Founding of Fort St George Madras, 1903 Print

An old 1903 print of The Origin Of Madras: Founding Of Fort St George. This is a page from the Illustrated London News of Jan 3, 1903. Giving an interesting account of the origins of the famous southern city of Madras, now Chennai. The caption reads “The Origin Of Madras: The Founding of Fort St George by Francis Day, an officer of the East India Company, in March 1639. In 1638 the East India Company, whose factories were inadequately situated, sent Francis Day to India to select a better site for their headquarters.

In 1639 Francis Day purchased from the Raja of Chandragiri a tract of land five miles long near the Portuguese settlement of St Thome. There he built a factory and a fort, which he called Fort St George. As Madras, which sprang from this small beginning, is still officially named. The fort was 400 yards long by yards wide and was garrisoned by 100 men.” Here in the picture troops are standing guard, while the fort walls are being strengthened by masons. And labourers carrying loads of bricks to the work site. Click on the photo for better view.

Did you know – the Portuguese arrived in Madras in 1522 and had a good start, and got a strong hold on the trade in spices and cotton goods.

From the collection – Raja Ravi Varma’s Balamani – Old Postcard 1902., Aerial View of Bombay Fort Area, Old Photo 1930.