West End Hotel In British Era Bangalore, 1900 Postcard

West End Hotel In British Era Bangalore, 1900 Postcard

A 1900 postcard of West End Hotel in British Era Bangalore (Bengaluru). The West End Hotel was opened by an English Lady Mrs Bronson in 1887. To this day it exudes an old-world charm and character to a city that has gone overly fast-paced. It changed hands several times, first, it was sold to Spencer’s in 1912, then in 1984 to the Taj Group’s Taj West End.

It is now operated by the Taj West End Hotel in Bangalore. Mrs Bronson started it initially as a small boarding house with ten rooms. However, it soon outgrew and expanded to a full-fledged hotel. Because of Bangalore’s strategic location and cool weather the British military stayed on after the Anglo-Mysore Wars (1767-1799).

This small town made of a cluster of villages gradually became an important British Cantonment town. There were many European and non-European dignitaries and visitors with and without families. Thus the enterprising Mrs Bronson took the opportunity to open a boardinghouse. The Cyclopaedia of India of 1909, mentions that there were six buildings, three cottages, a large dining room, a billiards room, etc to the hotel. Click on the image for better view.

Read more La Grande Dame.

Did you know – the 1887 Block – the oldest block of the hotel–still stands tall and so does the 1905 Block, the second oldest block bearing testimony to the lasting beauty of the colonial architecture.

Past posts – Raja Ravi Varma’s Balamani Actress, 1902 Postcard., Polo Player Captain Malone British India Era, 1890 Photo., Bandora or Bandra In British Era Bombay, 1882 Print., A Page On Calicut From A Rare 1713 Latin Book.