Monday, July 5, 2010

Lord Wellesley's monument at Bombay--Artist: Simpson, William (1823-1899) Medium: Chromolithograph Date: 1867

Lord Wellesley's monument at Bombay

his chromolithograph is taken from plate 48 of William Simpson's 'India: Ancient and Modern'. Lord Wellesley was Governor-General of Bengal during the period 1797 to 1805. Committed to extending British rule in India, he at least consolidated it by means of the Anglo-Mysore and Anglo-Maratha wars. To some observers, this period was one of the most eventful and 'glorious' times of British rule in India. In spite of this, this statue ordered for Mumbai (Bombay) lay neglected in a warehouse and would not have been erected but for the efforts of Sir Charles Forbes. It was put up in Elphinstone (later Horniman) Circle, outside the town hall.
Field Marshal His Grace The Duke of Wellington [

Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington

KG KP GCB GCH PC FRS

FROM WIKIPEDIA:-

In India:-Arriving in Calcutta in February 1797 he spent several months there, before being sent on a brief expedition to the Philippines, where he established a list of new hygiene precautions for his men to deal with the unfamiliar climate. Returning in November to India, he learnt that his elder brother Richard, now known as Lord Mornington, had been appointed as the new Governor-General of India. As part of the campaign to extend the rule of the British East India Company, the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War broke out in 1798 against the Sultan of Mysore, Tippoo Sultan.]Arthur's brother Richard ordered that an armed force be sent to capture Seringapatam and defeat Tippoo. Under the command of General Harris, some 24,000 troops were dispatched to Madras (to join an equal force being sent from Bombay in the west). Arthur and the 33rd sailed to join them in August.



In 1798 he changed the spelling of his surname to "Wellesley" - up to this time he was still known as Wesley - which his oldest brother considered the ancient and proper spelling.
After extensive and careful logistic preparation (that would become one of Wellesley's main attributes) the 33rd left with the main force in December and travelled across 250 miles (400 km) of jungle from Madras to Mysore. On account of his brother, during the journey, Wellesley was given an additional command, that of chief advisor to the Nizam of Hyderabad's army (sent to accompany the British force). This position was to cause friction amongst many of the senior officers (some of whom were senior to Wellesley). Much of this friction was put to rest after the battle of Malavelly, some 20 miles (32 km) from Seringapatam, in which Harris's army attacked a large part of the sultan's army. During the battle, Wellesley led his men, in a line of battle of two ranks, against the enemy to a gentle ridge and gave the order to fire. After an extensive repetition of volleys, followed by a bayonet charge, the 33rd, in conjunction with the rest of Harris's force, forced Tippoo's infantry to retreat.

Srirangapatna and Mysore


Tippu Sultan, the ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore fought the British during the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War and was killed in battle. Wellesley was the first officer on the scene and confirmed his death by checking his pulse. Wellesley subsequently ruled Mysore as British governor.
Immediately after their arrival at Seringapatam on 5 April, the Battle of Srirangapatna began and Wellesley was ordered to lead a night attack on the village of Sultanpettah, adjacent to the fortress to clear the way for the artillery. Because of the enemy's strong defensive preparations, and the darkness, with the resulting confusion, the attack failed with 25 casualties. Wellesley suffered a minor injury to his knee from a spent musket-ball. Although they would reattack successfully the next day, after time to scout ahead the enemy's positions, the affair had an impact on Wellesley. He resolved "never to attack an enemy who is preparing and strongly posted, and whose posts have not been reconnoitred by daylight".
A few weeks later, after extensive artillery bombardment, a breach was opened in the main walls of the fortress of Seringapatam. An attack led by Major-General Baird secured the fortress. Wellesley secured the rear of the advance, posting guards at the breach and then stationed his regiment at the main palace. After hearing news of the death of the Tippoo Sultan, Wellesley was the first at the scene to confirm his death, checking his pulse Over the coming day, Wellesley grew increasingly concerned over the lack of discipline amongst his men, who drank and pillaged the fortress and city. To restore order, several soldiers were flogged and four hanged.
After battle and the resulting end of the war, the main force under General Harris left Seringapatam and Wellesley, aged 30, stayed behind to command the area as the new Governor of Seringapatam and Mysore. He took residence within the sultan's summer palace and reformed the tax and justice systems in his province to maintain order and prevent bribery. He also hunted down the mercenary 'King' Dhoondiah Waugh, who had escaped from prison in Seringapatam during the battle. Wellesley, with command of four regiments, defeated Dhoondiah's larger rebel force, along with Dhoondiah himself who was killed in the battle. He paid for the future upkeep of Dhoondia's orphaned son.
Whilst in India, Wellesley was ill for a considerable time, first with severe diarrhea from the water and then with fever, followed by a serious skin infection caused by trichophyton. He received good news when in September 1802 he learnt that he had been promoted to the rank of Major-General. Wellesley had been gazetted Major-General on 29 April, but the news took several months to reach him by sea. He remained at Mysore until November when he was sent to command an army in the Second Anglo-Maratha War.

Second Anglo-Maratha War

Wellesley decided that he must act boldly to defeat the numerically larger force of the Maratha Empire (as he concluded a long defensive war would ruin his army). With the logistic assembly of his army complete (24,000 men in total) he gave the order to break camp and attack the nearest Maratha fort on 8 August 1803. The fort surrendered on 12 August after an infantry attack had exploited an artillery-made breach in the wall. With the fort now in British control Wellesley was able to extend control southwards to the river Godavari.

Arthur Wellesley at the Battle of Assayein a painting by J.C.Stadler. The battle was an important victory for Wellesley in his career and he later remarked that it was the greatest of his victories.[49]
Splitting his army into two forces, to pursue and locate the main Marathas army, (the second force, commanded by Colonel Stevenson was far smaller) Wellesley was preparing to rejoin his forces on 24 September. His intelligence, however, reported the location of the Marathas' main army, between two rivers near Assaye. If he waited for the arrival of his second force, the Marathas would be able to mount a retreat, so Wellesley decided to launch an attack immediately. On 23 September, Wellesley led his forces over a ford in the river Kaitna and the Battle of Assaye commenced. After crossing the ford the infantry was reorganised into several lines and advanced against the Maratha infantry. Wellesley ordered his cavalry to exploit the flank of the Maratha army just near the village. During the battle Wellesley himself was under fire; two of his horses were shot from under him and he had to mount a third. At a crucial moment, Wellesley regrouped his forces and ordered Colonel Maxwell (later killed in the attack) to attack the eastern end of the Maratha position while Wellesley himself directed a renewed infantry attack against the centre. An officer in the attack wrote of the importance of Wellesley's personal leadership: "The general was in the thick of the action the whole time.... Until our troops got the order to readvance, the fate of the day seemed doubtful."With some 6,000 Marathas killed or wounded, the enemy was routed (though Wellesley's force was in no condition to pursue), at a cost of 1,584 British killed or wounded. Wellesley was troubled by the loss of men and remarked that he hoped "I should not like to see again such loss as I sustained on the 23 September, even if attended by such gain".Years later, however, he remarked that Assaye was the best battle he ever fought.
Despite the damage done to the Maratha army, the battle did not end the war. A few months later in November, Wellesley attacked a larger force near Argaum, leading his army to victory again, with an astonishing 5,000 enemy dead at the cost of only 361 British casualties.A further successful attack at the fortress at Gawilghur, combined with the victory of General Lake a tDelhi forced the Maratha to a peace settlement (not concluded until a year later). His biographer Richard Holmes remarked that his experiences in India had an important influence on his personality and military tactics, teaching him much about military matters that would prove vital to his success in the Peninsular War. These included a strong sense of discipline through drill and order, the use of diplomacy to gain allies, and the vital necessity for a secure supply line. He also established a high regard for the acquisition of intelligence through scouts and spies. His personal tastes also developed, including dressing himself in white trousers, a dark tunic, with Hessian boots and black cocked hat (that would later become synonymous as his sty Return to Britain     



 Whilst in India, Wellesley had amassed a fortune of £42,000 (considerable at the time), consisting mainly of prize money from his campaign


Battle of Waterloo AND DEFEAT OF NAPOLEON

Bombay Harbour from Apollo Bunder.--Photographer: Unknown Medium: Photographic print Date: 1855

Bombay Harbour from Apollo Bunder.


A photograph of a view of Bombay Harbour from Appolo Bundar from the 'Vibart Collection of Views in South India' taken by an unknown photographer about 1855.The East India Company’s navy was founded at the beginning of the 18th Century to protect shipping against pirates and the maritime Mahratta states. Ships were built in Britain and locally and eventually the fleet was sufficiently powerful to be able to go into action anywhere between the Red Sea and China.

Panorama of Fort, Bombay--Photographer: Dayal, Deen (1844-1905) Medium: Photographic print Date: 1885

Photograph from the Macnabb Collection, of a panoramic view of the Fort at Bombay (Mumbai) in Maharashtra, India, taken by Lala Deen Dayal in the 1880s. Bombay, one of the key cities of India, is a major port on the west coast of India, a busy manufacturing centre and the capital of Maharashtra. Originally a collection of fishing villages of the Koli community built on seven islands, land reclamation formed a peninsula jutting into the Arabian Sea, over which the city extends. By the 14th century, Bombay was controlled by the Gujarat Sultanate who ceded it to the Portuguese in the 16th century. In 1661 it passed to Charles II of England through his marriage to the Portuguese princess Catherine of Braganza. The British built fortifications around Bombay harbour in the 17th century to surround the original Portuguese settlement, and in the 1760s the fortifications were enhanced as the British were engaged in war with France in both Europe and India. By the 19th century the British had established control over India and the fort walls were torn down and the area converted into the central district of Bombay city. The removal of the ramparts of the fort opened up the city to new developments in architecture, and in the second half of the 19th century building activity was accelerated, fuelled by its booming maritime trade. A collection of public buildings sprang up on the Esplanade and in the city centre. This photograph looks eastwards from the Rabajai Tower towards ships in the harbour, with St Thomas’s Cathedral and the Elphinstone Circle in the centre, and the Town Hall in the background.


Panorama of Fort, Bombay

Angria's Colaba.-Photographer: Unknown Medium: Photographic print Date: 1855

A photograph of the Colaba Fort in Bombay from the 'Vibart Collection of Views in South India' taken by an unknown photographer about 1855. Colaba Fort in what is the Konkan region is nine hundred feet long and three hundred and fifty feet wide and was built by Shivaji Maharaj in 1680. Of the two 'dwars' or gates, the Mahadarwaja to the east is decorated with tigers, elephants, and peacocks. At high tide the Fort is inaccessible, while at low tide one can walk across to it.
Angria's Colaba.

The view shows the islands of Bombay,-Artist: Wales, James (1747-1795) Medium: Etching, coloured Date: 1800

This is plate 8 from James Wales' 'Bombay Views'. The series was painted for Sir Charles Malet (1752-1815), the British Resident of Poona, who Wales met in Bombay in 1791.

The view shows the islands of Bombay, part of the village of Mazagaon, and the Mahratta mountains in the background. The top of Belvidere House and Cross Island are on the left; to the right is Fort George. Ships are pictured at anchor in the harbour. Across the water is Chaul and the Kanheri.
View from Belmont 00008

Marine Battalion, Esplanade.-BOMBAY-Artist: Gonsalves, Jose M. (fl. 1826-c.1842) Medium: Lithograph Date: 1826

Marine Battalion, Esplanade.

Lithograph of the Marine Battalion at the Esplanade by Jose M. Gonsalves (fl. 1826-c.1842). Plate 4 from his 'Lithographic Views of Bombay' published in Bombay in 1826. Gonsalves, thought to be of Goan origin, was one of the first artists to practice lithography in Bombay and specialised in topographical views of the city. In 1772, the English feared an attack on Bombay by the French and cleared a semi-circular area of land around the fort to provide a clear line of fire. This area was known as the Esplanade. In the southern section of this area, there was a parade ground known as Marine Lines. This view shows a battalion soldiers on parade with military bungalows in the background.

BOMBAY-Back Bay in 1861.-Photographer: Johnson, William Medium: Photographic print Date: 1861

Back Bay in 1861.

Photograph taken by William Johnson in 1861, of Back Bay in Bombay (Mumbai), Maharashtra, from an album of 40 albumen prints taken in the 1860s. The busy port and industrial hub of Bombay is the capital of Maharashtra. During British rule, it was the administrative capital of the Bombay Presidency. Extending over a peninsula into the Arabian Sea on the west coast of India, Bombay prospered with maritime trade and became the chief commercial centre of the Arabian Sea. Originally a collection of fishing villages of the Koli community built on seven islands, Bombay was by the 14th century controlled by the Gujarat Sultanate who ceded it to the Portuguese in the 16th century. In 1661 it was part of the dowry brought to Charles II of England when he married the Portuguese princess Catherine of Braganza. In the 19th century, Bombay burgeoned with economic activity and grew huge. Land reclamation along Back Bay provided for further development. Back Bay is located at the southeast tip of Bombay, near the fort and central district. In this view local craft are beached in the foreground.

Elphinstone Circle, Bombay-Photographer: Unknown Medium: Photographic print Date: 1860

Elphinstone Circle, Bombay. 394127

This photograph was taken by Samuel Bourne in the 1860s. Elphinstone Circle was constructed from about 1860 onwards on the site of Bombay Green in the centre of the Fort area. It lies at the eastern end of Vir Nariman Road, formerly known as Church Gate Street. The elegantly curved, arcaded terraces exhibit unified Italian facades enriched with cast-ironwork imported from England. Following Independence the area was renamed after Benjamin Horniman, an English journalist who was an ardent proponent of Indian self-determination.

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'Pagoda and church in Fort of Bassein, 1828'. Lithograph hand-coloured by W. Miller.



Lithographer: Miller, William (1795-1836)
Medium: Lithograph, coloured
Date: 1828


Coloured lithograph of a church and temple in Bassein Fort by William Miller (1795-1836) in 1828. Bassein (Vasai) is situated at the mouth of the Ulhas River north of Bombay. In 1534, the Portuguese seized Bassein from Bahadur Shah, the Sultan of Gujarat, and the town remained in their control for just over 200 years. At the height of its prosperity, Bassein had 5 convents and 13 churches. In 1739, Bassein was taken by the Marathas. In 1802, the British secured the Treaty of Bassein with Peshwa Baji Rao II, which allowed British forces to be stationed in Maratha territory.


Aquatinter: Clark, J. (fl.1789-1834)
Medium: Aquatint, coloured
Date: 1813

Coloured aquatint of the Fleet under Convoy of H. M.'s Ship 'Chiffone' Captain Wainwright leaving Bombay in Maharashtra by J. Clark (fl.1789-1834) after an original drawing of September 14th 1809 by Robert Temple (fl.early 1800) of the H. M. 65th Regiment and published in London in 1813.

In 1674, Bombay replaced Surat as the headquarters of the English East Company in India. The esplanade, seen in the foreground of this view, provided a clear range of fire from the fort and was added in the 1770s to protect the city from the French.

The Fleet under Convoy of H. M.'s Ship 'Chiffone' Captain Wainwright leaving Bombay'. Coloured aquatint by J. Clark after Robert Temple. H.M. 65th Reg. Sept. 14, 1809. From the Apollo Gate

Sailors' Home [Bombay].--Photographer: Unknown Medium: Photographic print Date: 1870

Sailors' Home [Bombay].
Photograph of the Sailor's Home buildingl, taken by an unknown photographer in the 1870s in Bombay (Mumbai), Maharashtra, from an album of 40 prints mostly dating from the 1860s. Bombay, the capital of Maharashtra and one of India's major industrial centres and a busy port, was originally the site of seven islands on the west coast, sparsely populated by Koli fisherfolk. Bombay was by the 14th century controlled by the Gujarat Sultanate who ceded it to the Portuguese in the 16th century. In 1661 it passed to the English as part of the dowry brought to Charles II by the Portuguese princess Catherine of Braganza. By the 19th century Bombay was a prosperous centre for commerce. The removal of the ramparts of the fort had opened up the city to fresh developments in architecture, and in the second half of the 19th century Bombay witnessed accelerated building activity fuelled by its booming maritime trade. A collection of grand public buildings sprang up at the Esplanade and city centre. The Royal Alfred Sailors' Home was completed in 1876 and is now the Bombay Council Hall. The building was designed by the architect Frederick William Stevens, an engineer with the Indian Public Works Department.

Town & Fort of Dejouri,=Artist: Nash, Alexander (fl. 1834-1846) Medium: Pencil on paper Date: 1844

Town & Fort of Dejouri, Deccan

Pencil drawing of the town and fort of Dejouri (Deogiri or Daulatabad) by Alexander Nash (fl. 1834-1846) between 1844 and 1845. This image is from an album of 19 drawings (19 folios) depicting the monuments of Bijapur and the hill forts of Dejouri and Purandhar, made during a Revenue Survey of the Deccan. Nash served with the Bombay Engineers and from 1836 was mainly employed in the Revenue Survey of the Deccan, first as an assistant and from 1841 as Superintendent.

The citadel of Devagiri, "Hills of Gods" was occupied and renamed Daulatabad "City of Fortune" after the Tughluq conquest at the end of the 13th century. In the 14th and 15th centuries it became the capital of the Bahmani sultans of the Deccan and was taken by the Mughals in 1633. The impressive fortress is situated on the top of a steep hill 200 metres high. There are three concentric lines of fortifications between the outer wall and the citadel which is reached by steep flights of steps. The remains of the original town of Deogiri are enclosed by the outer walls, entered through three gateways. A series of underground passages carved into the solid rock lead to the citadel.

Church Gate Street, Bombay.Photographer: Unknown Medium: Photographic print Date: 1860

Church Gate Street, Bombay.
CHURCH GATE =THE GATE OF THE BOMBAY FORT ; NEAR TO ST THOMAS CATHEDRAL CHURCH,SEEN AT FAR END [THE FORT HAD MANY SIMILAR GATES ;The fort walls had three main gates. One was the Apollo Gate, near the present day location of the St. Andrew's Church. The most well-known was Church Gate, named after St. Thomas', standing almost exactly on the spot that the Flora Fountain now occupies. The third was the Bazaar Gate, right opposite the present dome of the General Post Office, which lends its name to the area even now, long after the gate itself has disappeared.]

This view of Churchgate Street, now known as Vir Nariman Road, in the Fort area of Bombay was taken in the 1860s to form part of an album entitled 'Photographs of India and Overland Route'. Churchgate Street runs from Horniman Circle at the east end to what was originally named Marine Drive at the edge of the Back Bay. Churchgate Station, the old General Post Office (now the Telegraph Office) and the Cathedral Church of St Thomas, the oldest still-functioning structure in the city, are all located along its length. However, Churchgate Station and the Post Office were later additions to the street and would not have been in existence at the time of this photograph.
In 1772 an order was promulgated to segregate Indian and English houses, both within and outside the Fort. A more important development came five years later, in 1777, when the first newspaper in Bombay was published

'View of Bombay Harbour, taken from the Island of Colaba'. Uncoloured lithograph by W. Watson from C. Head's Eastern and Egyptian Scenery London, 1833. Printed by C. Hullmandel.


Lithograph of Bombay harbour by W. Watson after Charles Franklin Head from his 'Eastern and Egyptian Scenery' printed by C.Hullmandel and published in London in 1833. The area of Bombay was originally composed of seven islands separated by a marshy swamp. In 1661, the British Crown acquired the islands of Bombay from the Portuguese as part of Catherine of Braganza's marriage dowry to Charles II. From 1668, the East India Company developed the area as a trading port. The fort was situated on the island of Bombay. The island of Colaba, to the south, became a popular place for recreation in the 18th century and was connected to the island of Bombay by a causeway the 1830s.

Back Bay, Bombay.--Photographer: Johnson and Henderson Medium: Photographic print Date: 1855

Back Bay, Bombay.

A photograph of the Back Bay in Bombay from the 'Vibart Collection of Views in South India' taken by Johnson & Henderson about 1855. Originally, Bombay was composed of seven islands separated by a marshy swamp. It’s deep natural harbour led the Portuguese settlers of the 16th Century to call it Bom Bahia (the Good Bay). The British Crown acquired the islands in 1661when Catherine of Braganza married Charles II, as part of her marriage dowry. It was then presented to the East India Company in 1668. The second governor, Gerald Aungier, developed Bombay into a trading port and centre for commerce and inducements were offered to skilled workers and traders to move here. Back Bay is located on the southeast tip of the island near the fort, the central business district and the area known as Colaba.The Back Bay Reclamation Project was originally proposed in 1865, started in 1913, sidelined by government regulations until 1922, abandoned in 1930, proposed again in 1950 and finally completed in 1970.

Elphinstone Circle, Bombay.

Elphinstone Circle, Bombay. 8

Photograph of Elphinstone Circle in Bombay from the 'Lee-Warner Collection: 'Bombay Presidency. William Lee Warner C.S.' taken by an unknown photographer in the 1870s. Elphinstone Circle was laid out in 1869 on the site of the old Bombay Green in Fort area of the city. The buildings were designed by James Scott as part of the redevelopment of Bombay which began under the Governorship of Sir Bartle Frere in the 1860s. This view shows that these buildings are characterised by the uniformity of their design and the use of a covered arcade at ground level. Following Independence, the Circle was renamed Horniman Circle. This name refers to Benjamin Horniman, an English journalist.

The Secretariat [Bombay].--Photographer: Unknown Medium: Photographic print Date: 1870

The Secretariat [Bombay].

Photograph of the Secretariat building, taken by an unknown photographer in the 1870s in Bombay (Mumbai), Maharashtra, from an album of 40 prints mostly dating from the 1860s. Bombay, the capital of Maharashtra and one of India's major industrial centres and a busy port, was originally the site of seven islands on the west coast, sparsely populated by Koli fisherfolk. Bombay was by the 14th century controlled by the Gujarat Sultanate who ceded it to the Portuguese in the 16th century. In 1661 it passed to the English as part of the dowry brought to Charles II by the Portuguese princess Catherine of Braganza. By the 19th century Bombay was a prosperous centre for commerce. The removal of the ramparts of the fort had opened up the city to fresh developments in architecture, and in the second half of the 19th century Bombay witnessed accelerated building activity fuelled by its booming maritime trade. A collection of grand public buildings sprang up at the Esplanade and city centre. The Bombay Secretariat was completed in 1874 and designed by Captain Henry St. Clair Wilkins in the Venetian Gothic style. With its arcaded verandahs and huge gable over the west facade, it was a monument to the civic pride of Bombay's British rulers.

Bombay Green of 1862.

Bombay Green of 1862.

Bombay Green of 1862.

Thana Fort on the Island of Salsette seen from the Esplanade. Camels and European figures in the foreground Artist: Heen, A. van der (fl. 1782) Medium: Wash Date: 1752

Thana Fort on the Island of Salsette seen from the Esplanade. Camels and European figures in the foreground

Wash drawing by A. van der Heen (fl. 1782) of Thana Fort on the Island of Salsette near Bombay in Maharashtra, seen from the Esplanade, with camels and European figures in the foreground, dated 1782. The image is inscribed on the back in ink: 'Tanah fort taken from the Esplanade. A. van der Heen fecit, 1782.'

Thana Fort on the Island of Salsette seen from the mainland. European figures in the foreground Artist: Heen, A. van der (fl. 1782) Medium: Watercolour Date: 1782

Thana Fort on the Island of Salsette seen from the mainland. European figures in the foreground

Wash drawing by A. van der Heen (fl. 1782) of Thana Fort on the Island of Salsette, near Bombay in Maharashtra, seen from the mainland with European figures in the foreground, dated 1782. The image is inscribed on the back in ink:' Thanah Fort on the Island of Salsett taken from the Contenent. A. van der Heen delt ad Vivum, 1782.'

Government House, Parell [Parel, Bombay].-Photographer: Unknown Medium: Photographic print Date: 1860

Government House, Parell [Parel, Bombay].
Photograph of Government House at Parel in Bombay (Mumbai), Maharashtra, taken by an unknown photographer, from an album of 40 prints of the 1860s. The busy port and industrial hub of Bombay is the capital of Maharashtra. During British rule, it was the administrative capital of the Bombay Presidency. Extending over a peninsula into the Arabian Sea on the west coast of India, Bombay prospered with maritime trade and became the chief commercial centre of the Arabian Sea. Originally a collection of fishing villages of the Koli community built on seven islands,
Bombay was by the 14th century controlled by the Gujarat Sultanate who ceded it to the Portuguese in the 16th century. In 1661 it passed to the English as part of the dowry brought to Charles II by the Portuguese princess Catherine of Braganza. This building was originally a Portuguese Franciscan friary, completed in 1673 and taken over by Governor Boone in 1719 as a country residence after which it became the official summer home of Governors of Bombay, and Parel developed as an affluent district. In 1771, when William Hornby resided here as Governor, it became the new Government House in place of the original one in the Fort. The banqueting hall and ballroom are housed in the shell of the original vaulted chapel, and were much admired for their splendour. Several mills now sprang up on the newly-reclaimed flats around Parel and the ensuing congestion and pollution resulted in the shifting of the Governor's residence to a new Government House at Malabar Point. After the plague epidemics in the 1890s, the house at Parel was converted into the Haffkine Research Institute.

View Of Bombay, From Mazagon Hill.--Artist: Gonsalves, Jose M. (fl. 1826--c. 1842) Medium: Lithograph, coloured Date: 1833

View Of Bombay, From Mazagon Hill.


Mazagon hill was an outlying suburb of Bombay and became a fashionable place to live in the 18th century. Bungalows and plantation houses were built by the British and more affluent Indians moving out of the crowded fort area. During the 19th century, Mazagon experienced a decline as residents moved into the fashionable Bycullah area nearby. The docks were reclaimed towards the end of the century and Mazagon was left landlocked; eventually the fumes from the developing mills drove out any remaining affluent residents.

Hill Fort, Poorandhur--Artist: Nash, Alexander (fl. 1834-1846) Medium: Pencil on paper Date: 1844

Hill Fort, Poorandhur
Pencil drawing of Purandhar Fort by Alexander Nash (fl. 1834-1846) between 1844 and 1845. This image is from an album of 19 drawings depicting the monuments of Bijapur and the hill forts of Dejouri and Purandhar, made during a Revenue Survey of the Deccan. Nash served with the Bombay Engineers and from 1836 was mainly employed in the Revenue Survey of the Deccan, first as an assistant and from 1841 as Superintendent.

Purandhar Fort is situated on a basalt cliff commanding a passage through the Western Ghats in Maharashtra. There are actually two forts on this site, Purandhar, the stronger of the two and the lower fort of Wazirgarh, or Vajragad. The fortifications are protected by a wall which is 42 km in extent and relived by three gateways and six bastions. The earliest fortifications on this site date from 1350 and there is also a Mahadev temple near to the Delhi Gate of the fort. Later it became one of the most important strongholds of Shivaji, the independent Hindu king of muslim (Mughal) dominated India and was also a retreat for the Peshwars until in 1818 when it fell to the British under General Pritzler.

Town Hall, Bombay--Artist: Medium: Pen and ink on paper Date: 1825

Town Hall, Bombay\

Pen and ink drawing of the Town Hall in Bombay by an unknown artist c.1825. Bombay, the capital of Maharashtra, is one of India's major industrial centres. The Town Hall is situated on the east side of Elphinstone Circle, formally Bombay Green, in the fort area of Bombay. The Town Hall was designed in the Neo-Classical style by Colonel Cowper of the Bombay Engineers and the construction started before he died in 1825. This drawing may be one of the preparatory works for the final design of the building. The Town Hall was finally completed in 1833 with the assistance of Charles Waddington.

View of Bombay Harbour--Artist: Wales, James (1747-1795) Medium: Etching, coloured Date: 1800

View of Bombay Harbour


The panoramic view (which continues on plate two) depicts the dockyard and fort areas, including the Pier Head Battery on the left. Chaul, the seaport of Konkan, can be seen on the right, with the island of Karanja on the left. Completed in 1784 under the governorship of William Hornby, the Hornby Vellard was the first major work of reclamation in Bombay. The dockyard itself was initiated by the famous Wadia family, who moved to Bombay from Surat in 1736. Bombay soon began to develop into a major trading town and by the middle of the century workers from the neighbouring towns, including the Bhandaries from Chaul, and goldsmiths, ironsmiths and weavers from Gujarat, migrated to the island.

View of Bombay from Colaba.island-1828

View of Bombay from Colaba.
Bombay was originally composed of seven islands. However, since the 18th century, land reclamation projects joining the islands together have dramatically altered its topography. By 1838, the Island of Colaba was connected to Bombay by a causeway that was only accessible at low tide. In this view, we can see the causeway being constructed with the use of timber. Bombay came under English control as part of the dowry brought to Charles II by the Portuguese princess Catherine of Braganza in 1661. The fort area, shown in this view, was located on Bombay Island.
Artist: Gonsalves, Jose M. (fl. 1826-c.1842)
Medium: Lithograph
Date: 1826

Panorama of Bombay from the Ladies' Gymkhana, Malabar Hill.-Photographer: Unknown Medium: Photographic print Date: 1880

Panorama of Bombay from the Ladies' Gymkhana, Malabar Hill.

Photograph of a panoramic view of Bombay (Mumbai), part of the Earl of Jersey collection taken in the 1880s by an unknown photographer. The capital of Maharastha on the west coast of India, Bombay was originally a group of fishing villages. By the 14th century it was controlled by the Gujarat Sultanate who ceded it to the Portuguese in the 16th century. In 1661 it passed to the English as part of the dowry brought to Charles II by the Portuguese princess Catherine of Braganza. In the 17th century, the British built up fortifications around the original Portuguese settlement of the area overlooking the harbour. In the 1760s the fortifications were enhanced as the British were engaged in war with France in both Europe and India. By the 19th century the British had established control and in 1864 the fort walls were torn down and the area was converted into the central district of Bombay city. The removal of the ramparts of the fort opened up the city to new developments in architecture, and in the second half of the 19th century accelerated building activity was fuelled by its booming maritime trade. This photograph is taken in two parts and looks across Back Bay from the top of Malabar Hill.

Esplanade and Bandstand, Bombay.Photographer: Unknown Medium: Photographic print Date: 1855

Esplanade and Bandstand, Bombay.

A photograph of the Esplanade and Bandstand, Bombay from the 'Vibart Collection of Views in South India' taken by an unknown photographer about 1855. After the fall of the Portuguese fort of Bassein in 1739, an Esplanade and parade ground was cleared from the walls of the Bombay fort almost upto present day Crawford Market. People sometimes drove around the esplanade in the evenings as a form of relaxation or simply sat around relaxing. In the early part of the 20th century, tents for showing films were pitched here.

Hill Fort of Mhowle-Lithographer: Ackermann, Rudolph (1764-1834) Medium: Lithograph Date: 1820

Hill Fort of Mhowle

Coloured lithograph of the Hill Fort of Mhowle in the Western Ghats in Maharashtra by Rudolph Ackermann (1764-1834) after an original drawing by Captain James Barton (1793-1829). Plate 8 of 'Captain James Barton's 12 Views of Hill Forts in the Western Ghats near Bombay' published in London c.1820. The Western Ghats are a range of hills that reach from the state of Maharashtra to Tamil Nadu and separate Bombay, on the western coast, from central India. This view shows a British encampment in front of a large outcrop of rock at Mowle. The artist, Captain James Barton, was an artillery officer who served in the third Anglo-Maratha war in 1817-19.

'Bombay on the Malabar Coast belonging to the East India Compnay of England'. Engraving by Jan Van Ryne, published Robert Sayer, London, 1754. Letterpress trimmed and on reverse.


Coloured engraving of Bombay by Jan Van Ryne (1712-60) published in London in 1754. The area of Bombay was originally composed of seven islands. In 1661, these islands were acquired by the British Crown from the Portuguese as part of the marriage dowry of Catherine of Braganza when she married Charles II. From 1668, the East India Company leased the land from the British Crown and developed the area as a trading port. A manor house of the Portuguese, situated on Bombay Island, provided a suitable site for the fort. A custom house, warehouse, quay and fortifications were also built soon after. Under the governorship of Charles Boone in the early 18th century, outer fortifications around the town of Bombay were constructed as well as a number of public buildings, including the Church of St Thomas. In this view, we can see the custom house, the Church of St Thomas and the flagstaff. By the 1860s, the need for military defence lessened and Governor Sir Bartle Frere demolished the fort walls. As a result, Bombay underwent an ambitious phase of building in the Victorian style.

Bombay Castle--Aquatinter: Baily, James (1810-37) Medium: Aquatint, coloured Date: 1809

Bombay Castle

Bombay Castle

Coloured aquatint by J. Baily (fl. 1810-37) after an original drawing by William Westall (1781-1850) of the Fort at Bombay in Maharashtra published by Joyce Gold in London in 1809. Built on seven islands, Bombay was ceded to the Portuguese in the 16th century. In 1661 it was part of the dowry brought to Charles II of England when he married the Portuguese princess Catherine of Braganza. In the late 17th century, the Portuguese settlement on Bombay Island was developed as a trading port with Bombay Castle at the epicentre. Although the fortifications were enhanced in order to protect Bombay in the disputes between France and England in the 1760s, such defence was obsolete by the mid 19th century. The British, under the governorship of Sir Henry Bartle Frere, tore down the fort walls and redeveloped the area.

Hill Fort on the Island of Caranjah-near BOMBAY-Artist: Forbes, James Medium: Engraving Date: 1813

Hill Fort on the Island of Caranjah
From Salsette near Bombay, Forbes(1749-1819) sailed to Karanja and landed about two miles from the principal town, situated between two lofty mountains, on the west. He observed that it was: 'nothing more than a large Mahratta village, with low-straggling houses, near a tank covered with wild ducks and water-fowls, hitherto unmolested by Europeans. On its bank a small fort, a Portuguese church and a Hindoo temple embellished the view. It commands a western view of the town and harbour of Bombay, Salsette and all the adjacent islands, and to the east the mountains of the continent, and nearer plains of Caranjah; abounding in rice-fields, coco-nut, palmyra, mango and tamarind trees, filled with monkeys, parrots, owls, and singing-birds of various kinds'.

View from Sion Fort --Artist: Wales, James (1747-1795) Medium: Etching, coloured Date: 1800

View from Sion Fort 00011

From the vantage of Sion fort, the view opens out to the island of Mahim, which was occupied by the Portuguese in the 16th century. In the 1670s the convent of Our Lady of Salvation was built on the island, and a Franciscan church constructed in what is now Dadar. In the 17th century, the Englishman John Fryer wrote of a customs house and a guard house on the island.

'Bombay--1754.

'Bombay on the Malabar Coast belonging to the East India Company of England.'  Reduced version of the engraving by Jan Van Ryne of 1754.

The Dutch Factory and Fort at Vingorta - Southern Koncan. One of a series of Views in India and in the vicinity of Bombay


Lithograph of the Dutch Factory and Fort at Vengurla by William Spreat after an original sketch by Robert Pouget, one of a series of 'Views in India and in the vicinity of Bombay' published in London c.1850. Vengurla was a Dutch settlement from 1638 and they used the port to take on supplies during their eight month blockade of Goa. The town was often a retreat for pirates in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. A small British factory was set up in the early 1770s and the town and port were ceded to the British in 1812.hographer: Spreat, William (fl. mid-19th century)Medium: LithographDate: 1850

'Basseen Fort'. Captain James Barton's 12 Views of Hill Forts in the Western Ghats near Bombay, London, c.1820.

'Basseen Fort'.  Captain James Barton's 12 Views of Hill Forts in the Western Ghats near Bombay, London, c.1820.  Pl. 6.
Coloured lithograph of a view in Bassein Fort by Rudolph Ackermann (1764-1834) after Captain James Barton (1793-1829) plate 6 of Barton's 12 Views of Hill Forts in the Western Ghats near Bombay published in London c.1820. Bassein (Vasai) is situated at the mouth of the Ulhas River north of Bombay. In 1534, the Portuguese seized Bassein from Bahadur Shah, the Sultan of Gujarat, and the town remained in their control for just over 200 years. At the height of its prosperity, Bassein had 5 convents and 13 churches. In 1739, Bassein was taken by the Marathas. In 1802, the British secured the Treaty of Bassein with Peshwa Baji Rao II, which allowed British forces to be stationed in Maratha territory.

Street scene in the Fort area, Bombay.--Photographer: Bourne and Shepherd Medium: Photographic print Date: 1870

Street scene in the Fort area, Bombay.
This view is of a street composed of western Indian wooden architecture in a thriving bazaar

View from the Esplanade of Fort George Bombay towards Mazagon'--Date: 1828

Artist: Miller, William (1795-1836) Medium: Wash

Inscribed on reverse: ' View from the Esplanade of Fort George Bombay towards Mazagon'

showing the view from Fort George in Bombay towards Mazagaon by William Miller (1795-1836) c.1828. Inscribed on reverse: 'View from the Esplenade of Fort George Bombay towards Mazagon'.

The area of Bombay was orignally made up of seven islands, including Mazagon. From the mid-16th century, the Portuguese had a manor house located here that was closely associated with the De Souza family. After the area of Bombay was ceded to English control as part of the dowry brought to Charles II by the Portuguese princess Catherine of Braganza in 1661, Mazagon became an affluent residential district.

The Fort of Visiadroog - Southern Koncan. One of a series of Views in India and in the vicinity of Bombay




Lithographer: Spreat, William (fl. mid-19th century)Medium: LithographDate: 1850

Lithograph of the Fort at Vijayadurg by William Spreat after an original sketch by Robert Pouget and one of a series of 'Views in India and in the vicinity of Bombay' dated c.1850 and published in London.
The Fort at Vijayadurg is located at the mouth of the Vaghotan creek on the western coast of India between Goa and Bombay. The fort, built by the Adil Shahi dynasty of Bijapur, was strengthened and enlarged by the Maratha ruler Shivaji from 1669. While main entrance to the fort on the landward side was protected by outworks and a moat, the inner circuit of walls include 20 towers and rise to the height of 36m.

Fort & Cotton Market, Bombay.--Photographer: Unknown Medium: Photographic print Date: 1860

Fort & Cotton Market, Bombay.
This photograph showing the fort and cotton market at Bombay, what is now modern-day Mumbai, was taken in the 1860s to form part of an album entitled 'Photographs of India and Overland Route'. The fort was constructed between 1715 and 1722 under Charles Boone’s governorship to protect the island city from seabourne assailants. Early in the nineteenth century the area expanded with the construction of several public buildings including the Town Hall (1833), the Mint (1824-29), Customs House and St. Andrew’s Church (1819). With the acceleration of trade and commerce later in the century Bombay was transformed into a colonial town of high architectural accomplishment. This was largely due to Governor Sir Bartle Frere, who in 1862 initiated improvements such as road widening and the restructuring of squares.

Part of the Fort and fort wall, Bombay, 1863.--Photographer: Unknown Medium: Photographic print Date: 1863

Part of the Fort, Bombay, 1863.

Photograph taken shortly before the demolition of the rampart and moat of the Fort in Bombay (Mumbai), Maharashtra, by an unknown photographer, from an album of 40 prints of the 1860s. The busy port and industrial hub of Bombay is the capital of Maharashtra. During British rule, it was the administrative capital of the Bombay Presidency. Extending over a peninsula into the Arabian Sea on the west coast of India, Bombay prospered with maritime trade and became the chief commercial centre of the Arabian Sea. Originally a collection of fishing villages of the Koli communitybuilt on seven islands, Bombay was by the 14th century controlled by the Gujarat Sultanate who ceded it to the Portuguese in the 16th century. In 1661 it passed to the English as part of the dowry brought to Charles II by the Portuguese princess Catherine of Braganza. The British built up fortifications around Bombay harbour in the 17th century around the original Portuguese settlement. In the 1760s the fortifications were enhanced as the British were engaged in war with France in both Europe and India. By the 19th century the British had established control over India and the fort walls were torn down and the area converted into the central district of Bombay city.

Part of the Fort, Bombay in 1864.--Photographer: Unknown Medium: Photographic print Date: 1864

Part of the Fort, Bombay in 1864.

Photograph with a view looking towards a street of private houses at the Fort perimeter, after the removal of the ramparts, in Bombay (Mumbai), Maharashtra, taken by an unknown photographer, from an album of 40 prints of the 1860s. The busy port and industrial hub of Bombay is the capital of Maharashtra. During British rule, it was the administrative capital of the Bombay Presidency. Extending over a peninsula into the Arabian Sea on the west coast of India, Bombay prospered with maritime trade and became the chief commercial centre of the Arabian Sea. Originally a collection of fishing villages of the Koli communitybuilt on seven islands,

Bombay was by the 14th century controlled by the Gujarat Sultanate who ceded it to the Portuguese in the 16th century. In 1661 it passed to the English as part of the dowry brought to Charles II by the Portuguese princess Catherine of Braganza. The British built up fortifications around Bombay harbour in the 17th century around the original Portuguese settlement. In the 1760s the fortifications were enhanced as the British were engaged in war with France in both Europe and India. By the 19th century the British had established control over India and the fort walls were torn down and the area converted into the central district of Bombay city.

Public Buildings, Bombay.--Photographer: Unknown Medium: Photographic print Date: 1880

Public Buildings, Bombay.
Photograph of the High Court, Rajabai Tower and University library in Bombay (Mumbai), part of the Earl of Jersey collection taken by an unknown photographer in the 1880s. The capital of Maharashtra on the west coast of India, Bombay was originally a group of fishing villages. By the 14th century Bombay was controlled by the Gujarat Sultanate who ceded it to the Portuguese in the 16th century. In 1661 it passed to the English as part of the dowry brought to Charles II by the Portuguese princess Catherine of Braganza. In the 17th century, the British built up fortifications around the original Portuguese settlement of the area overlooking the harbour. In the 1760s the fortifications were enhanced as the British were engaged in war with France in both Europe and India. By the 19th century the British had established control and in 1864 the fort walls were torn down and the area was converted into the central district of Bombay city. The removal of the ramparts of the fort opened up the city to new developments in architecture, and in the second half of the 19th century accelerated building activity was fuelled by its booming maritime trade. The High Court, pictured on the right, is on the border of what was once the walled fort of Bombay. The Rajabai Clock Tower to its left stands 260 feet high and is positioned above the library. The University Library and Rajabai Tower were designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott and were completed in 1878 in a French Gothic style.

Hill Fort of Kurnallah--Lithographer: Ackermann, Rudolph (1764-1834) Medium: Lithograph, coloured Date: 1820

Hill Fort of Kurnallah


Coloured lithograph of the 'Hill Fort of Kurnallah' in the Western Ghats in Maharashtra by Rudolph Ackermann (1764-1834) after an original drawing by Captain James Barton (1793-1829). Plate 9 of Captain James Barton's '12 Views of Hill Forts in the Western Ghats near Bombay' published in London c.1820.
Western Ghats are a range of hills that reach from the state of Maharashtra to Tamil Nadu and separate Bombay, on the western coast, from central India. The artist, Captain James Barton, was an artillery officer who served in the third Anglo-Maratha war in 1817-19.

'A View of Bombay from Malabar Point. Taken on the spot by Lieut-Col. Williamson during the dreadful fire of the night of 17th Feb 1803.'


THE GREAT FIRE OF BOMBAY  by Lieut-Col. Williamson during the dreadful fire of the night of 17th Feb 1803.'


'A View of Bombay from Malabar Point. Taken on the spot by Lieut-Col. Williamson during the dreadful fire of the night of 17th Feb 1803.'
Coloured aquatint of the fire in Bombay from Malabar Point on the night of 17 February 1803 by J.S. Barth from the drawing by Thomas George Williamson published by R.Cribb on the 5 January 1804. Malabar Point is situated at the tip of Back Bay on the eastern side of Bombay. This view looks towards the fort area of Bombay to the west. Bombay Fort was constructed between 1715 and 1722 under the governorship of Charles Boone.

The original British community lived within the fort area until it was largely destroyed by the devastating fire of 17 February 1803 after which a new town with wider streets was built. Early in the 19th century the area expanded with the construction of several public buildings including the Town Hall (1833), the Mint (1824-29), Customs House and St. Andrew’s Church (1819). With the acceleration of trade and commerce later in the century Mumbai was transformed into a thriving trading port and commercial centre.