Hand-coloured copper engraving. 125 x 210mm. (4.25 x 8ins).

Numbered key for White Town, Comer Pete Town, Black Town and Mutial Peta. Places of interest referred to include ‘Governours House’, ‘Portugese Church’, ‘Pagans Burying Ground’, ‘Armenian Church’ etc.

Fort St. George, the most historic area, of modern Madras (Chennai) was completed by the British in 1653. It was essentially a trading post but defence was paramount as it was in a region surrounded by hostile local powers and other European rivals.

In 1699 Thomas Salmon, an Ensign in Madras wrote ‘ The fort stands pretty near to the middle of the White Town where the Europeans inhabit’. He wrote about Black Town in these terms as ‘....where the Portuguese, Indians, Armenians and a great variety of other people inhabit’.