Godowns of yore, George Town

Saturday, March 13 2010

Wednesday, 03 February 2010 11:30

DURING the 1880s, a stretch of seafront in George Town was reclaimed and named after Sir Frederick Weld, Governor of the Straits Settlements (1885-87). Completed in 1904, many offices and godowns were built on the new waterfront, prompting the Malays to remember the stretch as Jalan Gedung (street of godowns) and the Indians, Kitengi Teru (street of company godowns).

The warehouses and godowns near the waterfront extend from Beach Street to Weld Quay with two street frontages, build in the distinctive Anglo-Indian style typified by colonnaded arcades. “The warehouses are located behind the offices that front the main street. Stone pavements through the warehouse cum office buildings connect Beach Street and Weld Quay. The streets extend from the waterfront jetties (ghauts) into the town’s commercial centre... They housed the offices of European firms like Boustead, Behn Meyer, Macalister & Co. and Peterson Simons that were shipping agents, general importers and tin refiners. During the Second World War, many of the fine buildings near the harbour were bombed and destroyed, including government offices at Beach Street and Downing Street (a section of it survived), Victoria and Railway Pier.” (Building Conservation)

Today, while Penang has moved on to more modern methods of trading, some of the old godowns still maintain alleys paved with granite ballasts that produce a very nostalgic feel of the days bygone. View gallery below.

Reference