Royal Alfred Sailor’s Home & Wellington Circle Bombay, 1910 Postcard
A 1910 postcard captures one of the finest architectural landmarks of British-era Bombay (Mumbai). The imposing Royal Alfred Sailors’ Home overlooks the elegant Wellington Circle (Shyamaprasad Mukherjee Chowk). Built during the late nineteenth century, the Sailors’ Home was established as a safe and comfortable residence for British and merchant seamen arriving at the busy Port of Bombay.
At a time when Bombay was one of the world’s greatest maritime gateways, thousands of sailors passed through its docks, and this magnificent Gothic-style building became a familiar sight. The picture shows the broad, tree-lined Wellington Circle, complete with its ornamental fountain, tram tracks, and horse-drawn vehicles. The spacious streets reflected the city’s rapid transformation into the commercial capital of British India.
This intersection is surrounded by several important British-era landmarks. To the left of the Royal Alfred Sailors’ Home stood the Regal Cinema, followed by the Royal Institute of Science and the Prince of Wales Museum.
An electric tram quietly passes through the junction while pedestrians, carriages, and tracks share the vast street. This gives us a glimpse of how one of Bombay’s busiest intersections looked during the early 20th century. Click image to enlarge.
Did you know – today, the Royal Alfred Sailor’s Home houses the Maharashtra Police Headquarters.
