The Bristol Hotel was opened by Mrs P Magre in 1897, in a double storey building that stood at the corner of Dharamtolla Street and Chowringhee Road with the address of 1, Chowringhee Road.The ground floor had the shops of Carr-Mahalanobis, C.C.Biswas , Calcutta Armoury, Gun Dealers. The hotel rooms were on the first floor. Earlier, a Hotel D’Europe operated from the same building which was run by Mrs Scott, of the Park Hotel in Darjeeling.

The Bristol subsequently  moved to  a larger  premises  next door on 2, Chowringhee Road.This multi floor twin building was capped by two  domes with a central staircase. This property still  exists  in a  condition that can be best described as totally dilapidated and one that is  crying out for care and repair and a rightful place in the  hetitage books of the City.

As per an advertisement of 1897, The Bristol boasts of a “Superior Billiards Saloon” and separate rooms for meals. It also claimed that it  stocked the best wines and spirits and  offered great cuisine.The Hotel was in service for years and  featured in the prominent hotels of Calcutta 1940. It probably lasted  in business for  another decade or more.

Trivia

Carr & Mahalonibis

This  was the shop on the ground floor of the hotel and sold records and football gear.

The “Carr” is the anglicized derivative of Sircar or Sarkar. “Carr” was Dr Nilratan Sircar, the famous physician and philanthropist after whom the government renamed Campbell Medical College. His partner was Prabodh Chandra Mahalonobis, father of Prasanta Chandra Mahalonobis, the scientist and applied statistician who gave the Mahalonobis Model. Carr & Mahalonobis were brothers- in- law in real life.