The Esplanade & Madras Christian College, 1877 Photo
An 1877 rare photo of the Esplanade and the Madras Christian College building. This almost bare-looking place is where the Madras High Court is now located. Its boundary road is the NSC Bose Road. The whole area was once under George Town, and probably still is. The area extends to Parry’s Corner.
The NSC Bose Road was previously known as the Esplanade Road, then as China Bazaar Road. Some of the buildings identified in the photo are the Madras Christian College (MCC), Anderson Hall or church, and the Standard Chartered Bank building. Not sure of the others. The vast empty ground, where a lone person is seen standing, is the “Esplanade” (or maidan).
Madras (Chennai) was founded by the British East India Company in the early 1600s. Trading outposts were created allowing access to the highly valued Indian textile sources. Originally a fortified company town, known as Fort St George. In the next two centuries Madras, along with Bombay and Calcutta were all British-created cities. Which became one of the three legs of the powerful British Empire in India.
See post View of Madras Harbour & Parry’s, Old Photo 1870. Also read Image Of The Old View Of The Anderson Church, Chennai.
Did you know- that Madras was once under French occupation. In 1746 Fort St George along with the city had been captured by the French, but returned to the British only in 1748 after a treaty.
From the collection- Vintage Raja Ravi Varma “Shivaji” Oleograph Print., Bandra Near Bombay – Old Print 1882., Duke Of Edinburgh At Parel Station Bombay – Old Print
