Karachi of British Era

The Empress Market ,Photograph of Empress Market in Karachi, taken by an unknown photographer, c.1900, from an album of 46 prints titled 'Karachi Views'. Karachi, the former capital of Pakistan, is the largest city and main commercial centre of the country and the capital of Sindh province in the lower Indus valley. Its history prior to the 19th century as a port on the Arabian Sea north-west of the mouth of the Indus is scant, but it is believed to be ancient. It has been identified as Krokala, the port visited by Alexander's fleet in 326 BC, is noted in a collection of 16th century Turkish sailing directions, and was transformed from a fishing village to a trading post under the Kalhora and Talpur rulers of Sindh in the 18th century. However, it remained modestly sized until the British conquest of Sindh in 1843. They proceeded to develop the harbour of Karachi and transform it into a major port. The Empress Market was constructed between 1884 and 1889 and was named to commemorate Queen Victoria, Empress of India. It was designed by James Strachan, the foundations were completed by the English firm of A.J. Attfield, and the building constructed by the local firm of 'Mahoomed Niwan and Dulloo Khejoo'. The building was arranged around a courtyard, 130 ft by 100 ft, with four galleries each 46 ft wide. The galleries provided accommodation for 280 shops and stall keepers; at the time of its construction it was one of seven markets in Karachi.

Christchurch,Karachi.Photograph of the exterior of Christchurch in Karachi from the 'Album of architectural and topographical views, mostly in India' by an unknown photographer in the 1870s. Christchurch, which is also known as the Church mission Society Church, dates from c.1856. The patron of the church was Henry Preedy, the Bazaar Master and first Collector of Karachi. The Church is situated in the same compound as the Church Mission School founded in 1846 and the Kutchery, a meeting place, built in 1855. This compound was passed onto the Church Mission Society in 1853.

Karachi, Harbor.This photograph of the harbour at Karachi was taken by an unknown photographer in the 1860s. Originally, Karachi was made up of a cluster of fishermen’s huts on the three islands of Manora, Bhit and Baba. The town started to develop when the British established relations with the rulers of Sind, first during the reign of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in 1635 and later during the rule of Ghulam Shah Kalhora in 1758, by setting up factories or Kothees. The British occupied Karachi during the First Anglo-Afghan War in 1839 and after annexation the city developed rapidly.

Passenger Landing Pier.Photograph of the Passenger Landing Pier at Karachi, taken by an unknown photographer,c.1900, from an album of 46 prints titled 'Karachi Views'. Karachi, now the capital of the Sindh province in the lower Indus valley, was once the capital of Pakistan and continues to be the country's commercial hub and largest city. Its history prior to the 19th century is largely unrecorded but it is believed to be the ancient port of Krokala on the Arabian Sea, visited by Alexander's admirals in 326 BC. Karachi is built around a bay which is a natural harbour and protected from storms by a group of small islands. The small fishing village of Karachi became a trading post when the Talpur Mirs of Sindh built a mud fort here in the 18th century, but the port remained small. It was completely transformed when its harbour was developed by the British after they conquered Sindh in the mid-19th century. The expansion of Karachi took place to facilitate the booming cotton export trade and movement of commodities such as wheat.

Trinity Church. Photograph of the interior of the Trinity Church in Karachi, looking along the choir towards the altar, taken by an unknown photographer, c.1900, from an album of 46 prints titled 'Karachi Views'. Karachi, once the capital of Pakistan, is now the capital of Sindh province and the major port and main commercial centre of the country. It was a strategically located small port (Kharak Bunder) at a protected natural harbour on the Arabian Sea north-west of the mouth of the Indus, and was developed and expanded by the British, when they took over Sindh in the mid-19th century, to serve the booming trade from the Punjab and the wheat and cotton regions of the sub-continent. Trinity churches were built by the Trinity Board along the coast of England from the mouth of the Thames to Portsmouth as well as in British India. The churches served as lighthouses by having beacons installed on their towers in return for which they were provided with funds. Trinity Church, constructed between 1852 and 1855,was the first major church in Karachi. It was designed by Captain John Hill of the Bombay Engineers. Its square tower rose to about 250 ft and so made a suitable lighthouse and landmark for vessels approaching Karachi harbour.

Govt. Garden Fountain,Photograph of the fountain constructed in 1883 in the Government Garden, Karachi, in memory of Bombay philanthropist Cowasjee Jehangir Readymoney, taken by an unknown photographer, c.1900, from an album of 46 prints titled 'Karachi Views'. The gardens were designed by Major Blenkins for supplying British troops stationed in Karachi with fresh vegetables. Many varieties of fruit and vegetables were grown here, there was also a large vineyard and a collection of animals started by Strachan and Ffinch, the director of the Indo-European Telegraph. Karachi, once the capital of Pakistan, is now the capital of Sindh province and the major port and main commercial centre of the country. It was a strategically located small port (Kharak Bunder) at a protected natural harbour on the Arabian Sea north-west of the mouth of the Indus, and was developed and expanded by the British, when they took over Sindh in the mid-19th century, to serve the booming trade from the Punjab and the wheat and cotton regions of the sub-continent

Photograph with a view looking across Karachi, taken by an unknown photographer, c.1900, from an album of 46 prints titled 'Karachi Views'. Views 21-32 from this album join together to form a 360 degree panorama of the city from the tower of Trinity Church. Karachi, one of the world's largest metropolises, was once the capital of Pakistan. It is now the capital of the Sindh province in the lower Indus valley, and is the financial and commercial centre of Pakistan. This huge city was however developed only in the mid-19th century after the British conquest of Sindh. Karachi is built around a bay which is a natural harbour protected from storms by a group of small islands. Its history prior to the 18th century is sketchy but it is believed to be the ancient port of Krokala on the Arabian Sea, visited by Alexander's admirals in 326 BC. The small fishing village was known as Kolachi-jo-Goth and became a trading post under the Kalhoras and the Talpur rulers of Sindh in the 18th century, but the port remained small. With the British development of its harbour it grew into a large city and an important centre of trade. The British established a cantonment here which was laid out separately to the 'Old Town' in a linear fashion. This area later became the basis of the 'New Town'.

Photograph of the D.J. Sind Arts College (now known as the D. J. Government Science College) of Karachi, taken by an unknown photographer, c.1900, from an album of 46 prints titled 'Karachi Views'. Designed by James Strachan and considered this architect's greatest achievement, the college was built between 1887 and 1893. Named after the Sindhi philanthropist Dayaram Jethmal, whose two family members contributed towards its cost, the building was constructed in the neoclassical, or ‘Italian architectural style’. A considerable amount of money was spent on the interior of the college; the floors comprised mosaic tiles imported from Belgium and the eight-foot wide main staircase was fitted with ornamental cast-iron work from McFarlane & Company of Glasgow

View from the tower of Trinity Church in Karachi, Pakistan, looking southwards towards the sea, with a large unidentified building in the foreground, taken by an unknown photographer, c. 1900. Karachi, the former capital of Pakistan, is the largest city and main commercial centre of the country, and the capital of Sindh province in the lower Indus valley. Its history prior to the 18th century as a port on the Arabian Sea north-west of the mouth of the Indus is scant, but it is believed to be ancient. It has been identified as Krokala, the port visited by Alexander's fleet in 326 BC, is noted in a collection of 16th century Turkish sailing directions, and was transformed from a fishing village known as Kolachi-jo-Goth to a trading post under the Kalhora and Talpur rulers of Sindh in the 18th century. However, it remained modestly sized until the British conquest of Sindh in 1843. They proceeded to develop the harbour of Karachi and transform it into a major port, an important centre of trade and industry. The city is well-endowed with colonial architecture in the form of residential bungalows, educational institutions, churches and railway stations, as part of its British legacy. This photograph is from an album of 91 prints apparently compiled by P. J. Corbett, a PWD engineer involved in irrigation work at the famine relief camp at Shetpal Tank in 1897, and in canal construction in Sindh in the early 1900s.

Photograph of the Gymkhana buildings at Karachi taken by an unknown photographer, c.1900, from an album of 46 prints titled 'Karachi Views'.

Photograph of potters at work, near Karachi in Sindh in Pakistan, taken by Michie and Company in c. 1873, from the Archaeological Survey of India Collections. This scene is from the Vienna Universal Exhibition of 1873, and is described in John Forbes Watson's exhibition catalogue, as follows: "Photograph showing potters' yard, on the bank of the 'Lyaree' River, near Karachi, with potters at work. The man represented standing on the right of the picture is kneading the clay which has been previously prepared in the pit represented on the right. The centre figure is represented with a lump of unfinished clay on the wheel. The left-hand figure shows a drain pipe on the centre of the wheel which, on being removed, is cut so as to bisect it longitudinally, but not quite divided, and thus the pipe fashioned is easily formed into two pan-tiles. The background represents the kilns. Rubbish is used for burning the pottery

Photograph of the interior view of Christchurch from the 'Album of architectural and topographical views, mostly in South Asia' by an unknown photographer in the 1870s. Christchurch, which is also known as the Church mission Society Church, dates from c.1856. The patron of the church was Henry Preedy, the Bazaar Master and first Collector of Karachi. The Church is situated in the same compound as the Church Mission School founded in 1846 and the Kutchery, a meeting place, built in 1855. This compound was passed onto the Church Mission Society in 1853.

Photograph with a view looking northwards along Frere Street in Karachi, with the tower of the Empress Market partially visible in the right background, taken by an unknown photographer, c.1900, from an album of 46 prints titled 'Karachi Views'.Saddar Bazaars were permanent markets which existed all over the sub-continent, they were developed by British forces in the towns they occupied to facilitate the provision of supplies to the troops in the cantonments. The Saddar Bazaar at Karachi followed a typical gridiron plan; all the major north-south streets of the Bazaar were laid out at right angles to Bunder Road, Frere, Somerset and Elphinstone Streets which along with Victoria Road, linked the northern part of the cantonment to the southern part. The area soon developed into the most fashionable part of the city, supplying the needs of both civilians and military personnel.

Photograph of the lighthouse and fort at Manora, Karachi, taken by an unknown photographer, c.1900, from an album of 46 prints titled 'Karachi Views'.

Photograph of the Church of the Holy Trinity in Karachi from the 'Album of architectural and topographical views, mostly in South Asia' by an unknown photgrapher in the 1870s.  Completed in 1855, Holy Trinity was the first major church to be built in Karachi. Although it was designed by Captain John Hill, changes were made by John Brunton during its construction. The church is built in local, buff colour Gizri stone. This view of the exterior of the church shows the tower and roof in its original state. The tower has five storeys above the buttressed entranceway of the tower and the roof is pitched. Two stories of the tower were removed for safety in 1904 and a new barrel vaulted roof was was put in place in the 1970s.

Photograph with a view of Saddar Bazaar, Karachi, with the Empress Market in the right background, taken by an unknown photographer, c.1900, from an album of 46 prints titled 'Karachi Views'

Photograph with a view of Karachi looking in a northerly direction along Victoria Road, with St Andrew's Church visible in the distance, taken by an unknown photographer, c.1900, from an album of 46 prints titled 'Karachi Views'. Views 21-32 from this album join together to form a 360 degree panorama of the city from the tower of Trinity Church. In the centre of the print is the single storey range of hospital buildings, with the Roman Catholic Church and Convent directly behind.

Photograph with a view looking across the westernmost part of the Karachi cantonment, taken by an unknown photographer, c.1900, from an album of 46 prints titled 'Karachi Views'. Views 21-32 from this album join together to form a 360 degree panorama of the city from the tower of Trinity Church. 

Photograph of the Anglo-Vernacular School at Karachi in Sind, Pakistan from the Archaeological Survey of India Collections: India Office Series (Volume 46), taken by Michie and Company in c. 1873. This image, of the single storey stone building with a clocktower at corner, was probably shown at the Vienna Exhibition of 1873. In India vernacular education (in the local language) was considered a special obligation for the Government from 1854 when it was declared a concern by the Court of Directors. The vernacular course covered both primary and secondary education and was carried out in many different types of establishment depending on the resources of the area. In Bombay, for example, the complete course of vernacular education was delivered at primary school. The Imperial Gazetteer of India states, "The type of primary school varies from the primitive pathshala or maktab to the modern institutions in which the pupils are educated in accordance with approved European methods. The Bombay local rates schools are in general better built, equipped, and managed than the Bengal indigenous institutions...There are three classes of secondary schools - the vernacular and English middle schools, and the high schools. The vernacular middle school course is a prolongation of the primary course, and completes the instruction of those who do not aspire to an English education. In most Provinces the course lasts for three years, and should be completed at about the age of thirteen."

Bird's eye view (with Napier Barracks) Photograph with a view looking north-east towards the Cantonments and Napier Barracks at Karachi, with Elphinstone and Frere Streets in the foreground, taken by an unknown photographer, c.1900, from an album of 46 prints titled 'Karachi Views'. Views 21-32 from this album join together to form a 360 degree panorama of the city from the tower of Trinity Church. The barracks were built by Charles Napier, the first governor of Sindh (1843-1847). It is constructed of the local buff Gizri stone. The main building faced the prevailing breeze and the deep arcaded verandahs and high ceilings were intended to make the interior as cool as possible.

Source: British Library