(Click
here for map)
 1. Penang
Museum
Welcome!
Our discovery of Penang's rich historical and cultural heritage continues
in the American Express-Penang Heritage Trail 2. Our route, starting at the
Penang Museum, showcases some significant landmarks and buildings located
outside the first American Express-Penang Heritage Trail.
 The Penang Museum is open from
9:00am to 6:00pm, six days a week (closed on Fridays). A bronze statue of
Captain Francis Light, the British colonialist who established George Town
and the British trading post on Penang Island in 1786, stands prominently
in front of the building. Within its compound is the Museum Shop, occupying
an old carriage that was once part of the Penang Hill funicular railway.
It is open from 11am to 5pm. The Museum itself is housed in the former premises
of the Penang Free School founded in 1816 on the same site. The present building
was constructed in two stages, in 1896 and 1906. The Penang Free School moved
out in 1927 and the Hutchings School then moved in.
The museum, which opened
in 1965 only occupies half the building as the eastern half was destroyed
during bomb raids in World War 11. The Penang Museum reopened with new displays
in September 1997 after a major renovation. The exhibits are organised to
display Penang's communities, customs and costumes, historic places such
as the harbour, Fort Cornwallis, the streets of Penang, municipal history,
the Penang Riots, the Japanese Occupation, houses of worship and traditional
trades. Enlargements of old photographs take you on a journey down memory
lane. Special rooms are set aside for displays of the Captain Robert Smith
paintings, the William Daniell engravings and the Straits Chinese collections,
including a bridal chamber. Among the few original collections is an exhibition
of hand-written Qur'ans and old Malay weapons from the family of the late
Dato' Haji Fathil Basheer.
Leaving the museum, turn
left and you will come to a large, twin-towered church.
 2. Cathedral of the
Assumption (Lebuh Farquhar)
Shortly after Captain Francis Light arrived on Penang Island in 1786, he
arranged for the first Roman Catholic community to be brought over by ship
from the parish in Kuala Kedah. This community was made up of descendants
of European settlers who had intermarried with the Burmese and Siamese. Due
to political persecution, they had emigrated from Phuket and Ligor to Kedah,
before moving to Penang. Several Eurasian Catholics were recruited into Light's
early administration.
The Church of the Assumption,
originally founded at Church Street by Father Garnault in 1786, was so named
because the first group of Roman Catholic Eurasians from Kedah landed in
Penang in 1786 on the eye of the Feast of the Assumption. The church moved
to Farquhar Street in 1857, where it occupied a temporary building on the
site of the present Convent Orphanage. The present church building and the
adjacent presbytery were erected by Father Manissol. When it opened in 1861,
it could accommodate 1,200 members of the Assumption parish. In 1955, when
the church was raised to the status of the Cathedral of the Diocese of Penang,
the sanctuary was renovated to set up the seat for the first Bishop of Penang,
the Right Reverend Monsignor Francis Chan. The Catholic community around
the church has now dwindled to a few homes along Argus Lane, behind the
cathedral, including a 19th century Anglo-Indian bungalow adjoining the church
compound.
From the church, turn left
into Larong Love. You will pass a large school building on your right at
the corner of Lebuh Farquhar and Lorong Love.
 Saint Xavier's Institution
(Lebuh Farquhar)
Saint Xavier's Institution is the oldest Roman Catholic school for boys in
Malaysia. Founded by the La Sallean Brothers in the 1850s, it was run by
Irish members of the Order well into modern times. The 19th century Moorish-style
building was used as a Japanese naval base during World War, until it was
bombed by the Allied Forces' B-29s toward the close of the war. The school
was reopened in the present building in 1954.
The narrow junction where
Lorong Love intersects with Lorong Stewart and Lebuh Muntri marks the heart
of a charming historic area. This old neighbourhood once had a significant
Eurasian community, and street names such as Lorong Love and Lorong Stewart
are reminiscent of that era. Just before the turn of the century, the
middle-class Chinese community began moving into the neighbourhood in larger
numbers. The Straits Chinese shophouses in this area, dating from the 1880s
to 1910s, are some of the largest and finest in Penang.
Continue along Lorong Love,
past the Cantonese Merchant's Association at 13 Lorong Love. Then turn left
into Lorong Stewart and continue east as far as 26A Lorong Stewart to visit
the office of the Penang Heritage Trust.
 3. Hainanese Mariners' Lodge / Penang Heritage
Trust
(26A Lorong Stewart)
The Hainanese Mariners' Lodge accommodated itinerant Hainanese mariners and
some of their families. The house was put up for rent by some of the remaining
old sailors in 1998. The Penang Heritage Trust took a lease on the house
and undertook a low-budget renovation to turn the shophouse into its office,
now run by members and volunteers. Visitors looking for information on heritage
sites, projects, tours and accommodation are welcome. The trust has a gift
shop, selling heritage-related souvenirs such as antiques, books prints,
postcards, T-shirts and bags. It also has a resource library and a smaii
display on current urban conservation projects in Penang.
Walking back to the junction
of Lorong Love and Lorong Stewam turn left and proceed south to the Carpenters'
Guild temple. On your lef, you will pass the Son Sui Hooi Koon, a Cantonese
district association, at 43 Lorong Love. Next to it is a workshop called
Lim Ton Tin Mahiong at 45 Lorong Love, which manufactures mahjong tiles and
Chinese dice. A few doors down is the Soon Tuck Wooi Koon. Soon Tuck Wooi
Koon (51 Lorong Love) This Cantonese district association was founded in
1838. Its present premises was refurbished in 1928. Many of the Soon Tuck
men were butchers, while its women were domestic servants known as mah cheh.
The Carpenters' Guild is located across the road, next to the Shih Chung
School.
 4. Carpenters'
Guild
(70 Lorong Love)
The Carpenters' Guild temple, or Loo Pun Hong, is dedicated to Lo Pan, patron
deity of carpenters and other building artisans. Many of Penang's heritage
buildings were constructed by members of this guild, which was the predecessor
of today's associations of building professionals. Chinese artisan guilds
were set up in accordance with Confucian principles and perpetuated the
master-apprentice system of training. In the 19th century, all Cantonese
carpenters and builders coming from China would first call at the Carpenters'
Guild in Penang before proceeding to other parts of the peninsula to work.
While some sojourners returned to China
 after
completing their contracts, others settled here and passed on their ancient
trade, leaving their descendants to form the backbone of the building trades
today. Efforts are under way by the Penang Heritage Trust to restore the
Carpenters' Guild temple and to ensure that the traditions of craftsmanship
are passed on to the next generation.
Return to the earlier junction
of Lorong Love and Lorong Stewart and turn left on to Lebub Muntri. Walk
post the Penang Tailor's Association at 13 Lebub Muntri, and the Leong Seh
Koh Meow at 31 Lebub Muntri. The latter is a clan temple for those with the
surname Leong. It is no longer maintained as a temple, as the premises has
been converted into a printing shop. After this, you will come across a grey
temple that houses the Goldsmiths' Guild.
 Goldsmiths' Build (41
Lebuh Muntri)
The Goldsmiths' Guild or Ta Kam Hong, founded in 1832, is the oldest and
largest guild for goldsmiths in Malaysia. The present guild temple on Muntri
Street was built in 1903. The temple is dedicated to Wu Ching, the patron
deity of goldsmiths. Like the Carpenters' Guild, the artisans belonging to
the Goldsmiths' Guild also hail from Toi Shan district in Guangdong province
and speak the Sinling dialect. Both guild temples reflect a kind of Cantonese-mle
architecture, which had developed in colonial urban settings. The decorative
centrepiece of the temple's front hall is an impressive old bonsai plant.
 Across the road from the Ta Kam
Hong is a large Art Deco/early modern building dated 1955, at 36 Lebuh Muntri.
It was formerly the premises of the Lam Wah Ee charity hospital. The hospital
has now been converted into a warehouse, with only a small government health
clinic retained at the back. A few doors down is the Sao Lim Athletic
Association, at 42 Lebuh Muntri, where the Shaolin school of martial arts
is taught. A Chinese physiotherapist here attends to people with bone and
muscular ailments. Walk back to the other side of the left side of the road,
and you will find the Penang Restaurants and Tea Shops Association (Koo Soo
Kwong Choon Ton) at 59 Lebuh Muntri.
Further down is a row of
mews, perpendicular to the street which now houses about a dozen families.
The Institute of Chinese Physicians can be found at 69 Muntri Street and
further down the road is the Penang home of Chan Kim Boon alias Butu Gantung.
Home of Batu Gantung
(75 Lebuh Muntri) Chan Kim Boon (1851-1920) was one of the great figures
of Baba-Malay literature at the turn of the century. Born in Penang but working
out of Singapore, he translated Chinese classics such as 'Three Kingdoms',
'The Monkey' and 'Water Margin' into Baba Malay, a patois with words from
Malay and the Fujian dialect. His witty translations reflected his own taste
for satire. An example of this was his celebrated pen-name 'Batu Gantung',
(literally, 'Hanging Rock') which mystified his Singaporen friends. In fact,
it was the name of a cemetery in Penang, which he chose as his 'permanent
address in the hereafter'.
Further down the road is
the King Won Association at 85 Lebuh Muntri and the Penang & Province
Wellesley Cafe Association at 91 Lebub Muntri, formed by Hainanese caffeeshop
operators.
King Wan Association
(91 Lebuh Muntri)
The King Wan Association started out as the first union of Chinese shopkeepers
and clerical workers in Penang. It was founded in 1923 to fight for benefits
such as Sunday holidays and better salaries. After being banned, the union
was revived in 1926 with the name 'King Wan', which means 'Warning the Stubborn'.
On your left you will come
to the Hainan Temple, a large gray temple with a fancy stone gate decorated
with swirling dragon columns.
 5. Hainan Temple
The temple,
called Thean Ho Keong or Temple of the Heavenly Queen, was founded before
1866 and the present building dates from 1895. It is dedicated to the goddess
Mar Chor, the patron saint of seafarers. Goats are slaughtered during the
deity's feast days. It is a common temple for the different migrant groups
from the island of Hainan in South China, now called Kheng Chew or Hainan
province. To celebrate its centenary in 1995, the I 00-year-old temple was
completely remodelled by craftsmen from China with elaborate stone carvings
and swirling dragon pillars, in accordance to the trustees' idea of what
a Chinese temple should look like.
When the Hainan men migrated
to Penang late in the 19th century, the key occupations were dominated by
other Chinese dialect groups, and so they turned to niche occupations by
becoming sailors or cooks. Some Hainanese cooks first served in European
and Straits Chinese households before branching out to open their own coffeeshops
and restaurants. To the east of the temple is the Hainan Provincial Association
or Kheng Chew Hooi Khoon premises. On the other side at 143 Lebuh Muntri
is the association school, Aik Hua, which was built in 1913 and extended
in 1919, then rebuilt in 1955 in Art Deco/early modern style. The temple
itself was extensively renovated and further embellished in 1995 when the
Hainan association celebrated its anniversary.
Next to the Aik Huo School
is another Cantonese district association, the Wooi Ning Wooi Koon, at 145
Muntri Street. Across the road is the Hong Kong Shoe Store at 102 Lebuh Muntri,
an old-fashioned shop where you can order shoes or slippers with beadwork
covers. At the junction with Lebuh Leith, turn left and proceed to the Benggali
Mosque.
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For more information, contact:
Penang Heritage Trust, 26A Stewart Lane, 10200 Penang. • Tel:
604-264 2631
E-mail: phtrust@po.jaring.my • Website: www.pht.org.my
The Penang Heritage Trust
(PHT) is a registered, non-profit, non-govermental organisation promoting
the conservation and preservation of the cultural, historical and architectural
heritage of Penang. The trust organises site visits, heritage trails, talks
and educational programmes on Penang's heritage. |
