Green Lane, or Jalan Masjid Negeri as it is called today, is one of the major roads leading out of George Town. Today one of the busiest thoroughfares in George Town, Green Lane was still a quiet country lane in the 1950's, when the land in Green Lane was being developed into one of the earliest suburbs of George Town. During that time, a few noted schools such as the Penang Free School, Convent Green Lane, Heng Ee Secondary School and Georgetown Secondary School have already moved into the area. Several religious institutions including the Church of the Holy Spirit (now Cathedral of the Holy Spirit), Wat Nai and Wat Pinbang-Onn have also established themselves in the Green Lane area.
The development of Green Lane was carried out in phases. In the 1950's, the government quarters around Cheeseman Road was developed. Within this area are roads such as Taylor Road, Jalan Sir Hussein (named after Sir Dr. Hussein Hasanally Abdoolcader, a noted Penang lawyer).
On the Penang Free School side of Green Lane are also new roads. These were named after the school itself (Free School Road) as well as some of its headmasters from the turn of the 20th century, including Hamilton Road (after W. Hamilton, 1925-26), Pinhorn Road (R.H. Pinhorn, 1904-1925), Hargreaves Road (W. Hargreaves, 1891-1904) and Hutchings Garden, after the founder of the school, Rev. Sparke Hutchings.
The land south of Hamilton Road was occupied by the Green Lane Convent as well as Thai Buddhist temples. The housing estate developed behind them all had the word "Hijau" to it. These are some of the earliest roads with numbers in their names in Penang. Around the Church of the Holy Spirit was developed Island Park in the 1960's. The roads here were named after metal, namely Mas (for emas, gold), Besi (iron), Tembaga (brass) and Gangsa (bronze).
Next came Island Glades, later renamed Taman Mutiara. The roads here are all named Delima (ruby). In between Island Glades and Island Park came a later development, Taman Greenview, in the late 1970's.
Across Green Lane from Island Glades is the housing development of Batu Lanchang. The Lam Wah Ee Hospital was moved here in the late 1970's. The roads in the suburb bordered by Lebuhraya Gelugor, Lebuhraya Batu Lanchang and Green Lane have their names derived from amalgamating the names of the neighbouring areas. Hence we get names such as Batu Green (Batu Lanchang + Green Lane) and Gelugor Green (Gelugor + Green Lane).
Green Lane ends at the Udini Roundabout, which is today served by a flyover as well as an underpass. This roundabout marks the traditional city limit of George Town until the 1970's, when the metropolitan area expands and spills south, reach as far as Teluk Kumbar by the turn of the 21st century.
Green Lane was renamed Jalan Masjid Negeri in the late 1970's, upon the completion of the Penang State Mosque, much to the chagrin of its residents who prefer the more verdant character of its former name. Nonetheless the name Green Lane continues to live on in sights along the road including Convent Green Lane and Green Lane McDonald's.
Getting there
If you are coming from George Town and using public transport, Rapid Penang buses 102, 206 and T304 pass by Green Lane.
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Penang Travel Tips is researched and written by Timothy Tye, universally known as Tim. The text is the copyright of Timothy Tye, and may not be copied for commercial use or re-published in another website without the author's permission. Information provided is in goodwill and is believed to be correct and up-to-date at time of writing. Photographs on this website are the copyright of the author and may not be reused without prior permission. For commercial licensing of photographs, read the licensing terms.
