Sunbeam Motor Car At Oval Maidan In the British Era Bombay, 1916 Print
A 1916 print of a Sunbeam Motor Car at Oval Maidan in the British era Bombay (Mumbai). This is a page from The Graphic, a British newspaper, of September 30, 1916. Shown in the top image is a charming open-top two-door Sunbeam motor car at the Polo Ground in Bombay in 1916. The polo ground refers to the better-known Oval Maidan.
Also shown in the image is the Bombay High Court, faintly visible in the background. Polo playing was a popular sport among the British in India. The British Motor Car Company Limited in the UK had manufactured the car. Its production began in 1901, and as the years passed, it changed hands multiple times. Chrysler acquired the name to use it on one of its car models Chrysler Sunbeam, from 1977 to 1979.
During the British era, the Sunbeams, Wollesleys, Standards, Buicks, etc, were among the commonly imported cars into India. Not to mention the Rolls-Royce and Daimler. The bottom picture shows a Napier-built biplane being towed to an army base in England during WWI. Click on the first picture to enlarge.
Did you know- the Oval, along with Cooperage Maidan, Cross Maidan, and Azad Maidan, was once part of the vast Esplanade. After the demolition of the Bombay Fort, several streets were built across the Esplanade, dividing it into smaller patches of open spaces.
From the collection- Raja Ravi Varma’s Goddess Laxmi 2 Postcards., Imperial Service Cavalry Delhi Durbar – Old Photo 1903.
