Posted on: 2 February 2013

Ghiretta House, Chandernagore - 1800

Aquatint with etching of 'Ghiretta House' at Chandannagar in West Bengal by James Moffat from his original drawing published in Calcutta in 1800. The former French colony of Chandernagore is situated on the bank of the Hoogly river near Calcutta in north-eastern India. It was founded in 1673 and gradually expanded to become a great commercial centre maintaining trading relations with Basora, China, Pegu, Jedda, Surat, Mocha, Tibet and Persia. Ghireti House was the country mansion of the French Governors of Chandernagore. During the Governorship of M. Chevalier (1769-87) the house was known to have had a splendid appearance with rich furniture and painted ceilings. Nothing now remains but a few traces of its foundations. Chandernagore was handed to India after a referendum in 1950.

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Ghiretta House was at Gourhati, (French spelled it Ghiretti,) a little south of Chandernagor The ruins of the Ghiretti house,the lavish Palace of the French Governor was photographed by Mr.Firminger and published in Bengal Past & Present, Journal of Calcutta Historical Socity. A Jute Mill was established at the site in 1878 by demolishing the big compound, now known as ANGUS Jute Mills. During WWII an American army storage camp was setup and called ANGUS Camp - SGT. RICHARD COLLIER, Special Writer of C.B.I.Chota Roundup wrote: "This is a ghost city, the ghost of the once mighty Camp Angus trooping depot, the last port of call for thousands of States bound GI's. Here they took their last look at the East and gave their verdict. It was maybe a fitting enough place to deliver it. C.B.I.Chota Roundup was a weekly newspaper published by and for the men of the United States Army Forces in CBI, from news and pictures supplied by staff members, soldier correspondents, the United Press,and the War Department. published every Friday and was printed by The Statesman in New Delhi, India. Editor Lt. Floyd Walter, Rear Echelon Hq., U.S.A.F., C.B.I., New Delhi UnitedPress,and the War Department.