Photographer Uncovers His Family's 250-Year Chennai Legacy

When Zhayynn James attended his grand-aunt Kitty's funeral, he kept hearing whispers about the Seven Wells and an Irishman who saved Madras. He realized his family's remarkable 250-year history was slipping away with each passing generation.

The 50-year-old landscape architect and award-winning wildlife photographer grew up in Chennai hearing fragmented stories. His mother's family, the Nicholases, descended from an Irish hero named John Nicholas who protected the city's water supply during Hyder Ali's siege in the 1780s.

For his courage, the East India Company made Nicholas and his descendants the official Custodians of the Seven Wells. The neighborhood in North Madras housed wells that became British India's first piped water supply to Fort St George.

Zhayynn knew the window was closing. The older relatives who remembered the details were fading, and his own generation barely knew the stories existed.

Three moments changed everything. First, Chennai historian S Muthiah pointed him to archival books that confirmed the Nicholas family's role. Second, he discovered Nicholas Square at St Roque's Cemetery in Washermanpet, where generations of his ancestors were buried.

Third, his wife Vaishali gave him a camera and constant encouragement. She pushed him to finish the book before his 50th birthday.

In October 2023, Zhayynn finally started writing. Six months later, he completed "The Keeper of the Wells," a historical novel spanning continents and centuries.

Why This Inspires

The book launched at Victoria Public Hall, the same Romanesque building featured in its opening pages. Historian Sriram V told the crowd how important such stories are for igniting historical imagination.

The novel weaves together battle scenes, romance, and family moments against the backdrop of colonial Madras. Zhayynn researched church records with his mother, piecing together fragments into a complete narrative.

One family legend stands out. John Nicholas supposedly etched a map of his prison fort onto his thumbnail to aid his escape.

The custodianship lasted 125 years, passing through eight generations. Zhayynn represents the eighth generation, possibly the last to know the full story.

By turning family oral history into a published novel, he's ensured the Nicholas legacy won't become just another forgotten footnote in Chennai's past. The Anglo-Indian contribution to India's history now has one more documented chapter.