A statue of Captain Francis Light seen in George Town, Penang in the early 1980s. The book trilogy 'Penang Chronicles' by Rose Gan, now into its second volume, shines a light on the British explorer's epic story. Photo: Filepic/The Star
Captain Francis Light, a British explorer and naval officer credited as the founder of Penang, is a familiar name to most Malaysians.
In George Town, where he was buried after dying from malaria in 1794, you can visit his grave at the Old Protestant Cemetery along Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah Road.
Perhaps even more popular is a bronze statue that was erected in 1936 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the founding of George Town. It stands at Fort Cornwallis, where Light first set foot on the island on July 17, 1786.
But Light remains a bit of an enigma. We don’t even know what he looked like. No portrait exists of the man and so the statue, which was sculpted by F.J. Wilcoxson, was simply modelled after Light’s son, William.
No doubt, Light was an 18th-century trailblazer in the Malay Archipelago, as so vividly described by British-born, Malaysian-based author Rose Gan in her Penang Chronicles trilogy, of which the second volume, titled Pearl, has been released by Monsoon Books.
Gan first arrived in Kuala Lumpur in 1978 and has been living and working between both Britain and South-East Asia ever since. Married to a Malaysian, and formerly a teacher of History, Latin and Classics, she has also been actively involved with museum publications in Malaysia and Indonesia, both as a writer and editor.
After delving into Light’s early years in the first volume Dragon, Gan's new book continues the tale of his adventures, life and loves, offering an evocative historical narrative of what could have been.
History buffs will recognise the historical figures and locations the author has included in the book, weaving together fact with conceivable scenarios and imagination.
In this continuation of her historical fiction tale, we also follow the trials and tribulations of Light’s long-term partner, the mysterious and captivating Martinha Rozells, who was introduced in the first book.
From her birth in Phuket to her childhood at the court of Kedah, readers can now enter the fascinating world of a well-born woman of the Indies.
In boy meets girl circumstances, Light and Rozells get married and build a life together, but here is also a story told against the backdrop of the British explorer's dogged determination to make a difference in this new land of surprises and possibilities.
From the courts of Siam and Kedah, we follow his meteoric rise from merchant captain to island governor, as he leaves behind an indelible mark on history.
Emporium, the third and final volume of the Penang Chronicles, is scheduled for a 2023 release.
