Penang Heritage Trust

A visual guide to Penang shophouses

Internal and external image of a shop house in Penang

Heritage Shophouse Styles - Penang, Malaysia

Governor's Bungalow - 1, Sepoy Lines

Military History: The bungalow at Sepoy Lines first served as the quarters and mess house of the Commanding Officer of the European troops in Penang circa 1881-1897. The Royal Artillery and European troops moved from Fort Cornwallis to Sepoy Lines in 1881 and it is likely that the bungalow and extensive cluster of ancillary buildings were first built then.

Architectural history: The double-storey bungalow is architecturally distinctive with its rounded front porch, deep verandahs and pair of castellated watchtowers wings, indicating its design by a colonial engineer or military engineer.

Administrative history: After the withdrawal of European troops from Penang around 1897, the bungalow was converted into a town residence for the Governor. This conversion entailed physical improvements such as the addition of lavish furnishings and fittings and a well-cultivated garden. The Governor of the Straits Settlements was then based in Singapore, and his position encompassed that of the High Commissioner of the Federated Malay States. Prior to the conversion of this bungalow into ‘Government House’ or the ‘Governor’s Bungalow’, the Governor would stay at Fort Cornwallis whenever he visited Penang. In the early 20th century, this residence accommodated various SS Governors such as Sir John Anderson (served as Governor, 1904-1911), Sir Arthur Young (1911-1920), and Sir Laurence Guillemard (1920-27). After assuming office, the Governor, usually accompanied by his wife, would normally spend a few days at this residence during his compulsory tour of duty of Penang.

Judicial history: Just before or after the Japanese Occupation, the bungalow began to be used as the Judge’s Residence until the late 20th century. Some of Penang’s most notable judges stayed here.

Condition: The bungalow and its ancillary buildings are currently in a severely dilapidated state and it is disgraceful that one side of the bungalow has been allowed to collapse. We urge the government to urgently commission a Heritage Management Plan with a view to its stabilisation, preservation, maintenance and use, while initiating works to stabilize, repair, and ultimately restore the building.

"Preserving our Heritage for Future Generations"

Udini House, Gelugor

Udini House on Jalan Tunku Kudin (formerly Jalan Udini), Penang, is the former seaside residence of Y.M. Tunku Dhiauddinibni Almarhum Sultan Zainal Rashid Muazzam Shah, better known as Tunku Kudin (1835-1909). TunkuKudin was the younger brother of Sultan Ahmad Tajuddin (II) Mukkaram Shah of Kedah, a sometime Raja Muda of Kedah, a Viceroy of Selangor (1868-1878) and an unsuccessful claimant to the throne of Kedah in 1881. Tunku Kudin’s story was given prominence by his great-nephew, Malaysia’s first Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra al-Haj. Consequently, the Penang Road Naming Committee renamed Jalan Udini after TunkuKudin.

It is sited on a hill and commands an excellent view of the Penang Channel and of the mainland beyond. The grounds once had a stable for horses, an aviary and a deer park. A tunnel from Udini House once led right up to the beach.

The foundation stone of Udini House was laid in August 1882 by the Lieutenant Governor of Penang, J. F. McNair.

Later this house was bought by TengkuKudin’s namesake. Tengku Baharuddin bin Tunku Meh (1848-1932), the Raja of Setul (today’s Satun in Thailand) and commonly known as Ku Din. Setul was then a part of Kedah. Ku Din was a capable administrator and was given wide powers by the King of Siam and the Sultan of Kedah with the Siamese title ofPhyaPhuminathPakdi (“The Dedicated King”). Ku Din purchased the house in 1910 to serve as his holiday home. Ku Din renovated the house by adding a new wing, new servants’ quarters and possibly the aviary and deer park as he loved animals.

From 1930 to December 1941, Udini House was rented to the law firm of Presgrave& Matthews. During the Japanese Occupation, the Japanese Navy used it as their Penang headquarters. Post-WW2, it was used briefly by the British Military Administration, then by the RAAF. In 1953, the property was compulsorily acquired by the government for public housing development but the plans fell through. The Marine Police eventually took over the property and the house was allowed to gradually fall into its present derelict state.

"Preserving our Heritage for Future Generations"

Tanjung Tokong Malay Village

The Tanjung Tokong Malay village is one of the oldest traditional seaside Malay villages left on Penang island, complete with mosque and cemetery. Some of the houses date back to the early 20th century.

It characterized by its unique location by the Tanjong Tokong shore. It was originally made up of two villages, one on the hill slope and another village called Kampung Telaga Air.

It is now endangered due to a redevelopment proposal by UDA.

"Preserving our Heritage for Future Generations"

Shih Chung School - 11, Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah

The once-stately mansion of Goh Chan Lau, which means “Five-Storey Villa”, was built by the brothers Cheah Tek Soon (Xie Deshun) and Cheah Tek Thye (XieDetai). Cheah Tek Soon’s daughter Cheah Liew Bee (Xie Liumei) was married to Goh Say Eng (Wu Shirong), a fervent supporter of Sun Yat Sen. It was said that Goh Say Eng had persuaded the Cheah family to sell off the villa to financially fuel the revolutionary activities of Sun Yat Sen.

In 1908, the villa passed into the hands of Tye Kee Yoon (Dai Xiyun), the Chinese Consul in Penang, who turned it into the Chinese Consulate. After the 1911 Revolution, his son TyePhey Yuen (Dai Shuyuan) became the first Consul of Republican of China in Penang.

In 1915, the brothers Leong Eng Kean (Liang Enquan) and Leong Yin Kean (Liang Yingquan) rented the upper floor of the bungalow as the premises for the P’iJoo Girls’ School, which was forced to shut down when the Education Bill of 1920 was put into effect.

The Shih Chung Branch School, founded in 1938, occupied these premises until 1994.

"Preserving our Heritage for Future Generations"