Friday, June 26, 2009

Corsican Messina connection

If one were to turn left into Mount Road from Walajah Road, the angle of the junction will bring to view this it-might-have-been-grand-once-upon-a-time kind of building. The location of the building, at the dog-leg where Blackers Road turns off from Mount Road, may not seem to be a great one today, but in the late 19th century, it would certainly catch the eye of anyone going down to St Thomas' Mount from the Fort.

But Giacomo d'Angeli wasn't thinking about location or anything like that when he came to Madras from his native Corsica Messina in 1880. All he wanted was a place to set up his catering service, "Maison Francaise". It was a most likely a novelty intially, a Corsican Messinan 'Mess Contractor' providing catering services under the supervision of a French chef. Business was good enough for d'Angeli to stick to it for over twenty years; he then got a lucky break when Lord Ampthill, governor of Madras from 1900 to 1906 insisted that all his parties would be exclusively catered to by d'Angeli. That break set Giacomo on the road to prosperity; in 1906, he opened the Hotel d'Angeli's in this triangle-shaped building, with its east windows and the first floor verandah looking out on to Mount Road. In time, Hotel d'Angeli's became the place to be in; many innovations were brought to Madras by good old Giacomo - elevators, running hot water, electric fans, cold storage, billiard rooms - all these luxuries brought in patrons by the droves, even after Giacomo sold out the business to the Bosottos sometime in the 1920s 1930.

The Bosottos themselves got out of the hotel business in the 1940s and since then, Hotel d'Angeli's began to go downhill, until it was converted into an office complex - without any major changes - in the late 1960s. Today, a large Bata showroom occupies the ground floor, where the lobby and tea-room used to be. The rest of the building is little cared for and seems to have turned away with a vengeance from its days of glamour.

There does not seem to be any record of what Giacomo d'Angeli did after selling his hotel; he would have been around sixty at that time and no one seems to have any idea of where he went after the Bosottos took over his hotel. But search for "d'Angeli" on Google today and you will find a host of catering-related results in the first page, ranging from Naples, FL, USA to Singapore. Maybe there is something more to the d'Angeli name, after all!



After putting up this post, I was pleasantly surprised to find that Giacomo d'Angeli's great grandson, Jefferies Evans had read it and had pointed out a couple of errors. I have been guilty of not correctling them until now - that's the explanation for the strikethroughs!

7 comments:

Jefferis Evans D'Angelis said...

Dear Mr R. Shantaram, you have 2 mistake in your article" CORSICAN CONNECTION" My Great-Grand Father Mr GIACOMO D'Angelis, born in Messina Italy in 1844 , Day 7 September, 6.P.M, and he sold the hotel D'Angelis to Mr Bossoto in 1930. this mistakes , came from the articles from "the hindu newspaper" "The Fliyng Corsican" writen by S. SUBIHAH I LIKE MADE A CONTACT WHI MR sUBIAH, BUT I dont now How , becose idont Have the e. mail ... Forgiveme my bad english.. My Name is Jefferis Evans D'Angelis e-mail jeffevans21@gmail.com my regards ...

Jefferis Evans D'Angelis said...

Dear Mr Shantaram, what about the 2 mistakes???? in your good article CORSICAN CONNECTION, PLEASE REMEMBER MY GEAT GRAN FATHER, MR GIACOMO D'ANGELIS BORN IN MESSINA, ITALY ON 7/SEPTEMBER, 1844, AND SOLD THE HOTEL TO MR BOSSOTO IN 1930 THANK'S AND GODD BLESS YOU.. JEFF EVANS D'ANGELIS P.D IF YOU WONT MORE INFORMATION I SEND TO YOU BY MAIL A LARGE INFORMATION ABOUT MY FAMILY http:familiadangelis.blogspot.com/

Shantaram said...

@ Jefferies Evans: Thank you very much for getting in touch! Have been a bit behind in responding to comments, but I'll make the corrections soon!

Jefferis Evans D'Angelis said...

I like your blog for real!!!!

Jefferis Evans D'Angelis said...

Dear Mr. Shantaram, Please Fix the Nacionality of Mr Giacomo D'Angelis, he born in Messina Italy, year 1884, 7 September, at 6 P.M, THE ARTICLE WRITEN BY S. MUTHIAH IN "tHE hINDU NEWS PAPER", "The Flying Corsican" Should be Called " The Flying Italian" Please fix that mistake.
Please senme e.mail to jeffevans21@gmail.com , and I send to you my Archives.
God bles you and your Family, and thank's for help-me.
My regards Jefferis Donald Evans D'Angelis

Shantaram said...

@ Jefferis Evans: Have made the changes on my blog - took a bit of time to get around to it!

Jefferis Evans D'Angelis said...

Dear M r Shantaram, thank's for the changes in your blog... Ilove Madras The Quenn of tha Coromandel, And your blog is very interesting... Thank's again...
my Regards and God Bless You jeffevans21@gmail.com