Hotel D’Angelis & Parisian Garden Restaurant Madras, 1907 Photo
Old 1907 rare photo of Hotel D’Angelis & Parisian Garden Restaurant in Madras (Chennai). This is another of the rare photos of the charming Hotel D’Angelis. A panoramic view of the delightfully eye-catching Parisian Garden restaurant. Run by an enterprising and multitalented Italian chef and confectioner, Giacomo D’Angelis. Who had flown a homemade biplane from an island near Fort St George in March 1910.
It was very likely the first flight to take place in India. This was just seven years after the first historic flight of the Wright Brothers in the USA in 1903. Giacomo D’Angelis (in white) can be spotted seated at a table on the left. His son Carlos is seated on the right, also in white, with bearers and other staff looking on. Giacomo had landed in Madras along with the Duke of Buckingham as his chef. The Duke became the Governor of Madras from 1875 to 1880.
Giacomo stayed back after the Governor went back to England after completing his term. To cater to the large European population in the city, Giacomo started a confectionery shop, which became a huge success. He later diversified and opened a hotel and restaurant. Thus, the Hotel D’Angelis, with its Parisian Garden restaurant, was set up in 1908. Giacomo died in 1919, and the restaurant was managed by his son for some years. It was later sold to another Italian who had operated the Hotel Bossoto in the city.
To view the biplane’s flight, go to Giacomo D’Angelis Flight in Madras 1910.
Did you know – that another branch was opened in Ooty known as Sylk’s Hotel around 1909.
Past posts – 1964 M. Suriyamoorthy Charcoal Art Abstract (#11)., British Cantonment At Deolali – Old Postcard 1895., The Men Who Made British India, Old Print 1911., Vintage Book 1881 – Everyday Life In India.
