St Mary’s First British Church In India, Madras, 1880 Photo
A beautiful 1880 photo of St Mary’s, the first church the British built in India. Located inside Fort St George, Madras (Chennai). A small European child can be seen standing on the premises. Construction of the church began in 1678 and was completed in 1680. It also has the distinction of being the oldest masonry structure in the Fort.
It is believed that the architect was William Dixon, although there is no record of it. A musical pipe organ was installed in 1687. The church’s interior had the indispensable hand-pulled punkahs to cool the congregation. It was on the sole initiative of the Governor of Fort St George Streyusham Master (1678-1681) that the church was built. The steeple was added in 1710. The church had more than once been utilized for military purposes.
When the French took Madras in 1746, they used it as a reservoir for fresh water. When the French again tried to besiege Madras in 1758 (although unsuccessfully), it served as a lookout post. It was also used as a British Barracks, where 150 men were quartered. The steeple sustained such damage that it was found necessary to demolish it in 1767, and it was rebuilt in 1795. During the war with Hyder Ali, the church was used as a granary in 1782. Despite the dire calamities it faced in the past, the Church still serves its congregation proudly even today. Click on the photo to enlarge.
Also read Fort St George – 12, The Church of St Mary’s.
Did you know – the first marriage ceremony in the church was that of Elihu Yale, the future Governor of Fort St George (1687 to 92), after whom Yale University in the USA was named.
Past posts – Raja Ravi Varma’s Wife Bhageerathi Bayi, Rare 1870 Photo., British Cantonment At Deolali – Old Postcard 1895., Army Games Bombay British India Era, Old Print 1895.
