HERITAGE BUILDINGS IN DALHOUSIE SQUARE HERITAGE ZONE, CALCUTTA SL HERITAGE BUILDING Historical Notes Ownership / Illustrations / Measured Drawings . DALHOUSIE (B.B.D.BAG) EAST 1 Currency Building The history of the Old Currency Building is better told by Mr. Abhik Ray in the News Bulletin of the ASI / archival photograph of the façade ; present day 1 BB D Bag ( East) Preservation Society of Calcutta. The Bengal Directory of 1855 had listed R.C. Lepage & Co., booksellers, photograph after demolition of its dome ; publishers, stationers and print-sellers at 1 Tank Square East. This site was later acquired by the Calcutta Auction Company, which was probably started in competition with the well-established firm of Mackenzie Lyall & Company, the site of which is now occupied by Hongkong and Shanghai Bank in Dalhousie Square south. A huge barn of the company reportedly stretched from Tank Square to Mission Row and was “filled from one end to the other with medley of sorts of goods and chattels” for sale. But the auction company did not do too well and closed around the middle of the 1860’s. Agra and Masterman’s Bank Ltd., took over the site and erected the present building in 1867 in Italian style of architecture with a wrought-iron gate of florid design. This bank was established in Agra on 1st July 1833 as the Agra and United Services Bank Ltd. Founded by Europeans soon after the collapse of the major Agency Houses, which also engaged in banking, the bank was expected to meet the credit needs of the Europeans in the vast hinterland. On 13th November 1838 the bank’s first agency was opened in Calcutta at 2 Council House Street. In 1857 the bank was incorporated in London and was soon after amalgamated with the Masterman Banking Concern in London to assume the new name of Agra and Masterman’s Bank Ltd. The three-storeyed building of the bank at 1 Dalhousie Square Est baecame a landmark of Old Calcutta. Its roof was arched on iron joists and the floors, covering a plinth area of 8,762 sq. ft., were covered with marble and Chunar stone. The alliance with Masterman’s was short-lived and the London concern soon dropped out and the bank assumed the title of Agra Bank Ltd. Finding its resources restricted, the bank then sold the larger part of the premises facing Dalhousie Square to the Government which was then in search of a suitable building for its Currency Department. The Department was set up after the passing of the Paper Currency Act in 1861 for issuing Government Currency notes for the first time. The Government purchased the building in 1868-69 for Rs. 10,73,109 with its appurtenant land measuring one big 15 cottahs and 8 chittacks. The Agra Bank then withdrew to the rear part of the premises, numbered 26 Mangoe Lane in the municipal records, overlooking Mission Row. The collapse of the Agra Bank in 1900 recommended the Government to purchase the banks premises at 26 Mangoe Lane the Currency Building at a cost of Rs. 3,77,230 thus adding 7,676 sq. ft., of office accommodation and 14 cottahs, 9 chittacks and 22 ½ sq. ft., of land. In 1901-11 two out-houses were erected for the Currency Building at a cost of Rs. 1,46,606. The Lost Note and Registration Branch of the Currency Department was set up at 26 Mangoe Lane. The Reserve Bank managed the paper currency business from 1935 to 1965 from this building, after which it was in the occupation of Accountant General, central, for some years. The building became unsafe on account of the negligence of the Central Public Works Department. The demolition of the building was partly done, but could not yet be proceeded with as it was declared a heritage building by the Calcutta Municipal Corporation in September 1996. Restoration of the building is desirable as it is still worth a visit. The ground floor was the Office of Issue and Exchange. The entrance has a very handsome gate, in three parts, of a very florid design, in wrought iron. The central hall is of very grand proportions, and is lighted by skylights surrounding three large domes. Here were the exchange counters for notes, gold, silver and small change. To the left as you walked up the hall was a noble array of huge iron safes full of new note form representing the value of many millions. The bulk of the silver was kept in strong vaults in Fort William, but a working reserve was kept in the Currency Office, in a vault of massive masonry lined throughout, roof, walls, and floor with iron; an iron door six inches in thickness closed this room, which was further protected by a second iron door, and last of all by a massive iron grating. The rooms above were very massively and handsomely finished, and were floored throughout with Italian marble, even to the third story. Here was the residence of the Assistant Commissioner in charge of the Currency Office. Among its tenants we may include the name of Sir Richard Temple, then Financial Member of the Council, and later Lieutenant Governor of Bengal. As the Mint in Calcutta had a chequered history, shrouded in mystery, we shall pay visits to the various sites of this institution where the East India Documentation on Architectural Heritage of Dalhousie Square, Kolkata ARCH - IFA Company minted rupees without a license in the beginning. For more than 150 years the Company had to convert their bullion into coins in Mogul mints paying the commission. In fact no mint of the Mogul Emperors was situated in the vicinity of Calcutta. On the east side of Dalhousie Square, is a lofty building in the Italian style of architecture. The ground floor is the offices of Issues and Exchange of Government Paper Currency, and is worthy of a visit. The entrance has a very handsome gate, in three parts, of a very florid design in wrought iron. The central hall is of very grand proportions, and is lighted by sky lights surmounting three large domes. Here are the exchange counters for notes, gold, silver, and small change. To the left as you walk up the hall is a noble array of huge iron safes full of new note forms representing the value of many millions. The bulk of the silver is kept in strong vaults in Fort William, but a working reserve is kept in the Currency office, in a vault of massive masonry lined throughout roof, and floor, with iron; an iron door six inches in thickness closes this room, which is further protected by a second iron door, and last of all by a massive iron grating. The rooms above are very massively and handsomely finished, and are floored throughout with Italian marble even to the third storey. Here is the residence of the Assistant Commissioner in charge of the Currency Office. The building was originally erected for the Agra and Masterman’s Bank, and on the collapse of that institution (soon after its completion) it was sold to Government, who were at that time in quest of a suitable building for the Currency Department. (HEA Cotton) DALHOUSIE SQUARE (B.B.D.BAG) EAST 1 Power Tools 2, B. B. D. Bag 2 Radio 3, B. B. D. Bag 3 Stephen Court 4, B. B. D. Bag DALHOUSIE SQUARE WEST 1 General Post Office This handsome structure is situated on the west side of Dalhousie Square, at the corner of Koila Ghat Measured drawings / photographs Street being a portion of the site of Old fort of Calcutta. The removal of the old foundation was a work of great difficulty owing to the extreme hardness of the masonry, which, in many cases, could only be removed by blasting, the building was erected from design by Mr. Walter B. Granville, architect to the Government of India. It was opened to the public in the year 1868. It consists of two lofty storeys, the east and south fronts being faced with handsome Corinthian columns, flanked ,by massive piers, in which are the staircases. The south-east angle of the building is semi-circular, also faced with Corinthian columns, leading to a lofty circular hall, in which are the public letter boxes. This is surmounted by as lofty lantern, crowned by a dome, which forms one of the most conspicuous landmarks of Calcutta. There is also a large clock with three illuminated dials. The building is approached by handsome flights of steps. (HEA Cotton) 2 Royal Insurance 3 Mc Leod House DALHOUSIE SQUARE SOUTH 2 H.S.B.C. Bank The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Ltd. (31 Dalhousie Square South) erected its own present Private 31, B. B. D. Bag building in Dalhousie Square in 1914 in 1914 and was the first to introduce ATM or 24 hours banking service in Calcutta 3 Standard building Private / measured drawing of the façade 32, 32/1 B. B. D. Bag 4 Return letter office building Post and Telegraph 33, B. B. D. Bag RED CROSS PLACE 5 Central Telegraph Office The Central Telegraph like the Calcutta GPO provides round the clock service to the public without Post and Telegraph 8, Red Cross Place observing any holiday even on national days. An old tank occupied the site of the CTO building before 1757. Next we find the auction mart of Tulloh there. Tulloh has been immortalised by Zoffany as Judas in his Last Supper , which hangs as the altar-piece of St. John’s church.