91-year-old library lost in pages of history
Abdullah Nurullah | TNN | Nov 28, 2017, 07:52 IST
The imposing Zion Church in front may dwarf its significance, but the worn-out look of the 91-year-old Goschen Library in Chintadripet best captures the bygone era. Even the 200-year-old fish market in the neighbourhood has lost all touch with the past after its redevelopment.
Located on Arunachalam Street, adjacent to May Day Park, the structure was named after Lady Goschen, wife of then governor of Madras George Goshen. The foundation for the public library was laid in 1926 by T E Moir, who served under the governor "George Goschen's daughter's wedding was celebrated in Madras with great pomp," says historian Ramakrishnan Venkatesh For the locals, Chintadripet resident P Vijayaraghavulu Chetty set up a library. Once frequented by prominent speakers, it gets a handful of visitors now.
The hall was also used for meetings by nationalists. The neighbourhood was planned by the British as a settlement for weavers. The Justice E Padmanabhan Committee Report points out that the British began establishing a settlement in the area as early as 1734. It was to be a 'village of small looms' (china tari pettai), and was founded by Governor George Morton Pitt who brought 230 weaver families to produce cotton for the East India Company. Goschen Library too is listed as a heritage structure under the Justice E Padmanabhan Committee. After Independence, the library was taken over by the government. Today, it is the Chennai District Branch Library, but poor maintenance and patronage has pushed it towards oblivion.
Abdullah Nurullah | TNN | Nov 28, 2017, 07:52 IST
The imposing Zion Church in front may dwarf its significance, but the worn-out look of the 91-year-old Goschen Library in Chintadripet best captures the bygone era. Even the 200-year-old fish market in the neighbourhood has lost all touch with the past after its redevelopment.
Located on Arunachalam Street, adjacent to May Day Park, the structure was named after Lady Goschen, wife of then governor of Madras George Goshen. The foundation for the public library was laid in 1926 by T E Moir, who served under the governor "George Goschen's daughter's wedding was celebrated in Madras with great pomp," says historian Ramakrishnan Venkatesh For the locals, Chintadripet resident P Vijayaraghavulu Chetty set up a library. Once frequented by prominent speakers, it gets a handful of visitors now.
The hall was also used for meetings by nationalists. The neighbourhood was planned by the British as a settlement for weavers. The Justice E Padmanabhan Committee Report points out that the British began establishing a settlement in the area as early as 1734. It was to be a 'village of small looms' (china tari pettai), and was founded by Governor George Morton Pitt who brought 230 weaver families to produce cotton for the East India Company. Goschen Library too is listed as a heritage structure under the Justice E Padmanabhan Committee. After Independence, the library was taken over by the government. Today, it is the Chennai District Branch Library, but poor maintenance and patronage has pushed it towards oblivion.
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