Resident and Governor of Fort William John Beard passed away on this day, while in office. He was responsible for building a substantial part of the old Fort William.

The old fort was built by the British to preserve themselves from the Nawab of Bengal as well as other foreign traders in Bengal.

Governor Charles Eyre started its construction near the bank of the Hooghly River. The south-east bastion and the adjacent walls were built during his term (1699-1701). In 1700, the fort was named after King William III.

Eyre’s successor, John Beard, built the north-east bastion in 1701 and began the construction of the Government House, or factory, at the centre of the fort. The fort was completed in 1706.

In 1756, after Nawab of Bengal Siraj-ud-Daulah’s attack on the Fort and victory over the English, the new Fort William was built.

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