Aug 29, 2009

Double entrance from Half Tide Basin to Dock, Calcutta Docks 1880s


Photograph of the Calcutta Docks taken in1888 by an unknown photographer showing the double entrance from the half-tide basin to the dock. The Calcutta Port is the only major riverine port in India and constitutes the Calcutta Dock System. The entrance to the dock was to be through a tidal basin about 600 ft by 650 ft, and from the tidal basin to the river were two entrances, one 80 ft wide and the other 60 ft. The gates would open two hours before high-tide when the water in the river and tidal basin would be at the same level . The lock was used to let cargo boats in and out at all times of the tide.

80 ft Entrance from River to Half Tide Basin, showing Gates in course of erection, Calcutta Docks 1889

Photograph of the Calcutta Docks taken about 1889 by an unknown photographer showing the 80 ft entrance to the half-tide basin with construction work in progress. The Calcutta Port is the only major riverine port in India and constitutes the Calcutta Dock System. The entrance to the dock was to be through a tidal basin about 600 ft by 650 ft, and from the tidal basin to the river were two entrances, one 80 ft wide and the other 60 ft. This view is of the westernmost of the two entrances to the tide basin.

Source:http://bl.uk

Canal from Tolly's Nullah to Dock, Calcutta Docks 1890s

Photograph taken in 1890 by an unknown photographer shows the canal from Tolly's Nullah to the dock. The Calcutta Port is the only major riverine port in India and it constitutes the Calcutta Dock System. 'The construction of wet docks was, for many years the favourite means by which it was proposed to improve the port of Calcutta. Towards the close of the 18th century, General Watson founded a marine yard at Kidderpore, and obtained a grant of land from the King and the East India Company for docking purposes. He designed and actually commenced in 1781 the construction of wet docks between Tolly's Nullah and Kidderpore. To carry out his design General Watson went to the length of diverting the nullah from its old course, but the work...was left uncompleted after General Watson had extended upon it and upon works connected with a dry dock and a shipbuilding yard, on the site of what is now the Govt. Dockyard...' The Tolly's Nullah, constructed by Colonel Tolly in the 1770s from the dried-up bed of Kidderpore Creek, enabled shipping to reach the delta to the east of Calcutta.

Source: http://bl.uk

Statue of Sir William Peel in the Eden Gardens [Calcutta] 1865

Photograph of Sir William Peel's statue in Eden Gardens from 'Views of Calcutta and Barrakpore was taken by Samuel Bourne in the 1860s. Sir William Peel (1824-1858) was a son of Sir Robert Peel, Prime Minister of Britain. During the Uprising of 1857-1858, he was the commander of the Shannon and lead a naval brigade. He died in Kanpur of smallpox in 1858. Eden Gardens, located in the north corner of the Maidan in Calcutta along the banks of the Hoogly river, was named after Emily and Fanny Eden, the sisters of Lord Auckland, the Governor-General of India (1836-1842).

Source: http://bl.uk

Aug 26, 2009

Tomb of Ranjit Singh, Lahore (Punjab, Pakistan). 1863

Sikh chieftain Ranjit Singh (1780-1839) ruled the Punjab from 1799 to 1839 following his famous seizure of Lahore in 1799 and Amritsar subsequently in 1809. In the same year, he made a treaty with the British by which he agreed not to extend his domain south of the Sutlej River. However he built up a formidable army with the help of European officers and by the time of his death he controlled all of the Punjab north of the Sutlej as well as Kashmir. At the end of the Sikh Wars in 1849 most of his kingdom fell to the British. This photograph taken by Samuel Bourne in the 1860s shows a view of his tomb at Lahore. It was built on the site of his cremation to the west of the fort. It was begun by his son Kharak Singh and completed by 1848. It is a brick structure with red sandstone and white marble additions and combined Muslim and Hindu architectural styles in its construction. The central fluted dome is surrounded by small pavilions with the whole roof area enclosed by a marble balustrade.

Source: www.bl.uk

Ruins at Hasan Abdal, Punjab, Pakistan 1880

Photograph of Ruins at Hasan Abdal in the Punjab from the 'Bellew Collection: Photograph album of Surgeon-General Henry Walter Bellew' by an unknown photographer c.1880. Hasan Adbal is situated north-east of Islamabad, the modern capital of Pakistan. This is a famous Sikh pilgrimage centre. The Panja Sahib Gurudwara (sikh temple) dating from the 19th century is situated in the centre of the village. Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, is thought to have left his handprint on a stone in the temple. The building in this view is unidentified.

Source: bl.uk

Aug 2, 2009

Life in Calcutta (Kolkata) - 1944 Part - 18

From: The Hensley Collection
For more information view Part - 1


An unidentified spot in Calcutta

Activity at Kali Temple

Activity at Kali Temple

Unidentified Catholic Church

scenes of activity at Kali Temple

scenes of activity at Kali Temple

scenes of activity at Kali Temple

scenes of activity at Kali Temple

Scene near Kali Temple

Scene near Kali Temple

Scene in Nakhoda Mosque

Scene in Nakhoda Mosque

Scene in Nakhoda Mosque