How Fort St George Gave Birth to Madras, 1903 Print
This remarkable 1903 print from the Illustrated London News depicts the founding of Fort St George. The landmark that marked the birth of modern Madras (now Chennai). The illustration portrays East India Company officer Francis Day overseeing the early construction of the fort in 1639 after securing a strip of land from the Raja of Chandragiri near the Portuguese settlement of São Tomé (present-day Santhome).
The scene vividly captures soldiers standing guard while masons reinforce the fortifications and labourers carry bricks, illustrating the modest beginnings of what would become the first major English fortress in India and the administrative centre of British power in South India. The decision to establish Fort St George transformed the region into an important centre for trade in textiles, spices, and maritime commerce.
Around the fort, a thriving settlement gradually emerged, eventually growing into the bustling metropolis of Chennai. The original fort measured approximately 400 yards in length and was protected by a garrison of about 100 men. Today, Fort St George remains one of India’s oldest surviving British-era forts and an enduring symbol of Chennai’s colonial heritage. An interesting fact is that the Portuguese had already established themselves at nearby San Thome in 1522, controlling much of the local trade before the English founded Fort St George.
Did you know – the settlement that grew outside Fort St George became known as “Black Town,” while the fortified European quarter inside the walls was called “White Town.” Together, they formed the nucleus from which the city evolved into present-day Chennai.
