Recreation Club - 1868

First Water-Power Plant, First Suction Gas Producing Plant and Engine set up in Penang - 1873

The firm Huttenbach Brothers & Co. established in 1873 ranked amongst the oldest in the country. With the office at 27& 27-A Beach Street and Sungai Pinang, it dealt in a wide range of services and goods.In 1903, a machinery department was added with the business ranging from the setting up of plants to the supply of coal, oil machinery and general stores throughout Malaya, Siam and Burma. 



Many of the streets of the important tin mining areas, particularly, in Taiping, were lighted up by the company. The firm also introduced the first suction gas-producing plant and engine to Malaya as well as erecting the first water-power plant in Malaya. That power plant was capable of developing 80 b.h.p and making 18 tons of ice per day. With that, the firm owned two ice factories, one in Batu Feringghi and the other in Kuala Lumpur. 

Legal Firm - 1879

One of the first legal firms to be established in this country was Messrs. Presgrave & Matthews in Beach Street, Penang. Mr. Arthur Edward Clark and Mr. Edward Presgrave were the original partners. The firm was the legal advisors to the Municipal Commission; Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China; Hong Kong & Shanghai Bank, Mercantile Bank and numerous leading firms.

First Cricket Match - 1884

The first ever inter-state cricket match to be played was held at the Penang Cricket Club grounds at the Esplanade. The club has since been relocated to the present premises and renamed Penang Sports Club.

The First Branch of Hongkong and Shanghai Bank Corporation - 1884

The first premises of the bank was along Beach Street with Mr. Cecil Guinness from Melbourne as the manager. The current building was first occupied in 1906.

Aerated Water Factory - 1887

The first aerated water factory in the country was established in Penang and Perak by Burhan & Co. The excellence and purity of the water manufactured gave it a high reputation and was in great demand by all quarters.

Egineers' Institute - 1888

The institute was probably the first of its kind in the country. It was opened for the recreation and general use of the engineers who formed a large part of the European community (30%). Originally, the institute occupied rooms in Beach Street but later moved to a beautiful double storey building presented by the Capitan Chung Kheng Kwi at the junction of Leith Street and Farquhar Street.

Dispensary - 1889

The earliest dispensary on a big commercial scale was started in Penang. Known as the George Town Dispensary, it moved into a bigger office 37-A Beach Street in 1895 and become a limited liability company in 1901. Staffed with qualified English chemists and trained employees, it was the supplier of all kinds of imported drugs, chemicals, optical appliances and photographic materials to the Federated Malay States and Siam. The medical supplies come from U.S.A, United Kingdom and Europe.

Volunteers - 1889

In 1889 (before the African War or Boer War), a move was made to form a corps of Rifle Volunteers in Penang. It was initiated by Dr. Brown, M.L.C. and Mr. P. Kennedy, then President of the Penang Municipal Commissioners. Thus was born the first Volunteer Crops ("Askar Watania" as is presently known) in Malaya. However it was in 1846 in Singapore that the proposal for a volunteer corps was first mooted with the aim of supplementing the port against foreign invaders as well as to assists the small regular European troops quell any possible internal trouble. Unfortunately, the proposal was dropped and only revived in 1857.



The Penang corps was formed in consequence to the withdrawal of two companies of the British Infantry. Mr P Kennedy was the first gazetted Commandant but the Hon. A.R. Adams M.L.C. was confirmed onto the post when Mr. Kennedy was down with ill health. The Headquarters was moved from Kampong Bahru to Northam Road and finally to the present location at Peel Avenue. The efficiency of the corps was annually tested with the unwarned firing of alarm rockets for the corps to be mobilised.

Lawn Bowl - 1890

The game of lawn bowl was played alongside cricket and football at the Esplanade, Penang as far back as the end of the 19th century (1890s). That was probably the first time lawn bowl was played when the sports was introduced by the British. However, there was no exact written record of the sports then.