Watson’s Hotel & Esplanade Bombay, 1880 Photo
An old 1880 photo of the famous Watson’s Hotel and the Esplanade in Bombay (Mumbai). Owned by a Britisher John Watson, and set up on the Esplanade in Mumbai in 1869. It was the first iron-framed building in India or probably the whole of Asia at the time. Once regarded as a giant cast iron birdcage, an imitation of palatial new hotels then coming up in London and Paris.
See post- Watson’s Hotel Bombay – Old Postcard 1907
It was also known as the Esplanade Hotel named after the place where it was located. Its complete prefabricated cast-iron framed structure and bricks were all imported from London. The assembly took around 3-4 years to complete in Bombay. Watson’s Hotel went on to become one of the finest and most elegant hotels. So much so that it allowed entry to Europeans only.
Read more- “The finest hotel in Bombay” now lies in a shambles
Did you know- this structure was made from prefabricated building material that was never heard of in the British India era of that time.
From the collection- M F Hussain Painting – Air India Advertising Postcard 1960., Tiruchirappalli Rock-Fort – Old Photo 1870., St Andrews Church In Bangalore – Old Postcard 1906., View of Poona or Pune – Old Print 1855., Vintage Book – With Wellesley To Madras
