Special Xmas for Capel clan

PENANG: It is Christmas time and the Capels have been busy. 

But the last few days they have been hectic preparing for the arrival of some 80 members of the extended Capel clan from Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore, Australia, and Thailand who will be here for a reunion starting tomorrow. 

The Capels have a maternal link to Penang's founder, Sir Francis Light, whose great granddaughter Rosmond Light married James Capel. 

According to a book compiled in 2001 by the late Terence Arthur Capel, a teacher at St Georges Balik Pulau, Rosmond and James had two sons (Arthur and James Bernard) and three daughters. 

XMAS HERITAGE TRAIL: Three generations of the Capels gather at the home of 89-year-old James Henry Capel (seated right) in Bayan Baru as Janet Capel reads the contentsof a book her late father had written on the family history. They also discussed about a big reunion of the Capel clan who will be coming from as far as Australia over the next few days. The Capels have a maternal link to Penang’s founder Capt Francis Light, whose great-granddaughter married a Capel. Flanking Janet are her sons Erik Mitchell, 8 and Ryan, 5. Looking on are Janet’s cousin Bernard Capel and his sons Eric, 14 and Evan, 10. The others standing at the back are Janet’s cousins (from right) Francis Scully, Margaret and Helen Capel. -–STARpic by ASRI ABDUL GHANI

James Bernard's son James Henry Capel, 89, is presently living in Bayan Baru. 

James Henry's daughter, Helen, 57, is one of the prime movers behind the reunion while another daughter, Margaret, 46, has returned from Australia for the occasion.  

On Monday, the Capels will take a trishaw tour down the “Light-Capel” family heritage trail. 

Bernard Capel, 47, said this would be the biggest reunion involving relatives some of whom had never met each other.  

The Capels living in Penang had held two previous reunions but on a smaller scale. 

“Such a reunion of the extended family is a good example for the younger generation to emulate because if we do not initiate this, they will not know each other. 

“Two years ago, we had members of the extended family passing by each other while jogging and not knowing one another,” he said. 

Bernard's cousin Francis Scully, 49, (whose grandmother is a Capel) said the heritage trail would start from Fort Cornwallis – Light's historic landing point in 1786 – and proceed to Convent Light Street where many female Capels have had their education and the Assumption Church. 

Former residences of the Capels they would be visiting include the matriarch's former home behind the Assumption Church, the Rosmond Cottage at Larut Road and houses around Burmah Square, Jalan Chow Thye, Jalan Irrawaddy and Jalan Imigresen.  

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