Penang Tourist Attraction :: Suffolk House
Address: 250, Jalan Air Itam, 10460 Georgetown, 10460 Penang.
The house and garden are open for self-guided tours daily from 10am to 6pm (last entry at 5:30 pm). Admission costs RM10, but children under six receive free entry (except on school excursions). Guided tours are available by appointment for groups of ten or more visitors at a cost of RM15 per person (though discounts can be offered to school groups).
Historical Background:
Suffolk House known as the first ‘Great House’ of Penang, believed to have been built in 1790 by Captain Francis Light, the founder of the British Settlement of Penang. Suffolk House situated at Ayer Itam, Penang is the purest exhibit of Anglo-Indian architecture building in Malaysia.
Suffolk House is the double-storey building situated in open grounds along the banks of the Ayer Itam River. This building was built by Captain Francis Light (born in Suffolk, England 1740, died in Penang, 1794), founder of Penang British Settlement in 1790. Suffolk House is one of the earliest surviving ‘great house’ of the region and the purest exhibit of Anglo-Indian architecture outside of India. It is also the only one Anglo-Indian Garden House in Penang. Almost of all building materials were imported from India and Burma using the East Indian Company trade routes, and construction techniques mirrored those found in Garden Houses from Madras.
After Light’s death, the house was revived until Martina Rozells, who also inherited Light’s house sold Suffolk house and the surrounding estates to W.E. Philips in 1805. Suffolk House served as the Governor’s Residence for Philips and his father-in-law J.A. Bannerman, both who repeatedly served as Acting Governors of Penang at various time. During Philip’s time the residence was enjoyed by his charmed circle, the Penang elite, and praised by visitors from far and wide.
The Suffolk House has been served as Government House in the 1810’s – 1820’s. Beside the social and administrative events, this house was the place where Raffles came and discussed the critical political issues about establishing a British port east of Malacca, which later turned out to be Singapore.
In its prime, Suffolk House was featured by Captain Robert Smith and other 19th century painters. After many changes in ownership, Suffolk House was used as the canteen of the Methodist Boy’s School until 1970s, until it was abandoned due to unsafe structural issue.
Restoration Work:
The campaign to restore Suffolk House began in 1961, but short of funding and lack of support and interest in conservation, the house left ruins.
In 1993, Penang Heritage Trust has conducted a dilapidation survey of Suffolk House. The Trust also sourced for fund to clear up the surrounding area, put scaffolding around the wall and cover the roof as temporary protection from the weather.
In 2000, the state government allocated RM500,000 to kickstart the physical conservation works and appointed Arkitek LLA Sdn Bhd to manage the project.
This phase was completed in mid-2001, and as no funds were available for 2001 and 2002, works came to a standstill.
In 2004, work continued after the state government gave another RM1.5mil and HSBC contributed RM2mil.
In order to fit out the building to make it habitable, an innovative fund-raising campaign spearheaded by the bank was launched in 2006. An appeal was made to the public to sponsor individual columns in the house as well as the galleries and rooms. A total of RM2.8mil (inclusive of an extra RM400,000 sponsorship from the bank) has been raised so far.
The restoration was completed in June 2007 with the collaboration of the state, HSBC Bank, the Penang Heritage Trust and members of the public.
On 1st September 2008, Suffolk House won the Award of Distinction at the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards.
On July 2009, Badan Warisan Malaysia (BWM) has been awarded the tender to manage Suffolk House.
In 2009, a Western dining restaurant was opened in the building.
Location map:
GPS Coordinates: 5.410913N, 100.305347E 
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