The ‘last house' on Snob’s Alley

The Fort St George, which once served as the seat of power for the British in the then Madras presidency, is often on the list of must-visit places for tourists in the city.

While the St Mary’s Church, the Museum and the Clive’s House are top attractions, there is every chance of a visitor being unaware of one edifice, dating back to the fort’s early years, located on the very end of a street with a peculiar name.

Yet, that is not an unfortunate aspect. For, the worst thing is that the structure lies in ruins. A glimpse is enough to suggest that its protector, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), has given up on the building.

The structure in question is a three-storied house, and referred to as the ‘last house on the left of Snob’s Alley’. Although there are a few people who will point out its other name – St Thomas Street, official documents, including those of ASI, refer to the lane as the Snob’s Alley.

It is an unusual name considering ‘snob’ is a term used to refer to a person who has an exaggerated sense of social position or superiority over others. Writing in his blog, historian V Sriram, who has an extensive knowledge of the fort’s heritage, states: “Given that no historical record before 1920 mentions this, the name (Snob’s Alley) appears to be of relatively recent origin.” Whether it was coined after Independence is really anyone’s guess.

According to Sriram, the street had 21 houses and godowns in it, including the town hall, where history was made when the Corporation of Madras came into existence on September 29, 1688.

Although several of those buildings have been lost in time, the last house holds a special value as it is the oldest in the fort. “It is probably of the same vintage as the old Fort House that is now enclosed within the Assembly building,” Sriram writes.

A pale shadow of its past, the house is supported by several steel poles. While there is a thick growth of vegetation by its side, rubble lies piled up inside the building. Discarded plastic covers are strewn all over the place. “More pertinently, it is being used as a public urinal. During my visit last month, I saw a couple of people relieving themselves,” R Rahul, an IT professional said.

According to a Union Ministry of Culture data (refer to the box) submitted to the Lok Sabha last month, the ASI had allocated just Rs 1.07 lakh for maintaining the last house during 2014-18. The King’s Barracks (Rs 71,470) and the last house have been allotted the least funds among the monuments inside the fort during the aforesaid period. Incidentally, just metres away from the last house is the ‘Big Warehouse’, another protected ASI monument. But, while workers are busy restoring it, the last house sadly doesn’t get the same treatment.

When contacted, an ASI official spoke about previous failed efforts to restore the last house. “Around three years ago, a proposal with an estimate was sent by the local unit of the ASI to the HQ. After inspecting the building, the director (conservation) said the structure cannot be restored and recommended that it be removed from the list of protected monuments,” the official said, on condition of anonymity.

But, Sriram refuses to believe the house has degenerated to such an extent that it is beyond salvage. “The major challenge to its stability is the vegetation that has been allowed to grow nearby. The building can certainly be restored to a great extent if there is timely intervention,” the historian told DT Next.