Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
When the fort got its shape
A sketch of the Fort as designed by Brohier
In the last few years, ever since Madras started celebrating its founding during the August week sandwiching Madras Day, August 22 (this year the sandwich is from August 20 to 27), Tamil Nadu's tourism guides have been volunteering to take visitors around Fort St. George where the city began. Yet this free service, demonstrating a welcome commitment to heritage, has not evoked the kind of response it should from the public. The guides hope this year will be better. And certainly it should, for they are bound to have several more stories to relate, particularly about the work 250 years ago that brought the fort to its present shape.
The development of the fort as a fortification that could withstand a major siege became necessary in the 1750s as the French — who had occupied it between 1746 and 1749 — appeared determined to recapture it and oust the British from India once and for all. On March 1, 1756, Captain John Brohier, the Fort's Engineer, submitted a proposal "to put this place in a proper Posture of Defence." His scheme was a combination of prior plans by earlier engineers, Gunner Joseph Smith, Col Frederick Scott and his predecessor Benjamin Robbins. With the river to the south and the sea to the east, Brohier urged that the strongest fortifications be developed on the west and the north. Brohier began work on the western bastions and curtains in July 1756, with the enthusiastic support of Governor George Pigot. A visitor to Madras at the time, watching the work, wrote, "We had the satisfaction to find the active and spirited Governor Pigot at the head of a great number of artificers and labourers, making incredible additions to the fortifications of the place, hardly allowing himself any refreshment, and showing by his own example that it was possible for men, in times of imminent danger, to expose their persons in the hottest hours of the day and in the most sultry season of the year."
In November 1756, Brohier submitted plans for the defence-works in the north, beyond which was the Indian town. He stated that with "four thousand Cooleys, it maybe completed in Six Weeks, (if) Ordered to be immediately set about." He urged the President (Governor) "to write again to the Nabob to order the Cooleys to be sent in from the Arcot Districts, and to the several Renters and Pollygars in the Neighbourhood to furnish as many as possible." Work got started in December, but before it could be completed, Brohier, who could be called the `father' of the present fort, was transferred to Calcutta to design Fort William anew. John Call succeeded him and recommended that all buildings of the Indian town that were within 400 yards of the new northern defences should be razed and an open field of fire created. Work began on demolishing the Indian town in 1758 and creating the Esplanade (where the High Court later came up) and a new Indian town (today's George Town) beyond it.
Brohier was also responsible for designing and starting work in 1755 on what has been described as the biggest barracks in India, the King Barracks in Fort St. George. The Barracks got its name from the fact that it was meant to lodge the King's Regiment. By July 1756, the 39th Foot (later 1 Battalion, Dorsets) had moved in. But work on the building continued till December.
What was in fact built was a 225-foot extension to an already existing block, with officers' quarters on the first floor. Brohier had given an estimate of 12,000 Pagodas for the work, but as now, then, the work cost "upwards of 22,000 Pagodas."
The Army had plans a couple of years ago to restore King's Barracks, but nothing came of it. It might consider celebrating the Barracks' 250th anniversary by getting the restoration of this heritage building started.
S. MUTHIAH
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
|
