Fort St George: The Birthplace Of Madras, 1890 Photo
An 1890 photograph captures Fort St George, the iconic stronghold and the birthplace of Madras (Chennai). The image offers a rare panoramic view of the Fort’s massive defensive walls, stretching from the shores of the Bay of Bengal to the inland boundaries. Within these ramparts stood the administrative buildings, officers’ mess, quarters, and other colonial structures that once formed the heart of British power.
In the background, a pale strip marks the River Cooum, winding its way toward the sea. In the foreground, vast open land, then known as the Esplanade, is seen with cattle grazing peacefully. This very stretch would later become home to the majestic Madras High Court, one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks today.
Before the British arrived, there was no Madras. In many ways, it was the first true city of the British Empire in India, serving as the launchpad for colonialism. From this small coastal settlement grew the frameworks of modern governance, commerce, and civic life.
The story of Fort St George begins in 1639, when Francis Day of the East India Company purchased a narrow strip of land from the Raja of Chandragiri. On this strategic coastal plot, the Company erected a modest fortified trading post, naming it Fort St George. Over the following decades, the Fort was steadily expanded, evolving into a formidable bastion. The vantage point of this view is believed to be from the old Lighthouse near the present-day Madras High Court. Click image to enlarge.
Did you know – the strip of land was bought in 1626, but it took thirteen years to build the Fort.
Past posts – Raja Ravi Varma’s Balamani Actress, 1902 Postcard., Oldest View of Bowring Institute In Bangalore, 1890 Postcard.
