Tamil Nadu Timeline

EconomyBritish Crown rule

Spencer's begins trading in Madras

· Chennai

Spencer's started as a small business in Madras in 1864 and grew into what was then the largest department store in Asia.

Spencer's began as a small business in Madras in 1864. It grew into a department store that was at the time described as the biggest in Asia. The firm was one of the British-owned commercial houses, alongside Parry's, Binny's and Higginbotham's, that shaped Madras's commercial life. Its original building was later destroyed by fire.

Related events

  1. 1814

    1. 1814ChennaiEconomy

      John Binny establishes Binny & Co in Madras

      Merchant John Binny, in Madras since 1797, established the firm of Binny & Co, one of the city's oldest mercantile houses.

  2. 1843

    1. 1 Jul 1843ChennaiEconomy

      Bank of Madras formed

      The Bank of Madras, one of the three Presidency banks, came into being through the merger of several banks in Madras.

  3. 1862

    1. 1 Jan 1862ChennaiLaw Justice

      Indian Penal Code comes into force

      Drafted under Macaulay and enacted in 1860, the Indian Penal Code took effect throughout British India, the Madras Presidency included.

  4. 1868

    1. 14 Dec 1868ChennaiCulture

      The Madras Mail newspaper founded

      Charles Lawson and Henry Cornish started The Madras Mail, an English-language evening daily that was published until 1981.

  5. 1869

    1. 1869ChennaiInfrastructure

      Carnatic Railway Company founded

      Founded in 1869, the Carnatic Railway Company combined with the Great Southern of India Railway in 1874 to create the South Indian Railway.

  6. 1921

    1. 27 Jan 1921ChennaiEconomy

      Bank of Madras merged into the Imperial Bank of India

      The Bank of Madras, one of three Presidency banks, was amalgamated with the banks of Bengal and Bombay to form the Imperial Bank of India.

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