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June 1-15, 2010 5 Some Madras street names and their history A four-page pull-out by the Madras Musings team

ith the Corporation of cials has been pointing out rename only those streets that currency). You will thus not tory, People, Commerce and In- WChennai taking a deci- that in many cases roads and commemorate British names. find Lloyd’s Road or dustrial Resources by Somerset sion that it will rename after streets were named after ob- Our boundaries were, there- Moubray’s Road in this list. Playne (1914/15, identified Tamil scholars all those streets scure Company/Government fore, clear – Tiruvottriyur/ This was the easier part of here as SI), and The High that still sport the names of servants and businessmen to / in the exercise. The more diffi- Court of Madras Centenary our erstwhile colonial masters, whose properties and garden the North, T’Nagar/West cult task was to identify who Commemoration Volume a whole host of re-namings is houses these thoroughfares to the West, was being commemorated in (1962, identified as HCM). just around the corner. Ma- had once led. But in a few in- Adyar to the South and, of each instance. In this task we We also found a resource on dras Musings has already high- stances, the names so com- course, the sea to the East. We have been greatly helped by the internet to be most useful. lighted the futility of such an memorated are still worthy of have, however, included Love’s Vestiges of Old Madras This is a ‘Madras Notebook of exercise, for street names are retention thanks largely to the and in our (1913) (referred to as Love in 1833’ (identified as MN) hardly the way to commemo- individual’s service to the city, listing, as these are old areas this listing), in which the third which is featured in the web rate anyone in these modern to the world at large or even, which had close links with the volume has a list of some site http://valmayukuk. tripod. times. It has also pointed out as in the case of F.W. Ellis, to city though being not within it street names with the history com/index.html. This has the that those who live on streets the cause of Tamil. These in 1947. behind each one of them. It names of some British officials that are being renamed will be names, Madras Musings In our search, we found a must be pointed out here that and their places of residence. put to enormous hardships, strongly feels , deserve to be few streets in different locali- even when Love wrote the Wherever we are hazarding a having to notify various agen- retained. ties having the same names. In book, several names had be- guess about the origin of the cies and institutions about Having said that, we are such cases, we have tried to come obscure and he too had name, we have cited MM. changes of address. But as all glad to inform you that Madras discover whether the streets difficulty in definitely attribut- Based on these resources, these arguments are likely to Musings’ volunteer staff, in commemorated the same per- ing a street to a particular in- the Madras Musings team has fall on deaf ears, especially the wake of all this inquiry, de- son or different people. dividual. In our times this has put together a list. Against when populism is the name of cided to embark on an exer- Successful or not, in those become even more specula- each name we have given the the game, this publication had cise to identify the streets cases where a street name is tive. In addition to Love’s details that we have been able appealed that, before the old named after Europeans and common to different localities, work, we referred to J. Talboys to find in a couple of weeks. names were all changed in one colonial servants. We used the we have repeated the street Wheeler’s Madras In the Olden There are, however, several sweep, it would be best to look Eicher City Map of name, but indicated the local- Time (first published in 1882, names about which no details at what had led to the streets (2008 edition) as our basis, ity in brackets. In all, we found identified here as MIOT), J. were found and these have being named after a particular referring to its index of street that there were 176 roads/ Chartres Molony’s A Book of been listed but the reason for person in the past – and that, and locality names. In this ac- streets/localities that still bear South (first published in the naming left blank. We in- we must say, the Corporation tivity, we decided to concen- colonial names. This does not 1926, identified here as JCM), vite readers of Madras has been, in a show of consid- trate only on those localities include roads that have al- The Madras Tercentenary Musings to send in any infor- eration, doing. Madras that existed in Madras city in ready been renamed (though Commemorative Volume mation they may have that will Musings, for its part, while 1947, for the Corporation has it must be pointed out that the (1939, identified here as help fill in these blanks. helping the Corporation offi- made it clear that it wants to old names are still in popular MTV), Southern India, Its His-

Adam Street MM Possibly after Sir Frederick Adams, Arathoon Road Old Armenian family of (George Town) Governor of Madras, 1832-1837. (Royapuram) John Arathoon, c. 1819. Arundale Street Sir A.T. Arundale, President, Madras Adam Street () Corporation in the 1890s, and the (Washermanpet) man who ensured VP Hall became a reality.

Adam Street Love quotes from the 1784 work Genuine Aspiran Garden Colony () (Mylapore) Memoirs of Asiaticus whose author Philip Dormer Stanhope writes of having Atkinson Road Love Is believed to take its name from dined in June 1775 with Reynold Adams, Free () Edward Atkinson, a civil servant of Merchant and by then Master Intendant, at 1783 and Secretary to the Hospital Fort St George, who has a “most elegant Board in 1788, who appears to have mansion in the parish of St Thomas” had a house in this street. (this being San Thomé now). Austin Nagar () Adam Street MTV Reynold Adams, who came in 1764 Baker Street Love This street was probably named () as a free merchant and later became (George Town) after George Baker who owned Master Attendant, owned a house here. property in Peddanaickenpet and who first mooted the Seven Wells Alexander Road () scheme for water supply to Madras. He was the Master Attendant. Anderson Road Love Dr. James Anderson, Physician-General / in 1786, renowned botanist who had his Bishop Waller Avenue The Church of South India records the ) home and botanical gardens in the area. (Mylapore) Rt. Rev. E. Waller being the Archbishop of the Diocese of Madras from 1922. Anderson Street Love has it that this street too was (George Town) named after Dr. James Anderson, but it is more Blavatsky Avenue Madame Blavatsky, founder of the likely (MM) that it was John Anderson, the (Adyar) Theosophist Movement. founder of the General Assembly School which later became the . Ballard Street ()

Anderson Road (Ayanavaram) (NOTE: Most Ayanavaram and Perambur Balfour Road Dr. Edward Green Balfour who in the roads are likely to have been named after () 1840s came to Madras as Surgeon-General officials connected with the Loco Works.) and founded the Madras Zoo and Museum. He also helped found the Mohammedan Annie Besant Street Freedom fighter, Theosophist, Library in Triplicane and helped in making () women’s rights activist, educationist. the Nawab’s Madrasa a public school. 6 MADRAS MUSINGS June 1-15, 2010 June 1-15, 2010 MADRAS MUSINGS 7

Bamford Road (Ayanavaram) Constable Road SI Col. W.V. Constable, Director on the Board of Gray Nagar (Choolai) Lloyd Colony () (Ayanavaram) the Madras & South Mahratta Railway, c.1900. Barnaby Road Probably Burnaby after Henry Burnaby, partner Gregory Street (George Town) Lock Street (Ayanavaram) Cox Street (Park Town) (Kilpauk) in the firm of Kindersely, Watts & Co who bought Haddow Road Love Takes its name from George John Hadow who Maddox Street (Park Town) land in the area from one Hall Plumer. This is as D’Monte Colony John de Monte, 19th Century business (Nungambakkam) entered the civil service in 1805 and was Collector interpreted from a reference in Love. But even in Madley Street (T’Nagar) JCM Madley was the Engineer of Madras Corporation (Alwarpet) magnate and philanthropist of Madras. of Sea Customs in 1822. A house in that road who laid the city’s drainage network. c.1914-1925. 1921 this road had the name Barnaby. known as Blenheim, which has recently been D’Silva Road Love Called so after Francis De Silva, a publican who, in demolished, is marked G.J. Haddow in the Molony Road (T’Nagar) JCM J. Chartres Molony, President of the Madras Barton Wright Road William Barton Wright, Locomotive Superintendent (Mylapore) 1798, received a grant of 6 acres in Luz (San Thomé). (Ayanavaram) of Perambur Loco Works in the 1860s. His son map of 1822. Corporation in 1920s. He was one of the prime movers behind the Madras waterworks scheme. E.W. Barton Wright was a jujitsu exponent and Dams Road (off Mount Road) Hall Road Love Derives its name from General Hamilton Hall or created a new style – the Bartitsu (Barton Wright’s Davidson Street Love Doubtless named after Alexander Davidson, (Egmore his widow (Flora Tondeclair). The latter owned two McLean Street (George Town) Jujitsu). Ref: www.bartitsu.org. and Kilpauk) houses in this road in 1837. Hamilton Hall entered (George Town) Acting Governor of Fort St George in 1785. McNicholl Road Love This existed in 1798 as an avenued highway. It the service in 1781, becoming Lt. Col. in 1807, and Besant Avenue Road (Adyar) Named after Annie Besant. (Chetput) derives its name from Robert McNichol, who was De Caster Main Road (Ayanavaram) died in Trichinopoly in 1827 when commanding Besant Gardens Named after Annie Besant. Assistant Master Attendant between 1811 and De Mellow Road (Ayanavaram) the southern division of the army. (Theosophical Society) 1822. De Monte Street Probably after John de’Monte Harley Road MM A Harley House stood on this road till the 1970s. Besant Road (Triplicane) Named after Annie Besant. Menad Street () (San Thomé) (see D’Monte Colony). (Kilpauk) The Madras Chapter of the Round Table was started here by a latter day occupant. Binny Road Love This short thoroughfare connecting Mount Road Miller Road (Purasawalkam/Vepery) Doomingkuppam (San Thomé) (off Mount Road) with the Commander-in-Chief Bridge takes its Harrington Road Love Takes its name from William Harrington, who in Montieth Road (Egmore) Love William Montieth joined the Madras Engineers in name from John Binny whose residence after- Dooming Street (San Thomé) (Chetput) 1784 joined the civil service and in 1796 received a 1809, became Lt. Col. in 1826 and Lt. Gen. in wards became the Imperial Hotel (this is today’s grant of 10 acres to the south of Spur Tank. 1854. Connemara Hotel). About 1797 John Binny, like Duncan Road (Ayanavaram) Harris Bridge Lord Harris, Governor of Madras from 1854-1859. Moore Road Love One of the earliest roads in Nungambakkam, predecessors of his name (there were at least Edward Park Road (Choolai) three Binnys prior to him), entered the Nawab’s (Chindadripet) (Egmore/ this communicated with Moore’s Gardens, Eldam Road Love Yeldham Road was laid out before 1816. It is Nungambakkam) probably so named after George Moore of the civil service. He founded a firm which was described in Harris Road (Chindadripet) (Same as above) 1803 as Binney Dennison and before 1814 as () named after Richard Yeldham, a free merchant who in service who was Civil Auditor in 1814 and died in Binny & Co. 1801 was the last of a long line of Mayors of Madras. Heaton Road (Perambur) Madras in 1834. In 1803 he was a Commissioner for the Recovery of Morse Road (Ayanavaram) Binny Colony () Small Debts and Muster Master of the King’s Troops Hopman Street (St Thomas’ Mount) Murray’s Gate Road Love Leading from Moubray Road to Dunmore House, and in 1811 was Treasurer of the Government Bank. Binny Gardens () MM Possibly because the Binny mills stood here. Hunter Road Love Formerly called Hunter Street and named after (Alwarpet) this is named after the Hon Leveson Granville He acquired one and a half acres in Teynampet in (Vepery) John Hunter who arrived in Madras as a free Keith Murray, son of the 4th Earl of Dunmore who Binny Road So named as several bungalows here 1796 and built the residence now called Luz House merchant in 1787, served as cashier of the owned the house between 1822 and 1831. Murray (Poe Gardens) were residences of Directors of Binny’s. (this is confusing, as the Luz House of today is in Luz Carnatic Bank and, about 1795, became Secretary entered the civil service in 1793, and in 1822 and belonged to the Buchi Babu family). Bishop’s Garden (RA Puram) of the British Bank and one of its Directors. In 1796 was Collector of Madras and Member of the Road Ellis Road F.W. Ellis, Civil Servant, Orientalist and the man who he received a grant of an acre of land in Vepery Committee. He retired in 1831. Blacker Road Love Was probably named after H. Blacker who in 1837 (off Mount Road) first propounded a Dravidian origin theory for Tamil. and in 1803 was head of the firm of Hunter & Hay, (Chindadripet) owned a house at the junction of this thoroughfare whose offices were in Fort St George. He owned Nancy Street (Purasawalkam) with Mount Road. st Elphinstone Bridge John, 1 Baron Elphinstone, Governor Hunter House in this thoroughfare, a building long Nimmo Street Love Love states that Erskine Nimmo was a Free (Adyar) of Madras between 1837 and 1842. since demolished. Branson Garden Street (Kilpauk) (Mylapore) Merchant who had had thirty years of Indian Fisher Road (Perambur) Isac Street (Park Town) experience as early as 1797. He was a firm Breithaupt Road Love Takes its name from Christopher Breithaupt, free believer in the power of lotteries and (Vepery) merchant who received a grant of five acres in this Flowells Street (Guindy) Jarrett Garden Love Thomas Jarrett, a civil servant of the Bencoolen recommended one for funding a native hospital. locality in 1798. In 1816 he was a partner in the (Egmore) establishment from 1791, was transferred to Flower Street (Saidapet) firm Pugh & Breithaupt. Madras in 1805. He returned to England in 1823 New Boag Road MM Possibly Sir George T. Boag, Census (Kannammapet) Superintendent in the 1920s, later Chief Flower Road Love Probably named after Austin Flower who was resident and died in 1837. The house on the property has Brighton Road (Pulianthope) Secretary to the Government and Governor (Kilpauk) of Madras between 1803 and 1822. In 1811 he was recently been demolished. of Orissa. Brooks Road MM Possibly after Horatio G Brooks of New York, Clerk to the Justices and later became Clerk of the Jeenis Road MM As this area was largely Nawabi property, this may (Perambur) pioneer locomotive manufacturer who in the 1860s Peace and Collector of Assessment. (Saidapet) commemorate a person whose name was a variant New Faren Road Love Called after Gen. Farran who owned a house near started the Brooks Locomotive Works which (Pulianthope) the present Buckingham Mills. He entered the Foxen Street (Perambur) of Junus or Younus. supplied locomotives and carriages all over the army in 1788 and became a Maj. Gen. in 1837. world. Francis Joseph Street (George Town) Jeremiah Road (Vepery) Noble Street (St Thomas’ Mount) Burkit Road Harold Hamilton Burkitt, Assistant Collector & Frazer Bridge Road Love Named after John Frazer, Municipal Jesson Street (Park Town) (T’Nagar) Magistrate of Madras, 1900 (ref: India Office List – (George Town) Engineer who planned the waterworks. Norton Road (Mandaveli) Eardley Norton, the famous lawyer, who Jones Road (Saidapet) 1905, Google Books). owned a vast property here. General Collins Road Love Derives its name from Edward Collins, who obtained Jones Street Love This is mentioned as a Mr Jones Street in Old Smith Tank Road Casa Major Road Love Existed in 1798. Was probably named after James (Vepery) a grant of ground in Vepery in 1803. He entered the (George Town) connection with a dispute between the Company’s (Washermanpet) (Egmore) Henry Casamajor (son of Noah Casamajor) who army in 1765, became Maj. Gen. thirty years later and officers and the Nawab’s employees regarding a arrived as a Writer in 1762 and was in service till died in Vepery in 1808, aged 75. Parry’s Corner The firm of Parry which has stood here 1811. Later members of his family belonging to the survey on land assessment on this thoroughfare in (George Town) for over two centuries. civil service were John Casamajor, who entered in General Patter Road Love Named after John Pater of the Madras Cavalry who 1796. But Love does not mention who Jones was. 1792, James Archibald in 1803, and George (Royapettah) was a Captain in 1784, became Major General in 1805, There have however been plenty of Joneses in the Patullo Road Love Connecting Mount Road with White Road, it James in 1812. and died in Madras a Lieutenant General in 1817. history of the city. (Royapettah) takes its name from Capt. Archibald Erskine Patullo who entered the Madras Cavalry in 1802, Clemens Road (Vepery) George Avenue (Poe Gardens) Kelly Road (Kilpauk) became Captain in 1818 and died in 1824 when commanding the Body Guard. In 1822 he owned a Coats Road JCM James R Coats, Engineer of the Gilchrist Avenue MM Possibly the brainchild of Dr. S. Swaminadhan, Kennett Lane (Egmore) (Chetput) the well-known barrister who returned to India after a house called Hicks Bungalow here which once (T’Nagar) Corporation of Madras, c. 1914-1920. Lafford Street/Lane (Chindadripet) Glichrist scholarship and built a house here called formed a part of the Madras Club premises. Hicks Cochrane Basin Road The Hon. Basil Cochrane, the engineer who Gilchrist Gardens. Lambeth Avenue (RA Puram) Bungalow was obviously the house of a Mr. Hicks. (Basin Bridge) created the navigable channel between Today, this is all part of Express Estates. and Madras. This later became a part of the Gill Lane (George Town) Lamech Avenue (Nungambakkam) Peters Road Love Captain Thomas Peters of Madras who died in . Gill Street (George Town) Landon Road (Kilpauk) Love Landon’s Gardens takes its name from James (Royapettah) 1798 may have given the thoroughfare its name. Collettpet Love Joseph Collet, President of Fort St George Landon, a civil servant of 1778. Goome Street (George Town) Philip Street (George Town) (Tiruvottriyur) 1717-1720. Lang’s Garden Road MTV Gen. Ross Lang who defended Vellore in 1775 Graeme Lane Love Takes its name from Henry Sullivan Graeme, who Phipps Road SI C.E. Phipps, Locomotive Superintendent, Conran Smith Nagar Conran Smith, first ICS Commissioner (Komaliswaranpet) and later rose to become a General (off Mount Road) entered the civil service in 1797 and was a Member of (Perambur) Perambur Loco Works, 1900. (Choolai) of the Madras Corporation. in the Company’s army. Council for five years from 1823. At that time he owned Pilkington Road SI A. Pilkington, Dy.Locomotive Conran Smith Road (Same as above.) The Mansion to which Graeme’s Road leads from Lawrence Road MTV A garden house at St Thomas’ Mount belonged to (Perambur) Superintendent, Perambur Loco Works, 1900. (Gopalapuram) Mount Road. The adjacent property was called (St Thomas’ Mount) Major Stringer Lawrence, who is called the ‘Father Graeme’s Gardens. of the Indian Army’. Poe Gardens Love Named after a Poe who owned Cook Road (Poe Gardens) Sudder Gardens in 1822. (Ayanavaram) Graeme Road (off Mount Road) (Same as above.) Lettang Road (Vepery/Purasawalkam) Poe Road (Teynampet) Love (Same as above.) 8 MADRAS MUSINGS June 1-15, 2010

Pugh Road (RA Puram) Love Probably named after Joseph Pugh, Stringer Street (George Town) Love Named after James Stringer, who was owner of Bishop’s Gardens, Adyar, who appointed Master Bricklayer in 1763. He owned in 1816 was head of the firm of Pugh & a house on this street. He died in 1787 after 24 Breithaupt. Pugh Road led from years of service. His tombstone describes him Chamier Road to the river and gave as Superintendent of Public Buildings, HEICS. access to Pugh’s Gardens. Stringer Road (Vepery) Love There is uncertainity wheather this street is Pycroft Street (Royapettah) See below. Pycroft Street leads off from named after the above Stringer or his son. The Bharati Salai, which was earlier called family owned property here too. Pycroft Road. Sullivan Street (Mylapore) Love Named after Sir Benjamin Sulivan, Advocate- Pycroft Garden Road Love The residence of Dr. James Anderson was General and afterwards a Judge of the Supreme (Nungambakkam) placed at the disposal of the Government for Court (c. 1798). the use of the College of Fort St George. On Taylor Road (Kilpauk) Love Laid out between 1798 and 1816, it probably the transfer of that establishment to the Old takes its name from James Taylor who received College Building in 1827, it again became a a grant of 11 acres in Chetput in 1800. He private residence and, after occupation by Dr. entered the civil service in 1795, was Superin- Annesley, passed to Sir Thomas Pycroft. The tendent of the Investment in 1802, and became latter entered the civil service in 1829 and a Member of the Council in 1828. He retired in was stationed at the Presidency from 1846, 1833. becoming a Member of Council in 1862. He gave his name to Pycroft Road in Triplicane. Teed Gardens (Perambur) Queen Victoria Road Need we say any more? Thomas Street (Teynampet) () Todhunter Nagar (Saidapet) Sir Charles Todhunter, Member, Governor’s Rex Street (Egmore) Executive Council, Acting Governor of Madras in 1929, later Secretary to the Maharajah of (off Mount Road) HCM Ritchie was Registrar of the High Court. Love Mysore. Was associated with the founding of the also speaks of a Ritchie who was Marine Sur- Teachers’ College in Madras. The road runs veyor of Fort St George in the 1780s. This was along the walls of the College. an important position as he was in charge of seeing how the port could be made to receive Trevelyan Basin Road Sir Charles Trevelyan, Governor of Madras ships throughout the year. (George Town) 1859/60. Ritherdon Road (Vepery) Trevithick Avenue (Perambur) MM Almost certainly named after Richard Trevithick (1771-1833), pioneering British inventor, whose Robertson Road (Vepery) unnamed locomotive in 1804 made the world’s first train journey in Wales. Rundall Road (Vepery) Love Was formed between 1798 and 1816. Its name is perhaps due to Col. Charles Rundall, who Tucker Lane (George Town) Leads to Tucker’s Church. entered the army in 1800, became Lt. Col. in 1830 and died in Madras the following year. He Turnbull Road (RA Puram) MN J.G. Turnbull lived in Adyar. occupied the post of Military Auditor-General Umpherson Street Love Umpherson Street probably takes its name from in 1822. (George Town) Thomas Umpherston, a coach builder, who is mentioned in 1792 as a resident of Black Town. Rutland Gate (Nungambakkam) In the map of 1837 the street name has Samson Road (Ayanavaram) degenerated to Humpherson (wonder what Love would say now!). Sargent Road (Ayanavaram) Waddel Road (Kilpauk) Love Dare’s Gardens, Kilpauk, belonged to a Slaterpuram (Mylapore) Waddell in 1816. Smith Lane & Road Love Gen. Smith owned a garden house in this area. Wallace Garden (Nungambakkam) (off Mount Road) Waller Road (Chindadripet) Named after Thomas Parker Waller who owned Solomon Street (St Thomas’ Mount) property here. A part of his land was made over Spring Haven Road (Port Trust) Named after Sir Francis Spring, Secretary to to the church in the 1840s and Christ the Madras Government’s railway department Church on Mount Road stands on the land and later Chairman of the Madras Port Trust, where his livery stables were. ‘The Father of Madras Harbour’. Wheatgrofts Road (Nungambakkam) Stanley Road (Ayanavaram) Probably after Charles Henry Stanley, Supdt. William Street (Perambur) of the Perambur Loco Works in 1907 (Source: Institution of Engineers List on the web - http:// Westcott Road (Royapettah) Love Derives its name from George Westcott who www.archive.org/stream/ entered the civil service in 1764. He was the son listofmembers1907instuoft/ of Foss Westcott, one of the commissioners listofmembers1907instuoft_djvu.txt). appointed to receive Madras from the French in 1749. George Westcott was senior member of Stephenson Road & MM Given the proximity of the Perambur Loco the Board of Trade. He died in Madras in 1809. Lane () Works, could this have been named after Whannell Road (Kilpauk) Love Named after Major Peter Whannell whose house George Stephenson (1781-1848), creator of the stood at the angle between this road and first locomotive engine? Poonamallee Road. He was Military Auditor- Sterling Road Love Shown as a cart track in 1816 it takes its name General in 1822, became a Major in 1832, and (Nungambakkam) from the former owner of an adjacent property, died in Madras in 1854, aged 76. Luke Hauterville Sterling, a subaltern of HM’s Whener Road (Egmore) 74th Regiment, who came to Madras in 1791, exchanged sword for quill and became in 1799 White Road (Royapettah) Love Derives its name from J.D. White who in 1809 Sealer of the Recorder’s Court. In 1803 he was built a house which formed the nucleus of the Sealer of the Supreme Court and Clerk to Sir original Madras Club’s home. Thomas Strange. In 1822 he was one of the Sessions Justices. Wood Road (Royapettah) Love Derives its name from Edward Wood who entered the civil service in 1800. In 1811 he was Strahan Road (Vepery) MN Major W. Strahan lived in Royapettah but Registrar of the Sudder Court and in 1822, J.M.D. Strachan lived in Vepery. Perhaps this when Chief Secretary, owned the house road was named after the latter. which became the Castle Hotel.