Lebuh Queen (Queen Street)

Queen Street, George Town, Penang (5 February 2013)

Queen Street or Lebuh Queen is one of the roads within the original grid of George Town that was laid out by Captain Francis Light. It was named after Queen Charlotte (1761-1818), the wife of King George III.

Today Queen Street has a predominantly Hindu character. The main place of interest here is the Arulmigu Sri Maha Mariamman Temple.

Queen Street has all along been an enclave for the working-class Indians. In the early days, the street was known as Gedung Rumput in Malay, meaning "grass warehouse", in reference to the barns used in storing hay to feed the cattle.

The Hokkiens referred to Queen Street as Cap3-Jee33-Keng3 Chu3

, meaning "twelve houses", in reference to twelve identical townhouses located here.

The Opium & Spirit Farm Offices were built here in 1906, and was occupied for many decades by Star Publications. The building has since been restored and now houses The Star Pitt Street. The shophouses across the street from the Opium & Spirit Farm Offices are some of the oldest in modern-day George Town, having been built in the early part of the 19th century. These simple structures hail to a time before the tin boom ushered in the age of prosperity.

Property Numbering

Properties along Queen Street are numbered starting from Light Street and heading towards Chulia Street. The properties on the left side of Queen Street have odd-number addresses while those on the right side have even-number addresses.