Click on the photo for better view
Cochin Port Trust Office Building – Old Postcard 1950
This is an old 1950 photo postcard of the Cochin Port Trust Building, now called Kochi. Before Willingdon Island coming up ships would be anchored in the outer sea. Feeder barges would carry the cargo from the ship to the inner harbour of Mattencherry (Cochin) but all this changed once the Willingdon island came up in 1936. Merchant ships started berthing in the Cochin Port Trust harbour from 1939 onwards.
The man responsible for creating the reclaimed island was Robert Bristow a harbour engineer working in then Madras. Assigned to the task by the British colonial-era rulers under Lord Willingdon the then governor of Madras Presidency. Bristow landed in Kochi in 1920, by 1936 the creation of the island was completed. There is an additional new building to the existing Cochin Port Trust office 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 1919-24, then the Viceroy of India 1931-36. In between, 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
