Inch Kenneth Estate merupakan ladang pertama di Ulu Langat yang menanam getah secara besar-besaran:-

“Tin mining industry in the district turned out to be a relatively minor enterprise, paling in comparison to other towns in the state. This prompted the District Office to suggest moving to agriculture. Tobacco had been planted in 1890 on a trial basis in Semenyih but the project failed. Coffee was next and it gained interest amongst European planters who were applying for land for coffee planting. Chinese businessmen were equally interested and joined in the demand for land. However, at the turn of the 20th century, faced with strong competition from Brazilian coffee producers, fluctuation of coffee prices and the appearance of a fungal disease called H. vastatrix and further assisted by the outbreaks of Cephonodes hylas moth that threatened to cripple the local coffee production, the industry soon vanished from the scene.

Rubber was the next big crop. The Inch Kenneth Estate located just outside Kajang became the first estate to plant rubber on a commercial scale in Malaya. Among the Chinese planters who obtained land in Kajang for rubber plantation were Choo Kia Peng with 182ha in 1910, Loke Yew with 41ha in 1912 and Low Ti Kok with 24ha. Goh Ah Ngee, who had tin mines in Balau, also ventured into rubber plantation in Semenyih after his failed ventures in coffee planting. The development of the rubber industry was also helped by the extension of the railway track southwards from Kuala Lumpur to Kajang in 1897. Before that, Kajang was connected to Kuala Lumpur via a cart road built in 1888.”

“Inch Kenneth Estate sign near Kajang.”

(Sumber: Eric Lim @ Museum Volunteers, JMM, July 15, 2020: |"History of Kajang").

Ladang ini dibuka pada tahun 1894 oleh R.C.M. dan D.C.P. Kindersley di Kajang. Mungkin nama ladang adalah sempena Inch(Pulau) Kenneth, Scotland. Pada mulanya, ia adalah ladang kopi: “The development of pepper, coffee, and finally rubber estates in other parts of Selangor over the period 1880-1900 bypassed Ulu Langat until the mid-1890s, when improved communications made it a more attractive area in which to open an estate. The key factor was the extension southwards of the railway, which reached Pudu in 1893, Sungei Besi in 1895, and Kajang in 1897. When the Resident visited Kajang in 1894, he approved - with some formality to mark a significant event - two applications, each for 500 acres of land in the Ulu Langat district, made by European planters. These were the first such applications for estate land outside the Kuala Lumpur and Klang districts.” (J.M. Gullick, 2007: |"A Short History of Ulu Langat to 1900"), m.s. 16).

Pada tahun 1896, Kindersley telah memperolehi anak pokok getah dari H.N. Ridley (Botanical Gardens, Singapura), lalu menanamnya di ladang ini (berkeluasan 5 ekar), sebagai ladang getah pertama di Malaya: “The original purpose of the Kindersley brothers was to open coffee estates (free of the restriction to 250 acres in the Klang valley), but in 1896 H. N. Ridley, Curator of the Botanic Gardens in Singapore, supplied them with rubber seedlings to plant an experimental 5 acres on Inch Kenneth estate, near Kajang. They are generally credited with being the first to plant rubber on a commercial scale in Malaya. The collapse of the coffee industry in 1899 brought the Kindersleys to the brink of ruin but these dogged Scotsmen survived the crisis and went on to become prominent in the new industry. One of them, R. C. M. Kindersley, was an unofficial member of the FMS Federal Council in the 1920s. The example of the Kindersleys led to the creation of a group of estates, mostly within a mile or two of the railhead (1897) at Kajang. The Kindersleys owned Balgownie, Inch Kenneth, and Bangi estates. In 1898 Lau Boon Tit opened Semenyih estate, which was later acquired by the Asiatic Rubber Produce Company. Lau 'went for broke' in planting 54 acres of rubber in 1898. A few years later, the FMS Rubber Co. owned West Country, Belmont, and Ayer Hitam estates, and E. V. Carey, chairman of the Selangor Planters' Association, opened Paradise estate. Thus, for the first time, Ulu Langat became a flourishing 'planting district'. It was a turning point.” (J.M. Gullick, 2007: |"A Short History of Ulu Langat to 1900"), m.s. 16-17).

Gambar sekelompok pokok getah berumur 10 tahun di Inch Kenneth Rubber Estates, diambil sekitar tahun 1908, maka kemungkinan antara pokok-pokok getah terawal yang ditanam di situ: “The Inch Kenneth Rubber Estates, Ltd. 1. Tapping ten years old rubber trees.” (Arnold Wright, 1908: "Twentieth century impressions of British Malaya: its history, people, commerce, industries, and resources", m.s. 456).

Pada tahun 1904, R.C.M. Kindersley membuka ladang Reko Hill (cawangan Inch Kenneth Estate), kemudiannya mendiami sebuah banglo di sana (The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser, 21 July 1911, Page 5: |"WEDDING").

Gambar Reko Hill Estate sekitar 1908. Sayup kelihatan di puncak bukit, kemungkinan banglo Kindersley: “The Inch Kenneth Rubber Estates, Ltd. ….. 4. View of Reko Hill Estate.” (Arnold Wright, 1908: "Twentieth century impressions of British Malaya: its history, people, commerce, industries, and resources", m.s. 456).

Kiri: Ladang Inch Kenneth, 1900-an (Edinburgh Geographical Institute, 1904 @ Yale University Library - Digital Collections: |"Selangor, Federated Malay States, 1904 / John Bartholomew & Co ; W.T. Wood, chief draftman").
Kanan: Gambaran kasar Ladang Inch Kenneth kini (Mapcarta).

Tahun 1905 merupakan kemuncak pembukaan ladang getah di antara Kajang dan Bangi, termasuk oleh R.C.M. Kindersley: “An application was made by Mr: R.C.M.Kindersley on behalf of the Inch Kenneth Rubber Estates Limited for 1000 acres of land for rubber planting between Reko and Bangi. If this application is approved, practically all the available land between Kajang and Bangi will be under rubber cultivation. - Ag: District Officer, Ulu Langat” (Arkib Negara 1957/0125542W, 03/11/1905: |"MONTHLY REPORT FOR OCTOBER, 1905 -").

Menjelang tahun 1908, Inch Kenneth Estate telah berkembang ke cawangan Reko Hill di Rekoh serta Dunedin Estate di Bangi: “The Inch Kenneth rubber estates comprise three properties - the Inch Kenneth, Reko Hill, and Dunedin - with a total area of 1,674 acres, of which 1,000 acres are under cultivation. The remainder is jungle, but this is being gradually opened up and planted. At first the estate was partly planted with coffee, but this has been superseded entirely by rubber. As an experiment two acres of land were planted ten years ago, but with this exception, the trees on the estate vary in age from those newly planted to those planted in 1902. Altogether there are 180,000 trees, and the crop of rubber in 1906 amounted to 2,000 lbs. It is estimated that about 5,000 lbs. will be produced in 1907. The manager's bungalow stands on a hill some 300 feet above sea-level, and commands a capital view of the surrounding country. Mr R.C.M. Kindersley has managed the estate since 1904, prior to which he was planting on the Kenneth estate. He employs Javanese coolies and has two assistants. The directors of the company are Messrs. D. Harris, G.B. Thornton, and Capt. H.W.S. Kindersley, and the secretaries are Messrs. Greenhill and Clapperton, of Edinburgh.”

“The Inch Kenneth Rubber Estates, Ltd. 1. Tapping ten years old rubber trees. 2. View of five years old rubber trees. 3. General view, Bangi Estate. 4. View of Reko Hill Estate.”

(Sumber: Arnold Wright, 1908: "Twentieth century impressions of British Malaya: its history, people, commerce, industries, and resources", m.s. 456).

Pada tahun 1914, ladang ini telah dianugerahi pingat perak (Class I) di London Exhibition (Turut diumumkan oleh R.C.M. Kindersley di dalam mesyuarat ini. Ladang Balgownie dianugerahi pingat emas).

• 1919 (31 Mac): Mengeluarkan beberapa (kesemua?) estet beliau dari Kajang District Planters Association (The Straits Times, 16 April 1919, Page 10: |"Kajang D.PA":-
  
  Kiri: Ladang-ladang Kindersley di selatan Kajang, 1920-an (Survey Department, Singapore, 1927 @ National Archives of Singapore: |"Parts of Seremban and Jelebu Districts with portions of Ulu Langat and Kuala Langat Districts (Selangor), Kajang, Negri Sembilan").
  Kanan: Gambaran kasar bekas ladang-ladang Kindersley di selatan Kajang, kini (Mapcarta).
  Senarai penuh:-
  • Balgownie Estate (Sebelah utara peta)
  • Bangi Estate (Kini Taman Bangi Indah, Bangi Avenue, Crescent Park)
  • Inch Kenneth Estate (Sebelah utara peta)
  • Dunedin Estate (Kini Alam Sari, Serene Heights)
  • Reko Hill Estate (Kini Bandar Baru Bangi Seksyen 5, SJK(T) Ladang West Country Timur, SMK Jalan Reko, Taman Tenaga, Taman Langat Jaya, Pusat Hentian Kajang, Taman Perindustrian Kajang)
  • Gleshiel Estate (Kini Taman Bukit Mewah, Taman Sri Mewah, Taman Bukit Mutiara)
  • Sungei Tankas Estate (Kini Kg Sg Tangkas,
  • Kajang Estate (Kini Taman Bukit Indah, New Era University College, Taman Kajang Prima, Taman Damai, Taman Jasmin, Taman Cantik, Taman Ria, Taman Sentosa, Taman Asa Jaya, Taman Sri Jelok)
  • Sungei Reko Estate (Kini Kajang 2, Kajang Villa, Tropicana Heights, Rafflesia International School, Taman Anggerik Emas)
  • Connemara Estate (Kini Eco Majestic)
  • Sungei Ramal Estate (Sebelah barat laut peta)

• 1921: Dilantik sebagai pegawai Straits Settlements Trade Commission.

• 1926: Bersama Haji Abdul Jalil, Low Ti Kok, Raja Muhammad dan Ng Seow Buck, mengusahakan tapak baru sekolah British di Kajang bagi menggantikan bangunan yang telah usang. Tapak yang ditetapkan terletak di Jalan Semenyih, seluas 28 ekar. Bangunan sekolah baru ini siap dibina dan dibuka pada tahun 1930, dan kini dikenali sebagai Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Tinggi Kajang (Kajang High School) (LATAR PERISTIWA: Perihal Kajang High School (KHS)).

• 1929: Bersara dan kembali ke England.

• 1939: R.C.M. Kindersley meninggal dunia (pneumonia). Berumur 68 tahun.

(Sumber utama: Inch Kenneth Rubber Estates Limited, 2010: |"100 Years of Establishment")

Pada 13 Februari 1951, kawasan sepanjang Sungai Langat di antara jambatan ladang Inch Kenneth dan West Country telah dikenakan perintah berkurung, kecuali awal pagi, tengahari, dan lewat petang:-

“In Kajang, from Tuesday, Feb. 13, the bridge over Sungei Langat leading to Inche Kenneth Estate, south along Sungei Langat to West Country Estate Bridge, north-west along the electric power line to where the power line changes direction and north-east to Inche Kenneth Estate Bridge, will be under curfew at all times except from 1 to 2 p.m., 6.30 to 7 p.m. and 6.30 to 7 a.m.”

(Sumber: Sunday Standard, 11 February 1951, Page 5: |"Kajang Area Is Under Curfew").

Kemungkinan perintah berkurung ini ada kaitan dengan siri mogok pekerja kontrak beberapa minggu sebelumnya. Sejak darurat diisytiharkan pada 18 Jun 1948, dari semasa ke semasa beberapa kawasan di sekitar daerah Ulu Langat dikenakan perintah berkurung, bagi membendung ancaman komunis.

Antara catatan suasana di zaman darurat: “At this time, the Manager of West Country Estate was Mr Botham while his Assistant Manager was Mr Foxe. My earliest memories of them were one of awe and respect as they were the 'white bosses' in a largely 'Indian' environment on the estate. I can distinctly remember the two 'bosses' appearing, sometimes in the evening, often 'armed' with a shot gun. This was the period of the Emergency and all British and European estate managers were under orders to arm themselves with a gun against the communist threat. The communists, who depended on the outlying villages and estate communities for their supplies of medicines and food, would often target white estate managers because they were uncooperative and represented a symbol of the British raj and the colonial government. At about this time too, I can distinctly remember some Chinese families being shifted from West Country Estate to a new settlement in Sungai Chua. Later, I found out that they were suspected of being communist sympathisers. On the estate, security was tightened and the Estate organised a kind of a 'home-guard' patrol. Every evening, some estate workers, in bluish-grey uniforms, would form a patrol and patrol the estate grounds. They had the authority to stop visitors and to question them. They were armed with long staves, more commonly known as 'chotas' in the Malay and Indian dialects.” (Munaianty s/o Ponnusamy @ Tanarata International Schools, 2013: Kajang and Its Surrounds, m.s.26-27).

LATAR PERISTIWA: Darurat (1948-1960)