (3 June 1865), and The Sydney Morning Herald (30 June 1865). It is true that the Temenggong Abu Bakar was scheduled to be onboard on Monday, but we have no records to show that the Temenggong was supposed to be on the steamer on Saturday for engine startup. The fact that the explosion wounded Ungku Abdul Rahman bin Temenggong Ibrahim (? - 1876) and killed Ungku Haroo bin Temenggong Ibrahim (? - 1865) indicates that the Abu Bakar's brothers were delegated to check the steamer. Note that another notable Malay killed was the son of Munshi Abdullah (the Malay tutor of Stamford Raffles).

Ramainya sangat tiada seperti
Banyak yang menghantar ada dilihati
Arab, Cina, Melayu dan orang putih
Jenazah Permaisuri yang dihormati

2.37

Tiada lanjut direncanakan
Sampai di kubur sudah ditalkinkan
Berapa fatihah banyak orang doakan
Selamatlah sudah orang makamkan

2.38

Alat kebesaran kembali ke istana
Diiringkan rakyat menteri perdana
Berserta orang putih, Arab dan Cina
Kembali ke tempatnya di mana-mana

2.39

Coin issued to commemorate the transition of Abu Bakar from Maharaja (In 30 June 1868, Abu Bakar was officially recognized by the Sultan of Lingga (Sulaiman II) and the Governor of the Straits Settlements (Harry Ord) as Maharaja, but he started using the truncated title of ‘Maharaja' during his visit to England in 1866.

Note that Dato Temenggong Sri Maharaja was title Abu Bakar inherited from his father Temenggong Ibrahim in 1862.1868 - 1886) to Sultan (1886 - 1895). The first and second lines read: al-Sultan Abu Bakar ibn al-Marhum Ibrahim (السلطان ابو بکر ابن المرحوم ابراهيم). The third line marks ‘Johor' (جوهر) and Islamic Year of 1303 (١٣٠٣). The 53-year-old Sultan reached Singapore on 8 July 1886, and was crowned, together with Queen Fatimah, on 27 Shawal 1303 (Thursday, 29 July 1886), approximately \(\frac{3}{5}\) year after the Anglo-Johor Treaty (11 December 1885) was signed in London.

Maafkan segala yang membacakan
Tiadalah banyak direncanakan
Yang lain kisah mahu diwartakan
Segala orang boleh mendengarkan

2.40

Selama mangkatnya Permaisuri
Sangatlah masyghul Sultan bestari
Menaruh percintaan sepanjang hari
Susah hatinya tiada terperi

2.41

Baginda berduka mangkatnya Ratu
Sangatlah masyghul fikirannya itu
Geringlah Baginda itulah waktu
Segala ubat tiada membantu

2.42

Princess ‘Azizah (عزيزة = cherished = 貝寶, \( \mathbb{Z}^{\frac{1}{2}}\)) あ巳か公主, Tunku Azizah binti Sultan Abu Bakar (7 August 1887 – 27 August 1926), was the only daughter of Queen Fatimah. It is widely reported that Tunku Azizah's father married Wong Ah Gew 黄亚嬌 (or Fatimah binti Abdullah, \( \mathbb{Z}^{1}\)) in Singapore, in December 1885, when Sultan Abu Bakar was 54-year-old. But this is unlikely to be true since the Sultan was away from Johor betweeen The Sultan met Pope Leo XIII on 24 April 1885, before continuing his journey to meet Queen Victoria.March 1885 and July 1886. When Princess Azizah was 3\(\tfrac{1}{2}\) years old, her mother was seriously ill and had to be placed under intensive medical care in Singapore. Princess Azizah was only a 4-year-old girl when her mother passed away on 25 February 1891. Tunku Azizah was married to Ungku Abdul Aziz bin Ungku Abdul Majid (17 August 1887 – 29 April 1951), who was the Menteri Besar of Johor from 1935 to 1947. Note that Princess Azizah's father-in-law, Ungku Abdul Majid bin Temenggong Ibrahim (1845 – 1889) was the younger brother of Sultan Abu Bakar, who helped (together with Abdul Rahman Andak) in negotiating the surrender of Dato Maharaja Lela in the J. W. W. Birch murder case, in July 1876. The union between Princess Azizah and Ungku Abdul Aziz did not result in any children. Princess Azizah's cousin and sister-in-law, Ungku Maimunah binti Ungku Abdul Majid (\( \mathbb{Z}^{\frac{1}{2}}\), 1876 – 1909), mothered by Queen Fatimah's sister Aminah binti Abdullah (\( \mathbb{Z}^{1}\)), was later married to the only son (\(\mathbb{Z}^{\frac{1}{4}}\), 1873 – 1959) of Sultan Abu Bakar and became the maternal ancestor of Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah ( \( \mathbb{Z}^{\frac{1}{16}}\), 1960 – ), the younger sister of the 17th Agong of Malaysia, Sultan Ibrahim ibni Sultan Iskandar (1958 - ). A photograph depicting both Tunku Azizah and Ungku Abdul Aziz can be found in a recent book (2023) published by Yayasan Sultan Ibrahim, Sultan Abu Bakar: Monarch, Reformer, Diplomat, Picture 2.40, p. 91. It is not known why Tunku Azizah was addressed as ‘the last child of Sultan Abu Bakar and Sultanah Fatimah' in the book.

Geringnya Baginda sedikitnya ada
Ada sedikit di dalamnya dada
Berapa banyak ubat tolong tiada
Mulailah kurus badan Baginda

2.43

Geringnya Baginda di dalam hati
Tiadalah dapat tabib mengubati
Meski ubatnya doktor orang putih
Makin bertambah tiada berhenti

2.44

Geringnya Baginda hatinya susah
Makin lama makin merasa
Tiada menolong tabib yang biasa
Sudah habis wang ribu dan laksa

2.45