View Of Bentinck’s Building, The Beach Madras, 1973 Postcard
View of a painting of Bentinck’s building and the beach in Madras that is reproduced in this 1973 postcard. The Bentinck’s building was named after Lord William Bentinck. Who was the governor of Madras (now Chennai) from 1803 to 1807. The row of buildings that is seen was on the site of the old marine yard. Which later became the First Line Beach, now the Rajaji Road (or Rajaji Salai).
The East India Company’s mercantile merchants were asked to move out of the Fort St George area to the First Line Beach (former marine yard). They were provided commercial space at Bentinck’s building which opened in 1793. In the course of the years, the merchants moved out to other buildings. By 1817, the Bentick’s building housed the British-era Madras Supreme Court. The venerable institution operated till 1862. The Supreme Court was then dissolved and made into a High Court. The High Court functioned from here till it moved to its new handsome premises in 1892.
Read also: Preventing demolition is not enough.
Did you know – the Bentinck’s building was occupied by the Madras Collectorate from 1892 to 1985. Some years later it was sadly to be pulled down.
Past posts – India Raj Elephant Battling Lion Watercol. Sketch, 1837., British Families In 19th Century Colonial India, 1880., 1948 Mumbai Great Cyclone – Two Old Newspaper Pages., First Motor Car Rally In British India, Old Print 1904.
