Aerial View of Fort William & Hooghly Calcutta, 1930 Photo
An aerial view of Fort William and the River Hooghly in Calcutta is shown in this rare 1930 photo. Shaped like an irregular octagon. It occupies 71 hectares near the banks of the River Hooghly. During the Delhi Durbar in 1911, King George V announced the shifting of the capital from Calcutta to Delhi.
In 1687, Job Charnock, an agent of the East India Company secured permission from the Mughals to secure a base at Sutanati (now in north Calcutta). The original Fort William was built and named after the reigning King of Britain William III. The work on this fortification began in 1696 and was completed in 1701.
Siraj-Ud-Daulah ascended the reign as the Nawab of Bengal in 1756. He was an independent representative of the great Mughals for the East. The British had strengthened their fortification and added new structures without the Nawab’s permission. The Nawab ordered the British to demolish the new additions which they disobeyed.
The infuriated Nawab took action, in the four days of severe fighting his troops seized Calcutta and destroyed the fortification. Later, a new Fort was built, also named William. It was commissioned by Robert Clive, East India Company’s Governor for Bengal. The Fort’s construction began in 1757 and was completed in 1773. Located slightly north of the old Fort on the banks of the River Hooghly. Which can be seen in this photo.
Did you know- the fort is today the property of the Indian Army. The headquarters of the Eastern Command is based here.
Past posts – “Birth of Shakuntala” First Oleograph From Ravi Varma Press 1894., Bangalore Club Where Churchill was a Member – Old Postcard., Taj Mahal Palace Hotel Bombay, Rare 1905 Advertisement., Bombay Fort, Colaba, Malabar Hill – Vintage Map 1924.
