Early History of George Town, Penang 1) In the late 18th century, Francis Light established the trading settlement of George Town on Penang Island under the British East India Company to control trade in the Strait of Malacca. 2) George Town grew into a multiethnic society as migrants arrived from Europe, India, China, and other parts of Asia to take advantage of business and trade opportunities. 3) Over the centuries, George Town developed from a small trading port into a thriving colonial city and major port, attracting more migrants, businesses, and development.

1. Early History
of
George Town
AUNESCOWorld Cultural Heritage Site
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2. Map source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/doremon360/3730036366/in/photostream/
1st Century: The Straits of Malacca is part of the historic trading route between East and West.

3. 5th-18thCentury:
Growth of several small ports in the Straits of Malacca.
Kedah
Palembang
Singapore
Melaka
Penang
Siak
Acheh
Jambi
Map source: http://www.pinebrookmaps.com/servlet/the-2347/antique-Indochina-Southeast-Asia/Detail

4. Photo source: The Encyclopedia of Malaysia: Early History
Bujang
Valley
5th-13thCentury: Sungai Batu(BujangValley) of Kedahwas a popular transhipmentcentrefor merchant ships traveling between Arab, India and China.

5. Photo source: Malaysia: A Pictorial History 1400-2004
In the 15th century,the port of Melaka prospered and overshadowed BujangValley as an important entrepotin the Straits of Malacca.

6. Photo source: Historical Origins of Malaysian States
The 15th century navigational chart by the Chinese Admiral Cheng Ho - marked Melaka as a significant port & PuloPinang as a rest and re- fitting stop in the Straits of Malacca.

7. Photo source: Glimpses of Old Penang
In the late 16thcentury, a British investor James Lancaster, in search of spices, stopped at “the isles of PuloPinaom” (Penang Island) for water and supplies.

8. Afonsode Albuquerque -1511
First Portuguese Governor
in Melaka
Johan van Twist -1641
First Dutch Governor
in Melaka
European traders competed to capture the existing ports in the Straits of Malacca in order to control the lucrative trade.
Francis Light -1786
First British Governor
in PulauPinang
In the 16thcentury, the Portuguese captured the port of Melaka.
In the 17thcentury, the Dutch captured Melaka from the hands of the Portuguese.
In the 18thcentury, the British set their eyes on Penang with intention to exert their control over the Straits.

9. Photo source: Penang under the East India Company 1786-1858
The island of Penang (belonging to the Sultanate of Kedah) was inhabited by indigenous Malay communities from the region.
In 1786 (18thcentury) Captain Francis Light, on behalf of the EIC, negotiated the rental of Penang Island from the Sultanate of Kedah.
He developed TanjongPenaga, a cape on the northeast of the island, as a trading settlement.
Penang
Island
State
of
Kedah

10. Photo source: Malaysia: A Pictorial History 1400-2004
August 11, 1786 -Light took possession of the island in the name of King George III of England for the EIC. The island was named “Prince of Wales Island” and the town “George Town”.

11. Photo source: “Penang Views 1770 –1860 “
1790s -To kick-start the trading settlement Francis Light invited prominent traders and settlers from other ports along the Straits to set up business and settle down in George Town.
Photo source: Penang Views 1770-1860

12. This trading settlement,governed by the British, attracted several waves of migrants from Asia and Europe. Peoples of different origins contributed to the settlement’s growth.
Photo source: Penang Views 1770 –1860

13. The majority of early Europeans were from the Asian region. They were EIC officials and their relatives, merchants, traders, plantation owners and some professionals such as doctors, churchmen and teachers.
European Settlers in George Town
First Wave of EuropeansLate 18th –Early 19th Century
Europeans already in the Asian region
Photo source: Penang Views 1770 –1860

14. English
Scottish
German
Swiss
Austrian
Photosource:TinMiningDynasty
Arrival of steamships brought investors, merchants and traders, government officials and employees of European companies. They brought European women and family members.
Second Wave of EuropeansMid-19th Century
Photosource:Malaysia:APictorialHistory1400-2004

15. Bugis
Minangkabau
Achenese
Javanese
Boyanese
Photo source: Malaya Lifestyle-1900-1930
•Indigenous native settlers from
the Malay Peninsula.
•Nusantara Melayu traders, e.g. Acehnese, Minangkabau and other Sumatrans, Bugis, Javanese, etc.
Nusantara Malay Settlers in George Town
First Wave of MalaysLate 18th –Early 19th century

16. •Malay refugees escaping from Siamese attacks on the Siamese vassal states of Kedah, Perlis, Satul, Yala and Pattani.
•The second generation of 1stwave Indian Muslim-Malay intermarriages formed the urban Malay community known as Jawi Peranakan.
Second Wave of MalaysMid 19th century
Malay refugees
and 2ndgeneration
Indian-Muslim
Indian-Muslims
Photo source: www.mandailing.org
Photo source: Images of Jawi Perakan In Malaysia

17. •Chinese merchants from the ports along the Straits including Straits- born Chinese from Kedah and Melaka.
•Labourers and artisans from mainland China (Fujian and Guangdong provinces).
Cantonese
Photo source: The Chinese in Penang
First Wave of ChineseLate 18th–Early 19thcentury
Chinese Settlers in George Town
Hokkien
Chinese merchants along the Straits

18. •George Town became an entrepot for contract coolies from mainland China (Fujian, Guangdong, Hainan provinces) brought in to meet the high demand for labour in the Perak tin mines.
•Second generation of 1stwave Chinese- Malay intermarriages formed urban Chinese elite community known as Baba Nyonya.
Hokkien
Hakka
Teochew
Cantonese
Hainanese
Photo source: The Chinese in Penang
Photo source: The Chinese in Penang
Second Wave of ChineseEarly 19th–Early 20thcentury

19. •Sepoyswho came with Francis Light in 1786.
•Chuliamerchants from the ports along the Straits. Labourersand boatmen from Coromandel coast.
•Convicts brought in as early as 1789 as labourers.
•Merchants and traders from North and South India.
Punjabi
Malayalee
Bengali
First Wave of IndiansLate 18th–Early 19thcentury
Indian Settlers in George Town
Indian merchants along the Straits
Photo source: Penang Views 1770-1860
Sindhi
Gujerati
Tamil
Parsee

20. Punjabi
Malayalee
Bengali
Tamil
Sindhi
Gujerati
Marwari
Parsee
Second Wave of IndiansEarly 19th–Early 20thcentury
•Influx of South Indian contract labourmainly to work in rubber estates in Peninsula Malaya
•Some recruited as stevedores in George Town.
Photo source: Malaya Lifestyle 1900-1930
Photo source: Penang Postcard Collection 1899-1930s

21. Second Wave of IndiansEarly 19th–Early 20thcentury
Photo source: Encyclopedia of Malaysia: People and Traditions
Punjabi
Malayalee
Bengali
Tamil
Sindhi
Gujerati
Marwari
Parsee
Photo source: Chettiar Heritage
•English-educated South Indians recruited by the British for civil services.
•Punjabis and Pathansrecruited as police and Malay States Guides.
•More Indian merchants came attracted by economic boom during the mid-19thto early 20thcentury.
•White collar Indians came as lawyers, doctors, journalists, teachers etc. beginning 1930s.

22. Burmese
Jew
Arabs
Japanese
Armenian
Siamese
Filipino
In the 19thcentury, thriving entrepot activities in George Town also attracted settlers from other parts of the world including:
•Armenia
•Arabia
•Burma
•Thailand
•Philippines
•Japan
•Sri Lanka
Other Early Settlers in George Town

23. With the contributions from all these migrants, George Town grew into a sizeable town.
Photo source: Penang Postcard Collection 1899-1930s

24. Physical Development of the Trading Settlement
1786
A grid of streets was laid by Francis Light to mark the commercial centreof the trading port.
Plan of Fort Cornwallis and a map of George Town. A detail from a 1798 Laurie and Whittle map which was based on the survey work by Captain H.R. Popham in 1792.
Map source: Penang Under the East India Company 1786-1858

25. Physical Development of the Trading Settlement
1795- 1798
The haphazard streets were later straighten by Light’s successor, Lieutenant Governer Major MacDonald.
Plan of Fort Cornwallis and a map of George Town. A detail from a 1798 Laurie and Whittle map which was based on the survey work by Captain H.R. Popham in 1792.
Map source: Penang Under the East India Company 1786-1858

26. Growth of George Town Beyond the Trading Settlement
A Map of George Town 1883
Map source: Penang Past and Present
1881- 1904
The coast beyond Beach Street was reclaimed for the development of Weld Quay as part of the port expansion project.

27. A Fully Developed City
A Map of George Town 1961
Map source: Penang Past and Present
1957
George Town was granted city status by royal charter from Queen Elizabeth II.

28. Urban Cultural Landscape of George Town in the 1840s.
Photo source: Penang Views 1770-1860

29. Photo source: Penang Postcard Collection 1899-1930s
George Town in the 1930s

30. George Town in the 1960s
Postcard courtesy of Ng Wee Theng

31. Restoration of the Inner City 2010
© Leonard Kong

32. The Historic Urban Landscape of George TownA World Heritage Site
Courtesy of UNESCO

33. Researched and produced by:
Community-based Arts & Culture Education Programme
Copyright © 2009-2014
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