The Original Madras Club At Mount Road, 1900 Photo.
An old 1900 photogravure photo of the original Madras Club that was based at Mount Roand in Madras, now Chennai. The Madras Club, founded in 1832, as an exclusive residential “Whites Only” British club. Described as ‘the Ace of Clubs’, the finest in all India. It had a bumpy history of its own.
Its handsome original home with its Pantheon-style architecture, as seen in this 1900 photo, was located in what is today called Express Estate at Mount Road in Chennai. After India’s independence, this whites-only clubhouse was becoming cash-strapped, because of the diminishing presence of European members. The club then moved to a smaller home in 1948.
But still finding it uneconomical, it decided to merge with then Adyar Club in 1961. The Adyar Club founded in the 1890s had leased the Mowbray’s Cupola property. And for its part, agreed to a merger under the Madras Club name. Later by 1963, the Mowbray’s Cupola property was sold to the merged club. Click on the photo for better view.
Did you know- today this is the second oldest Club in India.
More from the collection- Bowring Institute Bangalore – Old Postcard 1895., Raja Ravi Varma’s Balamani – Old Postcard 1902., Rare Advertisement Taj Palace Hotel Bombay 1907., Fort Cochin & City Antique Map Plan Of 1761
The images are of the actual items from my collection. And Not a photocopy, pirated, reproduced, or stock photos or taken from other sources.
