Fort St George & Marina Beach In 19th Century Madras, 1840 Print
An 1840 engraved print of Fort St George and the Marina Beach in Madras (Chennai) during the 19th century. Masula and fishing boats struggle against the waves; fisher folks are seen all over the beach. Masulas were boats for ferrying people and cargo from ships to the beach or vice versa. The ships can be seen in the deeper waters in the far distance.
Since the ‘T’ shaped iron screw pile pier was yet to come up at the time, masulas were much relied upon. Nevertheless, the Pier would be completed by 1861. The Fort’s administrative buildings and ramparts can be seen in the engraving. The omnipresent flagmast is seen in the midst, perhaps the tallest in India today. Fort St George was originally built in 1639 as a small fortification.
Consequently, it increased in size over the years to what it ultimately became, a 42-acre rampart-enclosed fort. The city of Madras grew out of this Fort St George. The seawater appears to be a little closer to the fortification at the time. However, the sea receded further back in the course of the years thus broadening the beach. It was on the initiative of the Madras Governor Mountstuart Elphinstone the Marina Promenade and beach was beautified in 1886.
Did you know – St Mary’s Church, built in 1689 inside the fort was the first church the British built outside Europe.
Past posts – M. Suriyamoorthy Charcoal Art On Paper (#12)., Viceroy Lord Curzon Cavalcade British India, 1903 Photo., 1894 Kottayam Travancore Postcard Experimental P.O. Cancellation., First Motor Car Rally In British India, Old Print 1905.
