Light Street

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Lebuh Light

Light Street was the first street to be laid on the newly established settlement on George Town. It is said that Captain Francis Light fired a cannon filled with silver coins to induce the locals to clear the humid, mosquito-infested dense jungle. It should be pointed out that Penang Island was not uninhabited when Light landed there - there was already settlements along the Sungai Pinang river bank, at Batu Uban, and Tanjong Tokong. After the land was cleared, Light named the first road after himself. Subsequent roads were laid out from Light Street. Light had no experience in town planning. He also had limited assistance from the British East India Company, and did the best he could with the resources in hand.

In the earliest days, Light had his house built on Light Street. His friend and trading partner James Scott also had his home on Light Street. Fort Cornwallis as we know it today had not yet existed, but Light had a crude palisaded fortress built of nibong trunks at the tip of the cape. It was not the most ideal site for a fort, and Light, with no military experience, did not know it. He was however successful in repelling an attack mounted by Sultan Abdullah in 1791.

Light built a jetty at one end of Light Street, and at the other, he dug a well for the new settlement (this, I believe, is a different well from the Francis Light Well, which Light dug for his personal use). The jetty was removed when the land was reclaimed to create Port Swettenham. Light Street was arrow straight. It ended where the gate to Convent Light Street is located today. A short road called Prince Street (now part of Light Street) linked it to Farquhar Street (at that time known as Penang Road)

For the first half of the 19th century, much of Light Street was occupied by the military, the police and the British administrators. Until Penang was elevated to the status of Presidency in 1805, there wasn't much money for public works either. Only after Penang gained that status was there grander buildings erected, among them the Recorder's Courts Building, which today is used as the State Assembly Building. At that time, it was part of the Central Police Station which is still there but somewhat diminished in size. During this period, Light Street was known in Hokkien as Po Le Khau, or police road, "po le" being a corruption of "police".

By the second half of the 19th century, as land use was relaxed, rich Chinese tycoons began buying real estate previously occupied by the Europeans. As a result, newly rich entrepreneurs such as Foo Tye Sin, Koh Seang Tat, Goh Ban Bee had their properties on Light Street - to be able to afford a Light Street address would mark a Chinese as "having arrived".

Light Street continues to evolve little by little from the turn of the 20th century and into the 21st century. New buildings added to Light Street since the mid 20th century include Dewan Sri Pinang, Bank Negara Malaysia and Wisma Great Eastern but most of the other buildings along it have remained little changed since at least 70 years ago.

Getting there

You can reach Light Street by taking the Rapid Penang Free Shuttle Bus to Station No. 5 (Bank Negara).

Sights along Light Street

State Assembly Building

Foo Tye Sin Mansion

Chinese Chamber of Commerce

Click for list of Streets of George Town

In Other Words ...

Hokkien: Po Le Khau (Gate to the Police Station)

Light Street (30 November 2008)
© Timothy Tye using this photo

Light Street Location Map

Photos of Light Street

Light Street (12 March 2009)
© Timothy Tye using this photo

Light Street sign (30 November 2008)
© Timothy Tye using this photo

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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.