Christian Cemetary

A shady lane of Frangipani trees through the cemetary.

View of the cemetary's many graves in various states of disrepair.

 
The Christian Cemetary on Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah, not far from the Eastern & Oriental Hotel, is an interesting place to pass some time in the cool shade of mature frangipani trees. The cemetary is the final resting place of Captain Francis Light, the founder of Penang, as well as many other community leaders from Penang's early years.

It's interesting to note that many of these people died around the age of 30. The causes are not stated, but most are believed to have died from malaria which resulted from the clearing of the forests.

The grave of Captain Francis Light.

Many of the old tombs are huge, ornate affairs that seem to demonstrate a Victorian obsession with death. Captain Light's tomb is suprising simple, suggesting that he was not considered as important in his own time as he is now.

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