First Line Beach, The Commercial Street of Madras, 1940 Photo
This rare 1940 photograph is of the First Line Beach in Madras (now Chennai), the city’s bustling commercial street during the British colonial era. Commercial activity in Madras had gradually shifted out of Fort St George around 1800 when Governor Edward, Lord Clive (2nd Baron Clive) insisted on separating governance from trade.
By then, threats from foreign enemies had reduced, allowing mercantile expansion beyond the fort walls. In 1798, Clive ordered the relocation of the ‘Sea Customer’ (today’s Customs Collector) to the grain warehouses near North Beach, where goods were landed from ships via masula boats. This move encouraged merchants to follow, and soon North Beach Road transformed into the mercantile heart of colonial Madras.
By 1809, the transition from Fort St. George to North Beach Road offices was complete. The area soon came to be known as First Line Beach, now called Rajaji Salai, and became the city’s prime commercial hub. In the photograph, the first building with bulbous domes was home to the National Bank, while the second domed structure belonged to the Bank of Madras, today recognized as the main branch of the State Bank of India (SBI). Click on the photo to enlarge.
Did you know – that the Madras Governor Edward, Lord Clive 2nd was the son of Robert Clive (Clive of India).
From the collection – Raja Ravi Varma Paintings Depicted In 3 Postcards., British India Era Postman, Advertising Card 1905., Bombay War Charity WW1 In British India – Old Print 1917., GIPR Steam Locomotive Bombay – Old Photograph 1900.
