Government Dock Year-1873 (Code : 076)

- Archival Photo Print

The creation of an official government dockyard was first proposed by the Portuguese when they took possession of the islands in 1532 and began to fortify its east coast. The construction of Bombay Docks, often called Government Dock, began only in 1735, when master shipwright from Surat, Lovji Nusserwanji Wadia, obtained a contract from the British East India Company for building docks and ships in Bombay.

Wadia built three docks – the “Upper Old Bombay Dock” in 1750, the “Middle Old Bombay Dock” in 1762 and the “Lower Old Bombay Dock” in 1765. The Wadia family continued in the shipbuilding business until well into its 7^th generation, constructing more than 400 ships from Malabar teak and bringing worldwide fame to the docks.

The building that housed the Great Western Hotel in the late 1800s is also one of the city’s oldest standing buildings. In 1764, it served as the residence of Governor Willian Hornby. Between 1770 and 1792, it was known as Admiralty House and was the residence of the Commander in Chief of the Indian Fleet. Around 1800, it was purchased by the Government and used as the Recorders Courthouse until 1878. In 1883 it was sold again and converted into a hotel known as the Great Western Hotel.

The hotel itself has long closed down, but the building remains and is called the Great Western Building.