Langford Town

Langford Town is located at the southern most part of the Cantonment, and at the southern entrance from Hosur (Osoour) Road. Beyond that are the Christain and Hindu Cemeteries, still further are the areas like Adgoodi, Koramangla, Madiwalla, Wilson Gardens, Jayanagar, Bannagatta to name a few. The four lane highway from Hosur Electronic Township converges abruptly into a single narrow road which is Hosur Road. One once side of the road as you enter the City you will find Cemetries, on the other, the Military School and Military Police parade grounds and Officer's Mess. This stretches till All Saints' Church and Clive Lines Reservoir which is opposite Johnson Market. Hosur Road ends with the junction of Richmond Road and Brigade Road. This area is called "Shoolay Circle". Don't be confused, a few healthy years ago, there used to be a circle!!! A traffic island! The same with "Richmond Circle"! Lets get back to the area of Langford Town. This Town has some defined boundaries and some not. East is Hosur Road where Elgin Electric Flour Mills existed, South by Cemeteries, West by Shantinagar which somewhat stretches along the one "Mud Tank" (today the Hockey Stadium), North by Langford Road itself, which has feeders from Rhenius Street, Walker Lane, Norris Road, Curley Street. Because of the number of photographs of only the 'old houses', this page may take a little time to come up. Please don't be too critical on my photographs, many were taken in a hurry, and with the light available, and doing this single-handed it can be tiring at times, some of these films were kept in the fridge till my finances were substantial to process them, but I will give you all that I have, and keep looking out as and when I can manage some funds. I was hoping someone would come forward to help sponsor this, but sorry, too bad no one is interested in the memories of Bangalore, Ronnie

Eagle Street is parallel to Hosur Road and is a 'dead-end' no puns from the Protestant Cemetery at the lower South end and Langford Road at the North which is the higher end.

There are about five houses that still are existing. The '6 Eagles' belonging to MC Abraham is well maintained and renamed 'Lisby'. This house was once owned by the 'Fox' family.

There are some artificets that remain from the past days, a peg in the ground where one can tie a horse and even scrape clean one's boots.

Going up two houses up on the same side (actually we are going down the road keeping these houses on our left), we come to Ronald Ringrow's old grande house ( the compound has been bifurcated into three sections, the adjoining house, the plot in front and the house itself).

Still with it's original mesh trellis, was apparently owned by the Bruntons, and bought by Edward and Elizabeth Mary Ringrow in the 40's. Ed was the Railway Technical Inspector with the Nizams Railway. Ronald the son recalled families that stayed on Eagle Street like Wostly LeSantos, Peggy Forgen, there also used to be a Treasure Chest Magazine run from one of the houses, the Norris family, Hope Cross, Maconchie, Cheaves, Glades Vernede, Faria, Puckridge to recall a few.

Another home more or less facing the ringrow house is that of Amir Rahmathulla who also has a well kept garden. However, quite in contrast is the adjoining home (below) which is 'marking time' for the 'death row', the tenants are moving out and could say much about the house.

The last old relic belonging to the Naidu family, and used to open on Langford Road, now that the compound has be bifucated, the house opens on Eagle Street, We will maintain that the house belongs to Langford Road and will speak about it when we come there.

Ambling along Berlie Street (which is a cross road to Eagle Street) from the juction of Eagle Street, one house has a play school extending it's life to give joy to little kiddos.

Going further westward on Berlie Street, we come to 'Lington' (Old 10 new5) once owned by CH Berge now owned by Mrs Lobo, the wife of the late Anthony Lobo and mother of Albert Lobo.

Albert, kindly spent time with me (1st August '98) going around Langford Town from old house to old house, as he is lived in that area. The neighbour was a BF Waddie amd Crisp. Opposite is a modified house once owned by Kholoff now property of ER Wilson called 'Milrit'.

Next, still on Berlie Street facing Olleff Road, we come across one of the houses (old 7 new 14) that was built around 1922 or so the tiles give the date (above). The portico has collapsed. This bungalow is also marking time for 'death row'.

Most of the other houses have been modified or changed beyond recognition from the original. An old top gives away the secret!

During a certain period of time, a new style of flat roof houses (above) seem to have sprouted clustering the bend of Berlie Street. 'Stella Maris', the home of Dr. Gerry Mascarenhas's mother, is one example. Nothing is left on Berlie Street to call 'old memories', se we turn right and enter Moyenville Road. We find some of the same flat roof houses at the begining.

We are greeted by Mukthar Ahmed's house ( previously owned by the Wilkinson family) which once more brings back the beauty of old bungalows.

A beautifully kept house of the owners of Ideal Motors also gives life to the area from across the road.

Garden City or so they call Bangalore, we do have many such bungalows in this area that have manicured areas of owners creation. A garden first greets you and then you are transported back into time. The unique designed roof top decoration of the house of Wing Commander John and Bina Philipose stands apart from any of the other houses around. The house opposite has the front modified beyond comparison to the old.

At the junctionof Olleff and Moyenville Roads, (above) is the old house of Mrs. Eavalil Verghese and Maya Verghese. (Old 4 new2) The garden is really enjoyable to be in. I havent come across such an assorted lot of flowers and colours. This house once belonged to a Mrs. Urse. I spent quite some time in this location as there was very much of 'old' in this bungalow. Very rarely does one come across an old pillar on the gate, the roof, the front poach, every original look is preserved. My brilliant classmate Anil Gupta lived next door. His house has become an apartment and he is in UK I think.

The house above is located opposite to the Varghese residence and is (now occupied by the construction workers) on death row waiting to be brought down. Thanks to the slump in land prices, some of the old buildings still survive. This house also has some unique designs.

Langford Road from Hosur end had some of the larger bungalows, very very few of them exist. The Naidus house (below) is one of them. Located at the corner of Eagle Street and Langford Road, is hidden away from the hussle and bussle. The silence in which these old houses remain brings out the serene peace and beauty that surrounds it.

Going West on Langford Road, is a well kept house (below) of Mrs. L Mascarenhas, owned by H Britto, there is also a neat landscaped garden. In fact in this area the house owners pride themselves with beautiful gardens. Of course, they do have an advantage of garden space.

The street opposite that runs to a deadend is called Bride Street, and has onlyone house that partly resembles an old house atmosphere. Owned by Col. Neville Dias. Noel, his brother was my classmate at St. Joseph's Boys' High School, Bangalore. This house has a large compound and a beautifully kept garden.

There may be one or two more old buildings on Langford Road just opposite the Berlie Street entrance, need to check it out as I did not have the time.

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