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 literally flew a homemade biplane from an island near Fort St George in March 1910.
To view the biplane’s flight on YouTube go to Giacomo D’Angelis Flight in Madras 1910.
This perhaps can be considered as the first flight that took place in India. It was just seven years after the first historic flight that took place at Kitty Hawk 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. Looking on are some of the Indian bearers and waiters. Giacomo 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 left for England after his tenure. He began a confectionery shop, that became a huge success. Especially with the European crowd of the city. He later diversified by opening a hotel. Thus the Hotel D’Angelis with its Parisian Garden restaurant was opened in 1908. Giacomo passed away in 1919 the restaurant was managed by his son for some years. It was later sold to another Italian who was operating the Hotel Bossoto in the city.
Did you know – that another branch was opened in Ooty known as Sylk’s Hotel in 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.
