The ruined house of Lord Harris, responsible for introducing cricket in India, will soon get a makeover from the Mumbai Municipality.
The dilapidated building in south Mumbai was used as a municipal school till 2008. After it became too risky to hold classes there and the authorities declared the building “dangerous,” the students were shifted to four outhouses.
George Robert Canning, known as Lord Harris, was the Governor of Bombay from 1890 to 1895. The three-storey residence, constructed in the 19th century, is known as the Lord Harris Semi English Municipal School. This heritage building is now a leaky, ramshackle structure, supported by metal poles at some places.
Born in Trinidad, Lord Harris was a right-hand batsman and represented England’s Test cricket team. According to different authors, he was responsible for sending the first team from England to India to play ‘Test’ cricket. However, his tenure as Bombay Governor is infamous for communal riots in the city.
The building stands near the famous Metro Cinema. With the gates closed to prevent trespass into the school premises and the public toilet adjacent to the compound wall, it is almost impossible to recognise the heritage structure.
The successive incidents of roof collapse have put the lives of over 196 students in danger. Despite repeated pleas to the municipality, the building was not repeated for over six years.
Vinod Shelar, chairman of the municipality’s education committee, told The Hindu that the restoration work was likely to begin in February.
Mukesh Mahida, president of the school management committee, a joint body of parents and teachers, explains the uniqueness of the school. “Do you know from where some of these kids in the primary section come,” he asked. Without waiting for a reply, he answered: “As far away as Vasai and Nalasopara,” almost 50 km away.
“Their parents work here. They are either domestic help or workers in South Mumbai markets. They don’t want their kids to be at home alone, so they enrol them here. The kids come early morning, study and leave with their parents late in the afternoon,” he said.
