Early Motor Cars At Bombay’s Gateway of India, 2 Photos 1912-30
Two 1912-1930 photographs depict motocars from the British India era period. The first photo features what appears to be a 1928 Chevrolet and a 1931 Ford. Both shown parked with the backdrop of the Gateway of India in Bombay (Mumbai). The Gateway is undoubtedly one of the most recognizable colonial landmarks. The second image shows a Buick Tourer with its occupants somewhere in British India.
These two rare vintage photographs capture that remarkable transition, when imported automobiles gradually began replacing traditional horse-drawn carriages, bullock carts, and hand-pulled rickshaws on the streets of India’s growing cities. The arrival of the motor car transformed transport across British India during the early twentieth century. During this era, private motor cars were still a luxury, largely owned by British administrators and wealthy Indians.
By this period, automobiles had become an increasingly familiar sight in Bombay, reflecting the city’s rapid commercial growth and expanding road network. These historic images document the evolution of motoring in colonial India, which became a part of the British Raj life during its final decades. Click image to enlarge.
Did you know – before modern petrol stations became widespread, motorists frequently bought petrol in sealed two-gallon tins from hardware stores and authorised agents.
