CONTINUING the agenda of expeditions that are usually carried out by Jawa Pos Radar Banyuwangi (JP-RaBa), this time JP-RaBa decided to carry out an expedition of colonial relics in Banyuwangi which are still intact or whose names are still alive.
The colonial building was chosen to be the object of the expedition because in Banyuwangi there are many colonial relics but until now they have not been properly inventoried. On that basis, JP-RaBa has an interest in conducting a search, inventory, preach, then record, for the public to enjoy; not only now but also in the future.
On that interest, JP-RaBa collaborates with the most active Banyuwangi historical community, namely Banjoewangie Tempo Doeloe (BTD). Apart from participating in the expedition, BTD is in charge of supplying data that
JP-RaBa is needed about the locations that the expedition team is exploring.
After the time and the names of the locations to be explored are agreed upon, expedition was carried out. Decided, the first location visited was the English hostel. On Monday 11 April at 09.00 expedition team directly to the location.
The expedition team had no trouble finding the location, because the English hostel is in the city center and is already very familiar to the public. Seen from the outside, English dorms don't seem special.
The fence is made of low iron. The outermost building of the British Dormitory is a row of small shophouses used for business by a number of parties. The row of shophouses flanked the entrance where the words "British Dormitory" were written on it..
It seems that the post was recently updated. Entering the hostel, we will be presented with a large yard and there is a giant banyan in the middle. On the right and left of the courtyard are long buildings with tall doors. Some face south, timur, and some face north.
When the expedition team visited the location, not much activity happened at that location. Only two or three middle-aged women are seen chatting casually on the terrace of the building. For the purposes of revealing British Dormitory's past, the expedition team is trying to find data from the residents.
It turns out that it is not difficult to access information about the dormitory currently occupied by members of the TNI Kodim 0825 That Banyuwangi. It's just a matter of kulo thank you to anyone who is there and convey your intentions and goals, they will immediately explain what they know and convey some things visitors should not do.
After hearing the explanation of one of the residents who did not want to be named, the expedition team started exploring each side of the building. The first to visit is the two-story main building on the westernmost side.
Currently the lower floor of the building is used as a residence by members of the Kodim 0825. Each room is limited by pillars that are not so high. According to a source, all the lower floors are a long room with no walls on either side.
"However, since being occupied by members of the TNI, we give a divider,"said the source. The lower floor, which is inhabited by TNI members, is not only in the west. But, also on the south and north sides of the courtyard. “There are more or less 25 hostel. But, not all filled. Just a few," he continued.
The expedition team saw behind the main building to the west there was a one-story building. The windows and doors of the building are tightly closed. Allegedly, The building is a former soup kitchen during the colonial period. After looking at the western building, the expedition team went through another building to the south.
In the southern part there is a vacant lot filled with bushes as high as the chest of a grown man. Among the plants there appears a building that has collapsed. It is not known what the function of the building was in the past.
What is clear is that the building was built in the colonial era. It can be seen from the semicircular windows and doors. The peeling walls make the building's brickwork look artistic.
The building is also often used as a vintage-themed photography spot. No detailed information was obtained from interviews conducted with residents. Because, on average they have lived in that dormitory not too long.
Meanwhile, description- the information conveyed by humanists and historians is not very convincing. So that, the expedition team tried to find as much data as possible on the location. Don't lose your mind, the expedition team is looking for anything that can be used as a clue, even if it's a small thing.
Unsolicited, Vice Chairman of BTD, Ali Muttaqin, indicates a lane closure. On the cover of the alley there is an iron plate with the inscription "Burn Brothers Rotunda Works 3 Blackfriars Road London S.E”. the expedition team immediately sought information about the writing from various sources.
After searching for days, even to Dutch online literature, Finally found a surprising piece of information. It turns out that the assumption all along that the British Dormitory is a British heritage hostel has been broken.
The English dormitory used to be an underwater telegraph cable station that became Australia's communication link with Asia and Europe. And the name engraved on the aisle is the name of the company that worked on the telegraph cable installation.
Based on a search conducted by BTD, in the year 1870 British-Australian Telegraph Company laying submarine cable from Banyuwangi to Australia. The cables used in the telegraph project were made in England.
Head of BTD, Munawir,mentioned when laying submarine cables from Banyuwangi to northern Australia, that is Darwin, British companies bring in workers and experts from Singapore. They are British people living in Singapore.
This is quite reasonable considering that Singapore is a British colony which is not far from Indonesia. "Actually they weren't brought in", but invited. The ship carrying the cable from England first stopped by Singapore to pick up the workers who would install the underwater cable from Banyuwangi to Australia,"said Munawir.
When working on the underwater cable, the experts who were British people lived in the English Dormitory which at that time was called a lodge or lojai by the Banyuwangi local tongue, which means lodging..
Maybe that's why the lodge was later dubbed the "English Dormitory", although the British government never used the building at all, except for the telegraph workers. Recorded in the history of the hostel users are the Dutch colonial government and the Kempeitai.
Kempeitai was the main unit of the Japanese imperial army during the Asia-Pacific war era. View the search results, Banyuwangi seems to have very high bargaining power in the past. So that, selected to be Australia's liaison location, Asia and Europe.
"So far, it seems as if someone is hiding the greatness of Banyuwangi in the past. It must be revealed,"said Ali Muttaqin. Regarding this English Dormitory, it can't be discussed in just one edition. So that, will be continued in the next edition, for example about the cable company in detail and the manager's house on the front.(radar)
