Dear Mollie

Woof! I have received my first fan mail letter from Miss Mollie Holst, an Australian living in Drammen, Norway! Mollie's great, great, grandmother, Sarah Bandy, in the 1870s, was the proprietor of a pub called the "Prince of Wales Tavern". Mollie asks if The POW could be the original tavern where her granny worked? I did some sniffing around and this is what i came up with. The Prince of Wales Backpackers pub was opened by my boss in 2004. It was previously a medical clinic for foreign workers. Bus loads of workers were zipped through for $20 a pop and had their work permits chopped with a clean bill of health, every time, all the time, amazing! The POW building at 101 Dunlop Street was built in the 1890's. The land around the POW was once a rubber plantation and owned by Colonel Samuel Dunlop. Good Dunlop rubber! The Prince of Wales pub building is the last legacy of the good Colonel, housing his special lady friends. Sometimes late at night, I can hear the girlie giggles of courtesans past.

Hmmm, not much help to you Mollie, but i did some more research and i think i may have a lead... Did you know that Penang was not always called "Penang"? It was known as Prince of Wales Island when first founded by the British, named on 12 August 1786 to commemorate the birthday of Prince George, Prince of Wales, later King George IV. In 1826, Prince of Wales Island, Singapore and Malacca became part of the Straits Settlements governed under the British administration in India. There were many Prince of Wales Taverns in 1870's in old Penang (Pic). Maybe your search should lead you to Penang? Good luck!

If you want to write me a letter, i'd love to hear from you jessthecollie@gmail.com

See you soon for tummy rubs and face licks.

Love Jessica.