| Ban Hin Lee Bank building | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Art Deco |
| Location | 43 Beach Street |
| Town or city | George Town, Penang |
| Country | Malaysia |
| Completed | 1938 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | Stark and McNeill |
The Ban Hin Lee Bank building is situated in Beach Street, George Town, Penang, Malaysia.
The building was completed in 1938 by Yeap Chor Ee, business magnate, described at the time as the wealthiest man in Penang. [1] Having established the first locally owned and managed bank, Ban Hin Lee and Co. (meaning “Ten Thousand Prosperities”) in 1918, [2] he converted his banking business into a limited liability company in 1935, [3] and the following year began construction of the bank building on land that he owned at No.43 Beach Street in the heart of the commercial district. [4]
The building was designed by architect, Ung Ban Hoe of Stark and McNeill, construction was carried out by Ang Hooi Sin, and the cost was $200,000. The doors of the strongroom were imported from England, high-grade cement from Japan, and marble used for the floors. The bank moved into the building in 1938, and the upper floors were let to tenants. [2]
The four-storey rectangular building, constructed in the Arte Deco style, had a large internal air-well from ground to top floor to provide maximum light and air circulation, and is said to comply with principles of fengshui . [2]
Penang is a Malaysian state located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia along the Strait of Malacca. It has two parts: Penang Island, where the capital city, George Town, is located, and Seberang Perai on the Malay Peninsula. These two halves are physically connected by the Penang Bridge and the Second Penang Bridge. The state shares borders with Kedah to the north and east, and Perak to the south.
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"It is for the reader, in the light of subsequent events, to judge how far the Councillors were right or wrong, and to see for himself who really did the pioneer work of building up the prosperity of Perak. In the published accounts of British rule in Malaya, sufficient prominence has not always been given to the efforts of these early pioneers; the reaper, intent on his own work, is apt to forget the man who sowed. These Council Minutes are the record of the work of the sowers. A study of that record will show how much the State owes to Sir Hugh Low and to his fellow-Councillors, especially Raja Dris, Sir William Maxwell, and the Chinese towkays, Ah Kwi [Chung Keng Quee] and Ah Yam."
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