George town

 

George Town & Parry’s British Era Madras, 1885

George Town was originally called Black Town - and it meant exactly that. The blacks (Indians) stayed there while the English stayed in their Fort St. George -a little to the south. 

The town must have come up to supply goods and services to the Fort. The old streets and layout are still the same except that old buildings are being demolished.

 The harbour pier was constructed in 1861, and slowly, commercial offices and banks came up. The First Line Beach Road had magnificent buildings. 

A few are still there. 

The harbour was the first priority for trade and it was set up quickly.  Madras did not have a natural harbour. 

Soon the railways came and a beautiful station was built as a terminus. With the harbour and the railways, the British had their lines of communication and transport.

George Town was originally called Black Town - and it meant exactly that. The blacks (Indians) stayed there while the English stayed in their Fort St. George -a little to the south. The town must have come up to supply goods and services to the Fort. The old streets and layout are still the same except that old buildings are being demolished. The harbour pier was constructed in 1861, and slowly, commercial offices and banks came up. The First Line Beach Road had magnificent buildings. A few are still there. The harbour was the first priority for trade and it was set up quickly. Unlike Bombay and Calcutta, Madras did not have a natural harbour. Soon the railways came and a beautiful station was built as a terminus. With the harbour and the railways, the British had their lines of communication and transport.