George Town & Parry’s British Era Madras, 1885 Photo
An 1885 photo of George Town and Parry’s in British-era Madras (Chennai). The view is from the old lighthouse, it overlooks the Esplanade, Parrys, George Town, and the General Post Office building. The harbour is partially visible. This photograph was most likely taken before Parry’s opened their address here.
Note closely the right side’s corner space where Parry’s building would come up in the future. In its place, there is only a tiled house with a shed that is shown in this photograph. The background shows George Town with its many houses, and at the right in the back is the Madras GPO building with its twin tower caps visible. The caps had blown away during the great hurricane in the 1940s.
See my post- General Post Office Building In Chennai – Old Photo 1890. Read also EID Parry and George Town, Chennai.
A pencil inscription on the back reads “Free Church of Scotland, College Church, Girls Boarding School Near Beach.” In the later years by around 1895, the electric tram would make an appearance on the road shown just in the front of the buildings.
Did you know- the Portuguese were the first European settlers in Chennai. They set up a port called Porto Novo and a fort called Sao Tome where San Thome is located today.
More from the collection- Raja Ravi Varma Commemorative Stamp Folder 1971., Fort William Calcutta – Old Postcard 1900., View Of Bombay or Mumbai – Old Print 1845., Cochin or Kochi In 1729 – Antique Hand Colored Map
