Early-Mid 19th Century Shophouses of George Town

Early 19th century shophouses in George Town

23, 25 and 27 Queen Street, built on the first half of the 19th century, are some of the oldest shophouses in George Town (22 July 2012)

The Early-Mid 19th Century Shophouses are the oldest vernacular buildings in George Town, Penang. These are the earliest buildings erected to replace the original structures erected in the late 18th century.

Almost all the early 19th century shophouses of George Town are found within the "original town", the area laid out by Captain Francis Light (read Architectural Styles of Buildings in George Town). The earliest buildings in town were attap sheds, none of which survive to this day. These low-lying structures lined the early streets of the settlement such as China Street, their low height afford uninterrupted view of the sea for the Kuan Im Teng Temple.

19th century shophouses along Kedah Road (29 September 2012)

Apart from the temples and mosques, the oldest vernacular buildings in George Town date from the early 19th century. They were built to replace the attap sheds which easily caught fires. Many of the oldest are modest in proportion. Only a few can be seen today, along Queen Street and Stewart Lane. 25 China Street is an example of a courtyard house of this era that has been well restored.

Until Stamford Raffles put in place guidelines or Ordinances for shophouses, the earliest ones do not have five foot ways. Take note of this as you explore George Town. The guideline, first pronounced on 4 November 1822, stipulated that shophouses be of a certain depth, and there should be an open passage (the five-foot way) on each side of the street.

Raffles derived his guidelines from buildings he observed while stationed in Batavia (Jakarta). This was how the five-foot way was born, implemented in the Straits Settlements, and eventually across Malaya. Most of the shophouses built in the early to mid 19th century do not have five-foot ways. Some have awnings and apron roofs that jut out to provide limited shade.

An example of a Chinese courtyard house from the early 19th century with a shophouse frontage (25 July 2012)

The early-mid 19th century shophouses are simple in their design with minimal embellishments. They are constructed of bricks formed into piers. The same brickwork is used for the arcades and party walls. Granite slabs are used for flooring though some of the poorer owners may opt for simple lime concrete. Malacca floor tiles, produced for the Dutch East India Company, also found their way into George Town, as did imported Chinese-style roof tiles.

Reference

The "Shophouse Rafflesia", an outline of its Malaysian Pedigree and its subsequent diffusion in Asia by Dr Jon Lim, Heritage Buildings of Penang Island (publisher MPPP, 1994)

77, 79 & 81 Acheen Street, examples of early to mid 19th century-style shophouses (15 September 2012)

Architectural Styles of Buildings in George Town

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