Work among the students in Bombay was started, under the College Department, in a rented building in Girgaon Road in 1896 under the leadership of Frank Anderson, the College Secretary.

The well stocked Reading Room was used daily by about 60 students.

The programme included public lectures, debates and magic lantern talks.
At the turn of the century, the need for a building from which could radiate student activities to the four corners of the city was strongly felt and a search for a suitable plot instituted.

In August 1909, a plot of land 996 sq. yards in area, ‘at the corner of Girgaon Back Road and the new extension of Chunam Kin Lane to Sandhurst Road’, was purchased at a public auction from the City Improvement Trust.

The foundation stone of the building was laid on April 14, 1910 by the Governor of Bombay.

During the year 1908, a new Branch was established as an extension of the CMS Hostel at Dhanji Street. Membership was entirely Indian Christian and the language Marathi. Members were mostly from the factories.

To begin with there were 25 members and the programme was educational and religious.

In 1909, Dhanji Street was changed to Proctor Road. The Branch merged itself with the Student Branch when it was opened at Lamington Road in 1910.