The Castillos And Lesslars Of Argus Lane, Penang

I wrote a blog post some time ago about my wonderful memories of Argus Lane in Penang, and about my family roots on my mother’s side. I finally felt ready to publish it — and then I stumbled upon something that genuinely stopped me in my tracks.

The houses along Argus Lane had been lovingly refurbished and reopened in 2025 as Argus Residences, and they’re now open for booking!

In case you didn’t know, the five terrace houses were built in 1928 and owned by the Church of the Assumption. They were rented to Eurasian families, including the De Souza, Scully, Lesslar (my late grandmother was Mercy Lesslar), Newman (my cousin’s family) and Cutter families. These weren’t just houses — they were home, filled with everyday moments, shared histories and childhood memories.

My grandmother (seated, left) Mercy Lesslar with her brother, and my grand uncle, Hector, at 12A Argus lane, back in 1984

Early last year, the George Town Heritage Hotels group leased the row of houses from the church and began restoration work. Today, Argus Residences is an extension of Seven Terraces Hotel — also part of GTHH — connected discreetly via a back lane.

Each house now carries the name of the Eurasian family who once lived there: Dragone, Cutter, Newman, Scully and De Souza — a beautiful nod to the past.

The interior then and now

I told my cousin Bernie in Australia, who had no idea about the restoration, and she was wonderfully surprised. I then messaged another cousin, Roseanne Newman, who actually lived there. Her reply? “Yes, I know — we had a chance to attend the opening. It brought back so many wonderful memories.” She even shared a photo from the reopening in May 2025.

Now? I have a new dream — to rent one of those houses for at least a night, just to relive the magic of those holidays we once spent there.

And here's the original post I had written: 

Argus Lane, tucked away in Pulau Tikus, Penang, doesn’t look like much today. But for our family, it was the beating heart of our history — a place where the lives of the Castillo and Lesslar clans intertwined through music, hardship, resilience, and love.

From the Philippines to Penang

Our story begins with Benedict “Ben” Castillo, a musician from the Philippines who arrived in Penang with one of his brothers. The Castillos were a large Filipino family — more than ten siblings in all — and Ben’s parents once made the journey to Penang to visit their sons. But contact with the extended family in the Philippines was eventually lost, leaving Penang as the Castillos’ new home.

Ben made his living as a bandsman, part of a wave of Filipino musicians who filled the police and municipal bands of British Malaya in the 1930s. But he was more than a marching musician — he was a pianist of note. A Straits Times radio schedule from 1936 lists Mr. Ben Castillo performing piano solos for a broadcast on Station Z.H.J., Penang, alongside a singer named Mr. L. Lesslar. This wasn’t just entertainment; it was a reflection of how deeply the Filipino and Eurasian communities of Penang were linked through music and culture.

The Lesslars of Penang

Through this world, Ben met and married Mercy Lesslar, daughter of a Eurasian family whose roots ran deep in Penang. The Lesslars were part of the island’s Catholic Eurasian community, clustered around churches like the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Pulau Tikus and the Church of the Assumption in George Town. Mercy’s siblings included Hector, Sunny, Mary, and others whose names live on in family memory.

The Castillos and Lesslars together built a large family of their own.

A Family of Twelve Children

Ben and Mercy’s children were:

1. Andy – married Doris; moved to Kuala Lumpur, taking in siblings Philma and Ben along with Doris’ younger brothers and sister.

2. Girlie (Mercedes) – married Cho Leong.

3. Frances – stillborn or lived only a few hours.

4. Margie (Margarita) – married Jimmy Tan.

5. Connie (Constance) – married Alfie Long.

6. Doreen (Maria) – married Benedict Regis. She was called Maria at birth, but as a child suffered severe asthma. Believing the name “too heavy,” the family renamed her Doreen, and the illness eased.

7. George – did not marry.

8. Paul – married Katie.

9. John – did not marry.

10. Ben – married Gloria, sister of Doris.

11. Philma (Philomena) – converted to Islam and later married Abd Jalil, settling in Johor Bahru.

12. Elena – died as an infant during the Second World War, when medicine was scarce.

Several of the siblings — Margie, Connie, Doreen, and Paul — eventually moved to Singapore, while Philma began her life in Johor. From Penang, the family branches stretched across Malaya and Singapore, but the roots always traced back to Argus Lane.

War and Loss

The Japanese Occupation of Malaya during WWII brought tragedy. Grandfather Ben fell ill and died because medication was unavailable. Meanwhile, Aunty Nita’s parents (from the Lesslar side) were killed in Japanese bombing raids. In a time of grief and disruption, it was Uncle Hector Lesslar who became the family’s guardian.

He gathered about fifteen nieces and nephews under his wing, moving them into the old Lesslar grandparents’ house at Argus Lane. For years, that house was the anchor of the family — a place where orphans of war became siblings to one another, and where resilience was quietly built day by day.

Argus Lane in Memory

By the 1970s and 80s, Argus Lane was still very much alive in family memory. Visits to Uncle Hector’s house meant reconnecting with the Castillos, the Lesslars, the Newmans, and all the extended kin who made up this big Eurasian-Filipino family network. The laughter of cousins, the smell of food, and the warmth of a community that had endured so much — all of it lingered in that little Penang lane.

Me (centre) with Uncle John and cousin Angel

Wider Connections

The Castillos and Lesslars were never isolated. The families intermarried with Chinese, Eurasian, and other Penang clans — the Leongs, Tans, Longs, Regises — creating a rich multicultural tapestry. Family lore also remembers that Maurice Gustave Lesslar was likely a cousin of Mercy, linking our line to other well-documented Lesslar branches in Penang’s Eurasian genealogy.

Legacy

From Spanish-Filipino musicians to Penang Eurasians, from Argus Lane to Singapore and Johor Bahru, the Castillos and Lesslars lived lives of migration, faith, survival, and resilience. Today, their story survives in documents, in newspaper clippings, and in the memories of those who grew up running in and out of that old house on Argus Lane.

For us, Argus Lane is more than a street — it is the living heart of our family history.

Birding 101 #3: Taman Jaya, Petaling Jaya

So yeah, the persistent haze has meant that outdoor activities have been rather limited lately. And then there’s the rain.

Lots and lots of rain.

Last weekend, we were all suited up and ready to go when hujan came down relentlessly. So instead of burning some calories, we ended up burning through a plate of laksa Johor and some lontong in Puteri, TTDI. Hahaha.

This morning, though, the skies looked considerably better. Alhamdulillah. So we made a beeline for Taman Jaya in PJ.

It was quieter than expected, but that also meant we scored a nice parking spot almost instantly. And just a few steps later, I scored a new lifer!

Yup. Among the ubiquitous House Crows were a couple of these very common Malaysian species...

Zebra Dove (Merbok)

The Zebra Dove is a small, slender dove with a soft, repetitive coo and distinctive barred markings across its body. They’re pretty common around parks, gardens and urban areas, but hey — common doesn't mean they don't count!

These guys were basically putting on a little show, so we hung around watching them while doing some stretching. Haha.

Then we started on our walk and were serenaded by some familiar and beautiful bird calls. Out came the binoculars...

But could I spot the culprits? Nope.

Pftt.

The morning then took a slight turn for the worse when a bunch of Zumba dancers started their session — and proceeded to blast Lady Gaga at a volume that, I suspect, was sufficient to scare off humans, squirrels and birds alike.

Sheesh.

Still, before heading home, we managed to score another lifer!

Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Pipit)

The Eurasian Tree Sparrow is a small, familiar-looking sparrow with a chestnut-brown crown, black markings around the eyes and white cheeks with a distinctive black spot. They’re widespread and perfectly at home around human settlements.

Another common Malaysian bird.

Another lifer for me.

And that's one of the things I'm beginning to enjoy about birding. You don't necessarily have to venture deep into a jungle or trek up some mountain to find something new. Sometimes, a couple of new birds are just hanging around in your neighbourhood park, waiting for you to actually look up.

So yeah, not bad lah.

Two new lifers, a decent walk, some stretching, and only a moderate amount of Lady Gaga-induced ornithological disruption.

Then it was off to Section 14 for some delectable breakfast. 😀

Not a bad Saturday morning at all.

Birding 101 #2: Taman Tasik Cyberjaya

It was an unplanned trip, but there I was earlier this morning at Taman Tasik Cyberjaya, ready for some birding action.

The last time I was here, it was for my Larian 40 Taman. Yes, it's been THAT long! 😂 And I must say, I can't recall much of what the place actually looks like, apart from what I can see in the pictures from that particular run.

So, haze or no haze, I just had to test out my shiny new binoculars while hoping to tick off a few new lifers. 

And things started really well when we spotted some birds flying around near the park entrance. As I started looking around with my new binoculars, I spotted one perched among the trees.

And there it was — my new lifer!

Oriental Magpie-Robin (aka Murai Kampung)

A striking little black-and-white bird, although the one I spotted was a female, with its softer greyish upperparts, white underparts and distinctive white wing patch. It was perched quietly among the foliage, and spotting it through my brand-new binoculars made the moment even sweeter.

Lifer! 😎

From there on, we were serenaded by some beautiful bird calls.

BUT... they were not so easy to spot! 

You know how it is. You hear something going chirp-chirp-chirp somewhere in the trees, get all excited, point the binoculars in that general direction...

Nothing.

Just leaves. Lots and lots of leaves. 😂

We went a bit deeper into the park and were just impressed by the sights. It's been a while, remember? And looking at the place now with my new birder eyes made me appreciate it in a completely different way.

Unfortunately, I didn't manage to spot any more new lifers this time.

But no worries. We still got a good number of steps in and burned a decent amount of calories too. Haha.

I also explored quite a bit of the park, but as it was getting more panas by the minute, we decided to wrap things up and look for somewhere to cool down with some teh ais and tosai. 

And since this was partly a reconnaissance mission for a special project next year...

Hint hint. 😎

We'll definitely be back! Insya Allah. 

Another park explored. Another lifer added. And another little piece of Allah's creation properly noticed. Alhamdulillah. ❤️

Birding 101 #1: Town Park, Bandar Puteri Puchong

So yesterday I shared a post about my self-declared status as a birder, and earlier today, I dived straight into some birding action! 😂

It wasn't entirely planned, to be honest.

My wife and I usually go for a brisk walk every weekend, and this year, I made it a little mission of mine to explore a new park almost every week. Yes, even though I'm the guy who founded the Larian 40 Taman community running group some years back, there are still plenty of tamans in the Klang Valley waiting to be explored!

But after skipping our weekend walks for the past couple of weeks because of the haze, I made a rather impromptu decision this morning to finally visit somewhere quite close to home — Town Park at Bandar Puteri Puchong.

And as it turned out, it's also a pretty good place for birding!

In fact, upon entering the taman, we came across a sign informing visitors about the bird species that could be sighted there.

Bingo! 

Of course, I came armed with just my handphone. But that didn't deter me — or my wife, who's been pretty supportive of this new birding thingy — at all.

And guess what? On this very first outing, I earned FOUR new lifers!

Uhuh. You read that right. FOUR. 😂

And here they are:

White-throated Kingfisher

A real beauty, with its striking turquoise-blue wings and back, chestnut-coloured head and body, bright red bill, and, of course, that distinctive white throat and breast. Definitely one of those birds that makes you stop and go, “Wow!”

Little Egret

An elegant little white heron with a slender black bill, long black legs and distinctive yellow feet. It has that graceful, almost delicate appearance — especially when it's stalking around the water looking for its next meal.

Purple Heron

A much bigger and more imposing bird, with its dusky purplish-brown plumage and long, sinuous neck. It has a wonderfully prehistoric-looking quality when you see it standing among the vegetation. Another very cool lifer!

House Crow

And then there's this guy. 

Yes, the humble House Crow — a bird I've probably seen countless times without ever giving it a second thought. But according to the Merlin app, it became my Bird of the Day, since it's such a common species around Puchong.

And hey, a lifer is a lifer! 😎

What a beautiful morning it was. Who would've thought that a spontaneous visit to a neighbourhood park, armed with nothing more than a handphone and a new-found obsession with birds, would produce four new species for my life list?

Alhamdulillah. 

One thing I'm quickly learning about birding: sometimes, you don't really have to go very far to discover something wonderful. You just have to stop, look up, and pay attention.

I Think I’ve Just Become A Birder!

 

Lately, I've been watching some wonderful birding videos, and somewhere along the way, I became rather fascinated by this whole world of birding.

Birding is basically the hobby of observing, identifying, photographing and learning about birds in the wild. And the more I watch and learn, the more I realise what a wonderful way it is to appreciate and marvel at Allah's creation.

Think about it. Birds are everywhere, yet how often do we actually stop to look at them?

Their colours, calls, behaviour, how they fly, where they live… Once you start paying attention, an ordinary walk suddenly becomes a little adventure.

So, on 11 September 2026, I officially declared myself a birder! 😂 No ceremony. No membership card. I just decided: Okay, I'm a birder now.

My first move was to download Merlin Bird ID, a wonderful app that helps identify birds from photographs and even their calls.

And that's when I discovered something rather amusing. I already had eight lifers.

A lifer is a bird species you've encountered for the first time. Except most of mine weren't from actual birding trips. They were sitting in my old photo archives!

Apparently, I've been an accidental birder for years. 😂

Among my eight lifers so far are:

Grey Heron — spotted at Regent's Park, London. A magnificent, long-legged grey wader with a long pointed bill. Very elegant… and apparently quite happy to pose for photographers.

Eurasian Moorhen — also at Regent's Park, hiding in the background of my Grey Heron photo. A dark waterbird with a distinctive red-and-yellow bill.

Eurasian Coot — photographed at Hampstead Heath. Easily recognised by its dark body and striking white bill and forehead shield.

European Herring Gull — spotted at Brighton Pier. One of those familiar seaside birds that you suddenly appreciate differently once you start looking properly.

Painted Stork — spotted at Lake Valley, Cheras. A magnificent Malaysian wader with striking black-and-white wings, long legs and that unmistakable pinkish colouration.

Five down, three more to reveal. 😁

Of course, now that I've declared myself a birder, there's equipment to think about.

I've dusted off my old Canon DSLR, I've got Merlin on my phone, and a pair of 8×42 binoculars is next on the shopping list. I'll also start using eBird to keep a proper record of my sightings.

But I think the most important thing is simply to go outside and look.

Learn the common birds first. Learn their calls. Notice their behaviour. And perhaps one day I'll hear a bird somewhere and think: “Wait… I know that one!” 😁

And then there's the bigger plan.

2027: My Big Year

Insya Allah, 2027 will be my Big Year — my personal birding adventure to see and record as many different species as I can during the year.

I don't know yet how many I'll find. But that's the fun of it.

11 September 2026 was Day One.

Eight lifers are already on the board.

The camera is ready. Merlin is downloaded. Binoculars are coming.

And somewhere out there are hundreds of birds I've never properly seen, identified or appreciated.

A new hobby. A new adventure.

And, Insya Allah, another way to stop, look around and marvel at Allah's creation.