European Woman During the British Era In Bangalore, 1877 Photo
This 1877 carte de visite (CDV) photograph is of a young European woman during the British colonial era in Bangalore (now Bengaluru). The city at that time had a significant British presence, with government officials, military officers, and their families settling here.
Bangalore came under British control after the defeat of Haider Ali and Tipu Sultan in the Anglo-Mysore Wars. From then on, the once small Indian hamlet gradually transformed into a major military cantonment. The city’s salubrious climate on the Deccan Plateau made it a favored settlement for Europeans. Many British women lived in Bangalore—some arriving after marriage, while others came seeking prospective grooms.
The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 further boosted travel between England, India, and the Far East, making it easier for Europeans to relocate. CDVs, patented in Paris in 1854, were small portrait photographs often exchanged among friends, family, and visitors—much like a visiting card. This 1877 CDV serves as a fascinating glimpse into colonial life in Bangalore. Click on the photo to enlarge.
Read more Women of the Raj.
Did you know – women were instrumental in creating British society that, by the mid-nineteenth century, ruled either directly or indirectly over almost the whole of the Indian subcontinent.
From the collection – Raja Ravi Varma’s Wife Bhageerathi, Rare 1870 Photo., King George V & Queen Mary At Delhi Durbar, 1911., Swearing-In Of Lord Mountbatten At Delhi – Old Print 1947., View Of Cochin – Antique Hand coloured Plan 1704.
