GEORGE TOWN, Aug 5 — What was Penang like more than 150 years ago?

Horse carriages ruled the streets fronted by rows of shophouses, some of which have remained standing till today.

While the same streets appear narrow and crowded now with cars and roadside parking, more than a century ago they were clear of any traffic except for some horse carriages, making them look wide.

Fort Cornwallis had a moat surrounding it back then whereas today, that moat has been filled in and remnants of the fort is surrounded by grass and trees.

This is a postcard titled 'A Chinese Palatial Residence' —a building built by Chung Thye Phin and completed in the early 1900s and fronted the beach along the current Gurney Drive. — Picture courtey of Entrepot Publishing Sdn Bhd
This is a postcard titled 'A Chinese Palatial Residence' —a building built by Chung Thye Phin and completed in the early 1900s and fronted the beach along the current Gurney Drive. — Picture courtey of Entrepot Publishing Sdn Bhd

Grand mansions also stood out in stark relief surrounded by green lawns and trees. No tall buildings to mar the landscape back then.

Old photos dating back to the 1800s of the then Prince of Wales Island are now on display at the Then and Now exhibition by Entrepot Publishing in conjunction with George Town Festival 2016.

The Exchange Building that housed the Penang Chamber of Commerce, the Penang Turf Club offices and the Town Club in the early 1900s before it was damaged by allied bombing in 1945. — Picture courtesy of Entrepot Publishing Sdn Bhd
The Exchange Building that housed the Penang Chamber of Commerce, the Penang Turf Club offices and the Town Club in the early 1900s before it was damaged by allied bombing in 1945. — Picture courtesy of Entrepot Publishing Sdn Bhd

The exhibition features 23 sets of old photographs of various streets and sites in Penang.

Each set also has current photos of the same sites so we can compare the changes the island has undergone since the mid-1800s.

The exhibition is also a sneak peek into an upcoming book by authors, Marcus Langdon and Keith Hockton.

According to Langdon, the book features 100 sets of then and now photographs and is titled, Penang: Then and Now.

Langdon has been collecting old photographs of Penang as part of his research into the island’s local history over the past few years.

Some are from old postcards, a few were bought from the Leiden University in Netherlands and some are old photographs he bought from antique shops in Malaysia and all over the world.

“I have a collection of more than 600 old photographs and I plan to make a digital archive of all these photographs,” he said in an interview with Malay Mail Online.

A view of the Downing Street and Weld Quay corner then. — Picture courtesy of Entrepot Publishing Sdn Bhd
A view of the Downing Street and Weld Quay corner then. — Picture courtesy of Entrepot Publishing Sdn Bhd

The book is scheduled for publication, also by Entrepot Publishing, by the end of this year.

'Then and Now' exhibition: This photo of Beach Street was taken in the late 1870s from the corner of Downing Street. This was before the current Logan Heritage Building was built. — Picture courtesy of Entrepot Publishing Sdn Bhd
'Then and Now' exhibition: This photo of Beach Street was taken in the late 1870s from the corner of Downing Street. This was before the current Logan Heritage Building was built. — Picture courtesy of Entrepot Publishing Sdn Bhd

Then and Now is open to to the public at the second level of Black Kettle Cafe on Beach Street. It is open from 8.30am to midnight, and is free.

Find out more about GTF events at georgetownfestival.com.