Pitt Street, George Town have lived here for centuries. Pitt Street was named after William Pitt the Younger, who was the Prime Minister of Great Britain between 1783 and 1801. When Captain Francis Light founded Penang Island in 1786, he renamed the island the "Prince of Wales Island" in honour of the Prince of Wales, the new settlement of George Town after King George III and the first street within the settlement after himself. Worried that Prime Minister William Pitt may have felt offended as nothing was named after him, Light felt compelled to name Pitt Street after him. Pitt Street, created soon after
William Pitt (courtier) William Pitt (courtier) Sir William Pitt (1559 – 29 May 1636) was an English courtier and politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1614 and 1625. Pitt was the son of John Pitt, clerk of the exchequer to Queen Elizabeth, and his wife Joan Swayne, daughter of John Swayne. He became comptroller of the household and a principal officer of the exchequer in the reign of James I. He acquired the manor of Stratfield Turgis from the Marquis of Winchester inl the reign of James I and also acquired property at Stratfield Saye. In 1614, Pitt was elected