
THE - STORY OF MADRAS
BY - GLYN BARLOW, M.A.
HUMPHREY MILFORD - OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS - LONDON, BOMBAY, CALCUTTA, MADRAS - 1921
PREFACE
ILLUSTRATIONS
CHRONOLOGICAL NOTES
CHAPTER I - BEFORE THE BEGINNING
CHAPTER II - THE BEGINNING
CHAPTER III - FORT ST. GEORGE
CHAPTER IV - DEVELOPMENT
A vivid portrait of a city where colonial ambition and native culture have intertwined for centuries, this work invites listeners to wander through the streets, forts, and temples that shape Madras’s unique character. Drawing on official records, maps, and the author’s own sketches, it threads together stories of landmark buildings—from the imposing walls of the Black Town to the elegant halls of Government House—while offering snapshots of daily life in the bustling port. The narrative balances factual detail with a storyteller’s eye, giving a sense of the city’s evolving identity without demanding prior knowledge of Indian history.
Presented as a series of self‑contained vignettes, the book captures moments of trade, conflict, and community that have left lasting marks on the urban landscape. Listeners will discover how early European settlements, local rulers, and later educational institutions each left their imprint, turning Madras into a living museum of the past. The tone remains curious and respectful, encouraging a deeper appreciation for the heritage that still echoes through its streets today.
Language
en
Duration
~3 hours (185K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Sankar Viswanathan and The Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.)
Release date
2008-09-14
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects
Best known for The Story of Madras, this early 20th-century writer introduced readers to the history of Chennai with a brisk, accessible style. Very little biographical detail seems to survive, but the books themselves suggest a strong interest in India’s places, industries, and everyday life.
View all books
by Richard Ligon

by Albert Schweitzer

by Surendranath Dasgupta

by comte de Arthur Gobineau

by Hilaire Belloc

by A. D. Bayne

by Waheenee, Gilbert Livingstone Wilson

by José Rizal