Clock Tower

Bombay (Mumbai) was given as a dowry gift by the Portuguese to King Charles II of England, when he married Princess Catherine of Braganza in 1662. In 1668, Bombay was transferred to the East India Company at a nominal rent of £10 per annum. In 1736, the company brought Lowjee Nusserwanjee, a master shipwright, from Surat to Bombay and assigned him the task of constructing ships for the British fleet and also the selection of a site for a dock [1]

The old heritage buildings of Naval Dockyard (from Lion Gate to Old Customs House) with the clock tower (opposite Great Western Building) on the east side of Shahid Bhagat Singh Road, belong to the original dockyard constructed by Lowji Wadia. The Dock frontage on the Shahid Bhaghat Singh Road forms a facade/magnificent wall which has remained almost unchanged over the past 200 years. Early prints and engravings depict it as one of the main street fronts of early Bombay, overlooking the street which led past the

Great Western Hotel (formerly the Admiralty House) built in the year 1764,

it is hard to imagine it was once the residence of the Governor of Bombay. William Hornby, a former governor who was instrumental in constructing the Hornby Vellard which bundled the breach at Mahalaxmi, lived here during his term in office. It also served as the Admiralty house, residence of the Commander in Chief of the Indian Fleet from 1770-1795. Around 1800 it was purchased by the Government and transformed into the The Recorders Court house until 1878. The original Porch was removed when the street was widened. The property was purchased by Rustomjee Jeejeebhoy and then sold to the Sassoon Family. In 1883 it was sold again and converted into a hotel known as the Great Western Hotel. A new 5 storied wing was added in the early 1890′s. It was designed by renowned architect S M N Chandabhoy. and another smaller 3 storied building in the later 1890′s. In time the Hotel closed and the rooms have been divided and further sub divided for optimum rental. [wiki]

When we were taking photo we met a parsi gentleman who stopped by and said i used to live here many years ago. it is now divided between marwadi brothers. There are only two floors with 20ft ceilings.

looking at his old house in nostalgia