Utterly FASICNATING history of Cooke town and Fraser Town

Cooke Town was laid out in the early 1930s, again on a grid pattern. But even in the 1960s, many of the plots remained empty, much to the delight of children who grew up here. In the 1950s and 1960s, as the Anglo-Indians who lived here emigrated elsewhere, people from other communities began moving in.

Bangaloreans were reluctant to move to the new extension because it was ‘too far’ from everything. Until two merchants stepped in...

Rao Bahadur BP Annasawmy Mudaliar Merchant, contractor, philanthropist. Mudaliar was all this and more. In the early days of Fraser Town, Mudaliar realised people needed certain basic amenities before they could move in. Accordingly, he built a dispensary and a market and handed them over to the Municipality.

He also built a school for children of all castes and creeds.

Three roads in Fraser Town are named after his sons - Madhavaraya, Cheluvaraya and Achyutaraya.

Merchant, banker, philanthropist. Hajee Sir Ismail Sait was all this and more. It was he who donated land and money to build the mosque which is named after him. The road on which it stands was named Hajee Sir Ismail Sait Mosque Road.

He also built the Urdu school opposite the mosque and a musafirkhana or travellers’ rest house, which no longer exists. Sir Ismail Sait was known for his generous donations towards several hospitals, dispensaries, universities and orphanages in Bangalore and Mysore.

These merchant-philanthropists also built several small houses which they rented out to poorer people at very nominal rates.

Fraser Town is named after Stuart Mitford Fraser (1864-1963). He was appointed to the Indian Civil Service in 1884 as Assistant Collector in Bombay.

Fraser Town Born of a plague that claimed 10,000 lives!

https://www.newindianexpress.com/bengaluru/2017/Jun/14/towns-settle-into-the-city-1616744.html