St Joseph's Novitiate, PenangSt Joseph's Novitiate, Penang (1 July 2006)


St Joseph's Novitiate (GPS: 5.43544, 100.31089) is a historic building on grounds bordered to the north by Gurney Drive and south by Kelawai Road in Pulau Tikus, Penang. Today it has been restored and preserved as part of Gurney Paragon Mall .

In the past, the St. Joseph's Novitiate was part of the St Joseph's Training College that stood next to the original College General complex. College General moved to its present site on Mount Miriam in 1984. The premises of St Joseph's Novitiate was also occupied by the Uplands International School until the school moved to its own campus in Batu Ferringhi.

The College General as well as the St Joseph's Training College are seminaries founded by the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools (a.k.a. the Christian Brothers, the Lasallian Brothers, the French Christian Brothers, or the De La Salle Brothers), a Roman Catholic religious teaching order that pioneered education of the masses in Malaya as well as elsewhere in the world.

The site at Pulau Tikus area which came to be associated with the order was acquired by the De La Salle Brothers in 1916 for a novitiate - quarters for novices - and a training college. The St Joseph's Training College buildings originally directly faced the sea along North Beach as Gurney Drive did not exist yet. St Joseph's functioned as a teacher's training college for those who wished to teach in the missionary schools set up by the La Salle Brothers.

Among the mission schools established are the St Xavier's Institution and Convent Light Street in Penang, St Michael's Institution in Ipoh and St Joseph's Institution (nowadays the Singapore Art Museum) in Singapore.

The St Joseph's Novitiate building is a two-storey structure that was added in 1925. A chapel occupies the upper floor. It has lovely stained-glass windows, and the statue of Mary trampling a serpent. On the outer wall facing Gurney Drive is the inscription in Latin, ANNO SANCTO MCMXXV, meaning Holy Year 1925, the year it was completed.

After the De La Salle Brothers vacated the Gurney Drive premises in the early 1980s, the site was taken over by the International School of Penang (Uplands). In December 2004, Hunza Properties (Penang) Sdn Bhd bought this parcel of land for RM97.86mil from De La Salle Brothers for a high rise retail and residential project to be known as Gurney Paragon.

In the middle of 2006, the international school - which had only been leasing the land and the St. Joseph's Novitiate building, as opposed to having purchased it outright - moved out of the area and relocated to Batu Ferringhi.

St Joseph's NovitiateThe wall of the St Joseph's Novitiate with the inscription, ANNO SANCTO MCMXXV (1 July 2006)


St Joseph's NovitiateSt Joseph's Novitiate, after restoration and rebranded as St Jo's. (23 January 2012)


The former Uplands International School siteThe school field of the former Uplands International School, before the construction of Gurney Paragon. (1 July 2006)


St Joseph's Novitiate, Pulau Tikus, PenangExterior of St Joseph's Novitiate Building, before the construction of Gurney Paragon. (1 July 2006)


Uplands School, Pulau TikusFront view of the now demolished Uplands School when it was in Pulau Tikus. (1 July 2006)


National Shrine of the Boy JesusThe now demolished National Shrine of the Boy Jesus within the St Joseph's Novitiate complex. (1 July 2006)


National Shrine of the Boy JesusSide view of the National Shrine of the Boy Jesus. (1 July 2006)

Updates on the St Joseph's Novitiate

23 January, 2013
After a restoration project costing RM10 million, including RM3.5 million to stabilize its foundation, the St Joseph's Novitiate building was converted into a food, beverage, event and entertainment destination known as St Jo's.

Further Reading

Learn about the early history of the Eurasians and the Roman Catholics in Penang through the following pages in Penang Travel Tips:

  1. Church of the Immaculate Conception: This is the church that began as a chapel that the Eurasians established back in 1835.
  2. St Chastan Monument: Monument to one of the two teachers at College General who was martyred in Korea, beatified in 1925 and canonised in 1984.
  3. St Joseph's Novitiate: The St Joseph Training College that was once next to College General, now the site of Gurney Paragon.
  4. Church of the Assumption: Church built by the first wave of Eurasians that came over with Father Arnaud-Antoine Garnault at the invitation of Captain Francis Light.
  5. Penang Eurasian Association: Association of the small community of Eurasians in Penang, based at their former settlement in Pulau Tikus.
  6. Pulau Tikus: District that was formerly comprised a Eurasian and a Burmese/Thai village, today an upscale suburb of George Town.

Other Related Pages



St Joseph's NovitiateView within the chapel of St Joseph's Novitiate, before restoration. (1 July 2006)


St Joseph's NovitiateThe alter within the chapel of St Joseph's Novitiate, before restoration. (1 July 2006)


Virgin MaryStatue of Virgin Mary trampling the serpent (1 July 2006)


St JosephStatue of St Joseph with the infant Jesus (1 July 2006)


Stained glass, St Joseph's NovitiateStained glass, St Joseph's Novitiate (1 July 2006)


St John Baptist de la Salle, the Patron Saint of EducationSt John Baptist de la Salle, the Patron Saint of Education (1 July 2006)


Archangel MichaelArchangel Michael (1 July 2006)


Angel GabrielAngel Gabriel (1 July 2006)


Brother SolomonBrother Solomon (1 July 2006)

St Joseph's Novitiate is on the Map of Jalan Kelawai, Penang

Acknowledgement

I would like to thank Rebecca Wilkinson for arranging the photoshoot and documentation, and to Yvonne Teh of Heritage Asia for reviewing the content of this travel feature.

 Buy, rent or sell properties in Penang

Do you have a property for sale or to rent out? Are you looking to buy or rent a property? Get in touch with me. WhatsApp me (Timothy Tye) at 012 429 9844, and I will assign one of my property agents to serve you. I will choose the agent for you, according to your property needs. So when you message me, provide me some details of what you need, whether to sell, to buy, to rent or to rent out, and what type of property, is it condo, apartment, house, shop, office or land.

Adakah anda mempunyai hartanah untuk dijual atau disewakan? Adakah anda ingin membeli atau menyewa hartanah? Hubungi saya. WhatsApp saya (Timothy Tye) di 012 429 9844, dan saya akan menugaskan salah seorang ejen hartanah saya untuk berkhidmat kepada anda. Saya akan pilih ejen untuk anda, mengikut keperluan hartanah anda. Oleh itu, apabila anda menghantar mesej kepada saya, berikan saya beberapa butiran tentang apa yang anda perlukan, sama ada untuk menjual, untuk membeli, untuk disewakan atau untuk disewakan, dan jenis hartanah apakah itu kondo, pangsapuri, rumah, kedai, pejabat atau tanah.

您有待出售或出租的房产吗? 您想购买或租赁房产吗? 与我联系。 WhatsApp 我 (Timothy Tye) 012 429 9844,我将指派一名房地产经纪人为您服务。 我会根据您的房产需求,为您选择代理。 因此,当您给我发消息时,请向我提供一些您需要的详细信息,无论是出售、购买、出租还是出租,以及房产类型,是公寓、公寓、房屋、商店、办公室还是土地。

 New Properties in Penang

Looking to buy property in Penang? Get the e-brochures right here without having to visit or contact individual developers.

  1. Anggun Residences E-Brochure, Batu Kawan
  2. Aston Acacia E-Brochure, Bukit Mertajam
  3. Beacon Executive Suites E-Brochure, George Town
  4. Beverly Heights @ Bukit Gambir E-Brochure, Gelugor
  5. BM Highland E-Brochure, Bukit Mertajam
  6. Cypress Villa E-Brochure, Sungai Ara
  7. D'Zone Condominium E-Brochure, Teluk Kumbar
  8. Elements Garden E-Brochure, Butterworth
  9. Ferringhi Residence 2 E-Brochure, Batu Ferringhi
  10. GEM Residences E-Brochure, Prai
  11. Golden Triangle 2 E-Brochure, Sungai Ara/Relau
  12. Grace Residence E-Brochure, Jelutong
  13. Granito @ Permai E-Brochure, Tanjong Bungah
  14. Green City Residence E-Brochure, Jelutong
  15. Havana Beach Residences E-Brochure, Bayan Lepas
  16. Imperial Residences E-Brochure, Sungai Ara/Relau
  17. Imperial Grande E-Brochure, Sungai Ara/Relau
  18. Lucerne Residence E-Brochure, Bayan Lepas
  19. Mezzo @ The Light City E-Brochure, Gelugor
  20. Middleton E-Brochure, Gelugor
  21. Orchard Villa 3 E-Brochure, Simpang Ampat
  22. Primero Heights E-Brochure, Permatang Pauh
  23. Queens Waterfront Q2 E-Brochure, Bayan Lepas
  24. Royale Heights @ Tambun Royale City E-Brochure, Simpang Ampat
  25. Royale Infinity @ Tambun Royale City E-Brochure, Simpang Ampat
  26. Rubica @ Harbour Place E-Brochure, Butterworth
  27. Sensasi Commercial Suites E-Brochure, Batu Kawan
  28. Setia Sky Ville E-Brochure, Jelutong
  29. Setia Sky Vista E-Brochure, Sungai Ara/Relau
  30. Setia V Residence E-Brochure, Gurney Drive
  31. Sinaran Residence E-Brochure, Batu Kawan
  32. Sky @ TriPark E-Brochure, Bukit Mertajam
  33. Skyridge Garden E-Brochure, Tanjong Tokong
  34. Starhill Luxury Residences E-Brochure, Gelugor
  35. Straits Residences E-Brochure, Tanjong Tokong
  36. Taman Nuri Emas E-Brochure, Nibong Tebal
  37. The Light Collection IV E-Brochure, Gelugor
  38. The Loft @ Southbay E-Brochure, Batu Maung
  39. The Terraces Condominium E-Brochure, Bukit Jambul
  40. Trehaus Condo Villas E-Brochure, Bukit Jambul
  41. Triuni Residences E-Brochure, Batu Uban
  42. Urban Suites E-Brochure, Tanjong Tokong
  43. Valencia Residence E-Brochure, Bayan Lepas
  44. Vertu Resort E-Brochure, Batu Kawan
  45. Vivo Executive Apartment E-Brochure, Batu Kawan
  46. Viluxe E-Brochure, Batu Kawan
  47. Waterside Residence E-Brochure, Gelugor

 Latest updates on Penang Travel Tips

 Discover with Timothy YouTube Channel

 Discover with Timothy Food Channel

 Learn Penang Hokkien YouTube Channel

SojiMart Videos

 Share your travels and/or ask a travel-related question

Join the Penang Travel Tips Facebook Group to share photos, tips and anything related to your travels, or ask travel-related questions.

Map of Roads in Penang

Looking for information on Penang? Use this Map of Roads in Penang to zoom in on information about Penang, brought to you road by road.

Discover with Timothy

Let me take you to explore and discover Penang through my series of walking tours on YouTube. You may use these videos as your virtual tour guide. At the beginning of each video, I provide the starting point coordinates which you may key into your GPS, Google Maps or Waze, to be navigated to where I start the walk, and use the video as your virtual tour guide.

Disclaimer

Please use the information on this page as guidance only. The author endeavours to update the information on this page from time to time, but regrets any inaccuracies if there be any.

Latest from Discover with Timothy: Gurney Bay - what to see and do there

About this website



Hello and thanks for reading this page. My name is Timothy and my hobby is in describing places so that I can share the information with the general public. My website has become the go to site for a lot of people including students, teachers, journalists, etc. whenever they seek information on places, particularly those in Malaysia and Singapore. I have been doing this since 5 January 2003, for over twenty years already. You can read about me at Discover Timothy. By now I have compiled information on thousands of places, mostly in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, and I continue to add more almost every day. My goal is to describe every street in every town in Malaysia and Singapore.

Copyright © 2003-2024 Timothy Tye. All Rights Reserved.