Fort William – Rampart Barracks, Calcutta, c1915

ফোর্ট উইলিয়ম ব্যারাক বাড়ি, কলকাতা, c১৯১৫
Fort William was built by the British in 1758. It was begun by Lord Clive after the battle of Plassey in 1758. The cost to build the citadel of Fort William was two million sterling. A garrison of 15,000 men were needed for its defence. Fort William is one of the most impressive examples of European fortification in the East. Roughly octagonal in shape , with six principal gates, it was designed by Captain John Brohier in 1757. It took 13 years to complete at a staggering cost of over 2 million pounds. It replaced old Fort William, which lay slightly to the north. Modelled on Vauban’s 17th century defensive concepts, the work was finished by Archibald Campbell after Brohier was charged with fraud and absconded from custody. The construction of the Fort altered the whole plan of Calcutta and generated a wave of rebuilding. A huge open space, the maidan  was cleared to give an unrestricted field of fire. Excellent views of the outer ramparts and the fosse may be obtained from the Maidan, which, with its numerous tanks, offers a pleasant retreat with shaded walks and distant vistas of Government House and the Victorian Memorial. The barrack buildings are typical of the period; long, three – storey blocks, plainly detailed in a classical style and face in chunam.The interior is generally confined and hot, the guns being actually so hot (even in the what is called cold season) that one could scarcely bear to keep their hand upon them. Mosquitos are innumerable and are most annoying pests, besides Jackals too abound within the ramparts yelling and screeching of a night as to startle sleepers from their slumbers thinking as a newcomer would that some children were screaming. see more
Photographer unknown