Thalassery History

History of Thalassery

In the Year 1682 , The British established their presence in Kerala , when they obtained permission from the Vadakkilamkur Prince of Kolattunad to settle at Thalassery. In the following years, the British presence in the state of Kerala strengthened. During this period, there were many organised revolts held by the natives of the region against the empire. Among them was the revolt of 1704, organised by natives of Thalassery. This revolt was quickly crushed by the British forces due to its localized, non-nationalistic nature. The town of Thalassery was a major commercial center during the British rule of India due to its Coastal location. During the British rule, the Malayalam name Thalassery was anglicised into Tellichery. The British built a seaport in Thalassery through which a variety of spices such as pepper and cardamom were exported .

In the year 1708, the British built Thalassery Fort by the sea to protect and control the spice trade from the town. A ship wreckage of these merchant caravans is visible near the shore of Thalassery.For the ship wrecked in 1806 see Tellicherry (ship).The square fort, with its massive walls, secret tunnels to the sea and huge, intricately carved doors, is an imposing structure. The fort, once the nucleus of Thalassery’ s development, is now an historical monument. In the year 1781, this fort was attacked unsuccessfully by the ruler and military commander of Mysore , Hyder Ali .The British also established the district judicial court in Thalassery. During the British rule, jurisdiction of Thalassery Court extended up to Mysore .One of the popular tourist spots in the town,Overbury’s Folly , was built by E. N. Overbury a local British judge in the 1870s.