Cochin Port Trust Harbour Building, 1950 Postcard
A 1950 photo postcard of the Cochin Port Trust Building. Before the artificial island of Willingdon Island came up ships anchored in the outer sea. Feeder barges then ferried the cargo from the ship to the inner harbour of Mattencherry (Cochin). All this changed once Willingdon Island came up by reclamation, merchant ships began berthing on the island’s harbour – the Cochin Port Trust harbour.
The brain behind this complex task was Robert Bristow, a harbour engineer, working at that time in Madras (Chennai). Lord Willingdon, the then governor of Madras Presidency, entrusted the huge task to Robert Bristow. Bristow landed in Kochi in 1920, the work on the creation of the island was completed by 1936, and the first ship berthed in 1939. There is another additional building to this existing Cochin Port Trust harbour building today.
Read more Kochi Port., See post Robert Bristow’s Cochin Harbour – 2 Old Postcards 1947.
Did you know- Lord Willingdon became the Governor of Bombay from 1913-18; Governor of Madras from 1919-24, he became the Viceroy of India from 1931-36. In between this period, he was appointed the Governor-General of Canada 1926-31.
From the collection- Vintage Oleograph Raja Ravi Varma “Laxmi”., Delhi Inauguration Party Viceroy’s House – Old Photo 1931., Bangalore Club Where Churchill was a Member – Old Postcard., View Of Bombay or Mumbai – Old Print 1845., German Map Bombay With Waffen SS Stamp & Seal
