Newly Completed Moore Market Madras, Old Postcard 1900

This is an old 1894 postcard of the newly completed Moore Market in Madras, now Chennai. It is probably the earliest picture of the Moore Market in Chennai. Named after Lt. Colonel Sir George Moore, a past President of the Madras Municipality. Once beloved of the masses for their shopping needs. For anything in second-hand, new, or live (birds and fishes).

It would be difficult to imagine a more noisier or chaotic scene amongst the markets. But that is part and parcel of a healthy bazaar atmosphere doing roaring business. The construction was completed in 1900 in the Indo-Saracenic style. The work began in 1898, R E Ellis, Municipal Engineer designed the building. The colonel abolished the old unsanitary bazaar in George Town.

And substituted it with this new imposing red structure adjacent to the Madras Central Railway Station. Unfortunately, the market building mysteriously burned down in 1985. It is rumored that it was deliberately done but there is no precise answer to this. But this great city lost another piece of charm just as it was with the shutting down of the Madras Tramway in the 1950s. Click on the photo for better view.

See post Electric Tram & Madras Central Railway Station – Old Photo

Did you know- after the demolition of the burned down Moore Market building the site was taken over by the Southern Railway and a multi-storeyed building constructed in its place.

From the collection- 1964 M. Suriyamoorthy Charcoal Art Abstract (#10)., Aerial View of Ballard Pier Bombay, Old Photo 1930., View Of Bombay Fort & Harbour – Old Print 1840., Khada Parsi Statue And Vintage Cars Mumbai – Old Photo