I love Penang Heritage

I love Penang

Penang ( at glance )

- Originally under the Kedah Sultanate
- Ceded to British ( British East India Company) in exchange for protection against Siam
- Person responsible – Capt Francis Light -1786
- Penang –was called by various names ,Pulo Pinoam by Portugese traders, Pulau Pinang by Malay.later renamed “ Prince of Wales Island” after British takeover.
- Name used until 1867 in honour of the British heir
- Sultan of Kedah tries to retake Penang in 1790 after learning that British is not protecting them, but Capt Francis Light manage to prevent it. The retake was unsuccessful, but the British paid the Sultan 6000 Spanish dollars in exchange for the island.
- Georgetown was named after King George III of Great Britain
- Penang become a free port under the British
- Capt. Francis Light died in 1794 –malaria
- 1800 Province Wellesly is added to Penang State – negotiated by Sir George Leith (Lieutenent Governer of Penang)
- Named after Governor General of India – Sir Richand Colley Wellesley
- 1805 – Sir Stanford Raffles ( founder of Singapore) –Deputy Secretary to Governor of Penang

Convent Light Street School

- Convent Light Street was built in 1852 by a group of French nuns .
- The nuns there were very caring people in which during that time many unwanted child is left at the entrance of the convent. The nuns took and raise the children and give them proper education.

St. Xaviers Institution

- Also built in the same year of Convent Light Street- 1852
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St. George Church


- Built in 1818
- By Rev. Hutchings , Robert Sparke ( founder of Penang Free School )
- Anglican Church –oldest in South East Asia
- July, 2007 –gazetted as 50 National Treasures of Malaysia by Malaysian Government

Fort Cornwallis

- Built in 1786
- By Capt Francis Light ( 1st Penang Superintendent)
- Originally built using palm trunk-nibong trunk ( in 1804 built with bricks –by Col. R.T. Farquhar )
- Completed in 1810 under Norman Macalister (Governor of Penang )
- Star type design – 417.6 square feet
- Prominent cannon – Seri Rambai ( a Dutch Cannon) – brought in in 1871
- Named after Governor General of Bengal, India ( Charles Cornwallis)
- Gazette in 1977 –Ancient Monument & Historic Site Act


Church of Assumption, Penang

- Built in August, 1787
- By Eurasians of Portuguese parentage –those fleeing from Siam-due to persecution ( arrive in 1786) & those from Melaka due to Dutch conquest
- A Roman Catholic church
- First church in Penang – named Church ofd The Assumption becos it is built during the Feast of the Assumption ( to celebrate their deliverance from persecution )
- In 1857, the Church of the Assumption moved to its present site on Farquhar Street which was previously occupied by the Convent Orphanage
- Its original location was on Church Street. Bishop Garnault's presbytery was located on the adjacent road, which became known as Bishop Street.


Goddess of Mercy Temple ( Kuan Im Teng)

- 1st Chinese temple in Penang
- Built in 1800 by Hokkien & Cantonese settlers
- The wooden pillar inside the temple with dragon cravings is believed to have carved from a total tree trunk from China .
- Devotees to pray for many reason –esp. CNY eve & etc
- Legends says that during WW2 a bomb landed in the compound of this temple and did not explode-people believe that Goddess of Mercy is taking care having mercy on them.

Penang State Museum

- Built in 1896 (stage 1 ) & 1906 (stage 2)
- Originally it is the Penang Free School ( later relocated to Scotland Road)
- Exhibits many paintings and heritage, map, photographs,embroidery, of early Chinese, Baba & Nyonya, Malay,British
- At the compound – the Penang Hill Funicular Train, the Governor’s car

Kapitan Keling Mosque

- Oldest mosque in Penang
- Since 1800
- By Caudeer Mohudeen
- Named Kapitan Keling in honor of Caudeer Mohudeen
- Built on a land of 18 acres – given to the Indian community –by Sir George Leith
- Later reduced to 8 acres in 1903
- Named Kapitan – Captain
- Keeling refer to the Indians from an ancient Hindu kingdom in India