High Court, Rajabai Tower & Secretariat Bombay, 1900 Photo
A 1900 photo of the view of the High Court, Rajabai Clock Tower, & Secretariat in Bombay, now Mumbai. The three historic buildings face the Oval Maidan, which once overlooked the Back Bay. But after the Marine Drive reclamation, the view of the Back Bay became a little more distant.
The area of the Oval Maidan is the core of Victorian Bombay. The row of public buildings – the High Court, Rajabai Clock Tower, and the Secretariat. Were the first to be built on the land made available after the demolition of the fort walls. It was the outcome of then governor of Bombay, Henry Bartle Frere. He had ordered the demolition of the fort’s walls in 1862.
Thus freeing considerable space, consequently, Bombay went into rapid expansion mode. Frere was instrumental in transforming Bombay into a Europeanized city. The High Court was designed by Colonel J. A. Fuller of the Royal Engineers. The building was completed in 1878.
The 280-foot Rajabai Clock Tower was a part of the University. It was funded by one of the city’s leading industrialists and philanthropists, Premchand Roychand. Completed in 1874 it was named after his mother “Rajabai.” The Secretariat was designed by Captain Henry Sir Clair Wilkins, it too was completed in 1874.
Did you know – the Fort had walls about 40 ft feet high and from 25 – 50 ft width of the walls. These carried guns and were surrounded by trenches (moat), which were full of water.
Past posts – M. Suriyamoorthy Charcoal Untitled 1964 (#18)., St George’s Cathedral Madras – Old Postcard 1915., Aerial View of Parliament New Delhi – Old Print 1946., Old Book 1887, Dupleix And The Empire Of India.
