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| May 02, 2007 11:53 am |
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re: re: Kolkata Through Adwaitya's Eyes |
RAJAN ADVANI
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The Fort William and early stage of urbanisation The construction of the fort though began earlier was not completed until 1707. A wharf was added to the fort in 1710. In the mean time, on 20 August 1700, it was named 'FORT WILLIAM' after William III, the then reigning king of England. While the bachelor clerks (writers) stayed in the quarters within the fort, married officials chose to reside with their families in personal dwellings. As a result, private European houses started cropping up around the fort. Acquisition of the zamindari by the company, opened up employment prospects for the natives as well. They flocked to this nascent habitat adding density to the sparse population. Thus, the process of urbanisation started blossoming on the grounds of the three villages. To satisfy the landhunger of the company and its dependents, the English obtained the emperor's permission to buy another thirty eight villages from the zamindars in 1717. Of these, five were on the other side of the river (in Howrah), while the rest were contiguous to the three mother villages
Private Reply to RAJAN ADVANI (new win) |
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