Residency Road

Jalan Residensi

Residency Road or Jalan Residensi is a major road out of George Town. It was built in the the four quarter of the 19th century, when Penang was experiencing expansion brough on by prosperity from tin mining in Larut. Residency Road was originally called Race Course Road. That was because in the late 19th century, there was a race course where the field of the St George's Girls' School is now located. Since then, the race course has been relocated to the present Penang Turf Club at Batu Gantong. Race Course Road was also given a new and more stately name of Residency Road, or nowadays Jalan Residensi, after the official residence of the Governor of Penang, The Residency, which is today known as Seri Mutiara.

The character of Jalan Residensi is shaped by the presence of three disparate concerns: military, medical and sports. All three arrived along Jalan Residensi as George Town expanded. For much of the early part of Penang's history, the military was headquartered at Fort Cornwallis, and military parades took place at what is now Padang Kota Lama.

As George Town expanded, the military found it necessary to acquire new land for their army barracks, jail, and parade grounds. These took shape around Jalan Residensi. Although the barracks are no longer around, road names in the area such as Jalan Sepoy Lines and Jalan Barracks remind us of their presence. One of those who brought the sepoys from India was Captain Speedy. Tristram Charles Sawyer Speedy was a Victorian age explorer who arrived in Penang in 1871 to be the superintendent of police. In 1873, he resigned his post to work for Ngah Ibrahim. He employed sepoys - Indians trooping fighting for the British - to bring order to the volatile situation in Larut. A legacy of Captain Speedy is the baobab tree at the junction with Macalister Road, standing today as the oldest planted tree in Malaysia.

The jail is still around as the Penang Prison. Towards the mid 20th century, the parade ground had taken on a new role as Polo Ground, a role that has further evolved to now include other recreational sports.

Jalan Residensi is also noted for the number of government hospitals. Among them is the Penang General Hospital, or Hospital Pulau Pinang. Within its vicinity is the Maternity Hospital, the Dental Hospital and the Children's Hospital.

The Mayor of George Town also had his official residence along Jalan Residensi. The mansion is now used as a senior citizen home called the Penang Home for the Infirm and Aged.