Weld Quay
Weld Quay was once the centre of Penang’s bustling spice trade, with merchant ships anchored offshore while their goods were loaded and unloaded from warehouses along the shoreline.
The Quay was formed from an extensive land reclamation project in the 1880s to make space for harbour trade with better docking facilities and more warehouses. This is why Weld Quay is also known as kitengi teru in Tamil, which means warehouse street and chun thau in Hokkien which means harbour.
As you walk along Weld Quay, you’ll come across the Clan Jetties, the historical floating settlements built to house the sinkeh, or new migrants from southern China, who sought a better life on the Island. The preservation of these jetties has ensured the maintenance of familial, community, and religious spaces within the inner city, which are now accessible to all.
Weld Quay is a reflection of Penang’s rich trading history and the resilience of some of its early settlers. It also serves as a poignant reminder of the challenges faced, and the contributions made by the sinkeh in shaping the growth of Penang.
