Thanks, Rolly. It was shopping row for the upper middle class ! Parsee and
Anglo cultured Ismailis dominated commerce, most were former students of our
school, Xaviers. The stately building that was the "Court of Claims of Small
Causes" dominated the block, and the very popular Advocate Tony Souza-Roy had
his rooms next door. It was Carnac Road, now Tilak, the short avenue also home
to GT Hospital, the Comm. of Police and our much loved Crawford Market where
Parsee owned stores used magic to stock hard to find goodies like English
chocolate and syrups, Swiss cheese and condensed milk.
Hira Building was all Goan ! Residents included at least two of our school
teachers - our 'buddy' Lobo, and the revered 'JC' of the 11th. The family that
ran Carmelo Caterers lived there, as did the five Mascarenhas brothers: Fr.
Frazer now heads the College. I do not remember the name of the doctor who was
also a City Council member, but he and his long time 'fiancee,' Olive Sanches,
my aunt, both lived there. Goan owned stores in the building and on the block
included a drug store, clothing - Gilbert Lawrence !, and wedding gowns.
My mother's retired WAC khakis were a prized possession - Tow Row Row to
the British Grenadiers ! Parsee operated, they were quartered in the Parsee
St. John Ambulance building on the Talao Circle. They did not function after
Bombay State was dissolved.
Needle Art may have been an Olive Sanches venture. She died in Washington
about fifteen years ago.
Selma, it was nice to revive these memories. eric.
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From: "roland.francis
The Womens Auxiliary Corps India was the Indian counterpart of Blighty's WAC.
It was a wartime women's volunteer group meant to help in the war effort like
the men's Home Guards which continues to exist in India today although as an
armed paramilitary police division.
Eric should be able to dwell at length on the WACI as his mother was in the
Corps if I recall.
If by Hira Building you mean the one on Carnac Bunder in the Crawford Market
area, Eric and I both remember it well as it was a block or two away from our
Alma Mater St Francis the Goan (not really) Xavier of Dhobitalao fame otherwise
known in highbrow circles as St. Xaviers, Fort.
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Also can anyone recall a Bombay Womens Institute of Needle Art and Domestic
Science in Hira Bldg. And if you can describe the area around Hira building
mid-century, I would be very grateful. Was it a rough neighbourhood? were there
brothels in that area? Hard-drinking men? Men given to violence and battering
their wives. Or was it a posh area?
,
Selma
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