1 Cochin

1

May-June 2008 Cochin

2 History of Chronicle
Aspinwall
TRACING 150 YEARS OF THE CITY’S HISTORY
3 Tragedy at the Cochin Chamber of Commerce and Industry newsletter
Pullingode Rubber
Estate BACK IN TIME

5 When Vasco da Curry puffs and Claus on elephant-back
Gama first came to
Calicut Karen Shaw has a happy ‘homecoming’ fifty years after she
left Kerala with her parents
6 A Peirce Leslie
documentary that Santa Claus riding in has returned with ease the pain of a broken nine, Karen, who was
shows a different husband Gerry and some jaw and Joey had born in Neyyar in 1947,
Kerala on the back of an lovingly-preserved watched over him.After has some memories of
photos, taken in the the war, the couple came “being one of the
7 Dressed to kill? elaborately decorated 1940s and 50s of the old to Kerala. naughtiest girls in school”,
Did the clerks streets of Cochin and the Though the Taylors left
manage to carry elephant for the estates, where she lived Kerala when she was Continued on page
off the east-west with her parents.
amalgam? Christmas celebration Karen’s father
Edward, or
8 From the Minutes at the Cochin Club; Jimmy as he was
book: The Cochin called, had served
Electric Scheme the photographs are in in the IndianArmy
during WWII and
black and white, but met her mother,
Joey, who was a
the memories come nurse working in
South Africa.
flooding back in full Jimmy had drunk
some alcohol to
colour. Over fifty

years since her family

left Kerala for

England, Karen Shaw,

whose father Edward

Hugh Taylor,

managed the

Bonacaud tea estate

near Ponnmudi in

Thiruvananthapuram,

School for action

CUSAT’s prestigious management school was started in premises borrowed from FACT

It started out as an education institute in an improvised location with a class that had a student,
who at 48 years, was older than the institute’s director. But today, Cochin University of Science
and Technology (CUSAT) is one of the leading institutes in the country with more than 20
faculties, 30 departments and 8,000 students.

Continued on page 7

2

A LITTLE HISTORY electricity generation was managed by
them in British Cochin.
Riding the crest In 1871, Aspinwall formed a
partnership in London with Archibald
Aspinwall changed hands a few times and went through a few upheavals Scott, but in 1874, the firm ran into
before the company took the shape it has today financial difficulties and a mortgage
was made of the Cochin properties to
There is something about Aspinwall The premises were extended in 1853 things went awry when Oughterson a creditor in London. The debt was
that makes it seem not only a business by taking over from the collector of failed in his contract with the finally settled in 1897. In the
organisation, but as a real part of the the East India Company a 99-year lease Travancore state, resulting in lawsuit meantime, W.N. Black, who is
history of Fort Cochin. Perhaps it is of the adjoining plot, called and losses. He then sold up to the Scott considered the real architect of
the name, which suggests an old- Albuquerque Basin, which was named brothers, Archibald and Michael, who Aspinwall, was made a partner in the
world grandeur, and perhaps it is the after Albuquerque, who lead a were running Ritchie Stewart & Co firm.
majestic waterfront office that was the Portuguese expedition to Cochin and in Bombay. It is at this point that J.H. Aspinwall, who travelled frequently
company’s head-office till recently, landed here in 1503. Aspinwall first makes his entry. He between Cochin and London, died in
before it shifted base to a more modern The partnership between Oughterson was taken into partnership by the London on September 11, 1884. His
premises in Edapally in Ernakulam. and Campbell was dissolved in 1851 Scott brothers and put in charge of death was mourned in Cochin and
Aspinwall, whose core businesses and Oughterson started trading the Cochin enterprise. flags were flown at half mast. He was
include shipping and logistics, coffee, independently. He was a leader of the Ritchie Stewart & Co suffered a crash not only a businessman, but had taken
rubber and coir, traces its origins to business community in Cochin and due to speculation in cotton trading a keen interest in the civic activities of
Oughterson Campbell & Co. It was was, in fact, the chairman of the during the American Civil War in 1867 Cochin and served as vice-president
established in 1844 and was one of the inaugural meeting of the Cochin and the entire assets of the Scott of the Fort Cochin Municipality from
first organised trading ventures in Chamber of Commerce held on Brothers firm in Cochin were 1875 to 1878. He was also president of
Cochin. J.Oughterson and Campbell, December 28, 1857. transferred to the managing partner, the Cochin Chamber of Commerce in
the partners in the company, did Initially, his business in timber was Aspinwall. The firm took the name 1870. In his book Cochin Saga, Robert
business in timber, ship building and prosperous with lucrative contracts Aspinwall & Co on June 30, 1867. Bristow, the engineer of the Cochin
general trading. with the state of Travancore. Ship During the early years, the company Port says that Aspinwall was a strong
The large free-hold property on the building was a thriving business in traded mainly in coconut oil, pepper, advocate for the harbour. A
waterfront in Calvetty, Fort Cochin, Cochin and the state, reportedly, timber, spices and gradually coir, commemorative plaque in Fort
on which the Aspinwall offices were supplied hulls for frigates. In fact, a coffee, tea and rubber. Cochin’s St Francis Church marks his
situated for over a century and a half, portion of the Aspinwall property was Interestingly, Andrew Vance Dunlop legacy: “John Hutchinson Aspinwall,
was bought in a court auction in 1846. reserved for shipbuilding. However, Best, the manager Aspinwall instituted for many years a merchant of this
in Madras would later marry his town and ever a warm promoter of its
daughter, and the Madras and east interests.”
coast business were given to the young After the death of Aspinwall, W.N.
couple as a wedding present. This was Black was joined by E.H. Black in
later to become Best & Crompton and managing the firm. The company
Aspinwall was to act as agents for suffered a near crisis when a fire,
Crompton Engineering Co when started on sailing crafts moored off
the Cochin premises, spread to the
(Far left) J.H.Aspinwall; warehouses and destroyed stocks. The
(right) Chairman His Highness excellent relationship that the Black
Marthanda Varma; The old brothers had build with the local
Aspinwall office on the Fort trading community, however, helped
Cochin waterfront them tide over the crisis.
The Black brothers gradually started
moving into the background and E.H.

Aspinwall died in

London on September

11, 1884. His death was

mourned in Cochin and

flags were flown at half

mast. He was not only a

businessman, but had

taken a keen interest in

the civic activities of

Cochin and served as

vice-president of the Fort

Cochin Municipality from

1875 to 1878.

3

Extending the Wall

Aspinwall came to a rewarding agreement with British Indian Steam With the expansion in business, Aspinwall acquired the leasehold
Navigation Co, belonging to the well-known Inchcape Gp, for major right of an island called Ramanthuruthu, situated in the Cochin
steamer agency representation. W.N. Black was a close friend of backwaters in 1912. Ramanthuruthu derived the name of Candle
Lord Inchcape, who offered the agency to Aspinwall and promised Island as the company initially used to stock candle manufactured
that it would not be transferred back during the lifetime of Black by the Indo-Burmah Petroleum Company for which Aspinwall were
even if Inchcape established its own subsidiary in Cochin. the agents. This was the only source of candles in those days.
Accordingly, the BISN agency was transferred to Madura Company
only after Black’s death. The Pullicoon Coffee Curing Works at Tellicherry, originally owned
by Arbothnot & Co and Alstons Coffee Works was acquired and a
Towards the end of the 19th century Aspinwall traded in coir yarn small trading office established in Mangalore in 1920. The manager’s
and in 1904 acquired the Cabral Yard property and established the bungalow, situated on a scenic spot on a hill in Tellicherry, was sold
hydraulic baling press for coir yarn in Cochin. The property gets its to A.K. Kaderkutty Sahid, a friend of the company. The bungalow,
name from Portuguese navigator Cabral, who made the first shipment mentioned in historical records, still maintains its old style and
of merchandise from Cochin in 1500. grandeur.

In the early 20th century, the company entered into a contract with Aspinwall pioneered rubber plantations in Periyar and Preekani
the Cochin forest department and the Kolar Gold Mining Company estates near Alwaye. Since 1936, the company exported rubber and
for procurement and supply of timber. The Trichur Saw Mill was the purchasing agents for Firestone Tyre and Rubber Company.
Company was inaugurated by the Maharaja of Cochin, but the
business soon folded up.

Cooper became the manager of the Tragedy in Pullangode
company.Aspinwall attained corporate
status with the formation of a limited “My dearest little wife,” wrote Winifrid writes: “ When the servant) and the other servants to
company in 1910. Apart from the Black Stanley Patrick Eaton, manager at unrest started the District make off into the jungle above the
brothers, Cooper joined the board and Pullangode Rubber Estate, commissioner, Mr Thomas, in bungalow, while he raced down
acted as managing director. A.D. Nilampur, at 11:45 am on August Calicut advised the hanful of to the apthecary’s house, which
Peacock, who was with the company 22, 1921. “It is a bad show here. rubber planters in Nilambur was a little away from our
till 1973, served as the last English They have started this morn to Valley that it might be advisable bungalow. There he gave Raman
managing director. set fire to lots of places.” A few to get their wives and families up Nair a short letter for me and
In 1956, Aspinwall changed form from minutes after writing to his wife to Ootacamund in case there helped them to make haste away
a private limited to a public limited Winifrid, Eaton was killed by a were any disturbances. That there through several rubber fields up
company with the sale of a small part violent mob that chased him from was every cause to fear just such a hill towards the jungle, which
of its shares. The major shares were his bungalow at Pullangode. He happening was amply justified by ringed the estate close to the upper
held by a London based company called was one of the thousands of the reports of religious unrest fields….
Vavasseur & Co. Ltd. The first major victims of the Malabar Rebellion coming in from the local police He forgot that his on estate ranger
sale of Aspinwall shares was to of 1921. posts all around us.” also a Moplah, had a fun, and it
Narayanan Investment Trust (Pvt) Over 85 years later, Eaton’s last So, Eaton took his wife and her was he —racing up towards the
Ltd, a company in which the letter came to light. Winifrid’s mother to his friend’s tea estate now yelling mob seeking the
Travancore royal family had interests. grandson, Al McLeod stumbled at Devarashola, Nilgris. He people from the bungalow— who
The majority shares were acquired by upon the letter and a few other returned to Pullangode because saw Stanley running toward
the Travancore royals in 1971. documents regarding that tragic he had some urgent business. A ‘Kerala’ and shot him in the hip.
S.Vaidyanatha Aiyar, private secretary incident. “I found the letter in a few house after he reached the By that time the vanguard of the
to the Travancore Maharaja acted as suitace of old photographs and bungalow at Pullangode, he saw fanatical mob were in sight and
chairman of the company from letters, through my smoke coming up from the they closed in on him as he lay
February 1971 to March 1972. grandmother’s time in India,” says direction of the rubber factory in helpless and hacked him to bits.”
Thereafter, Her Highness Maharani Al. Among the documents is a the valley, some hundred feet Winifrid came to know of her
Setu Parvathi Bayi became chairman detailed, well-written account, below. That was when he began husband’s death only several days
and C.R.R. Varma became managing running into five typed pages, by to write his letter. later in Ooty through a newspaper
director in 1979. Winifrid of what happened to her Winifrid writes: “At this, Stanley report. Raman Nair had later
While the company’s strength is its husband. Pat ordered the boy (chief narrated to her the course of
shipping wing, among others such as events that led to Stanley’s death.
coir, rubber and coffee, it has also made
its entry into sectors such as tourism
and ITES, under its current chief
executive N.R. Pai.

4

Continued from page 1 Ltd lived. “They might have met
and fallen in love on the ship that
being treated to curry puffs on they came over in,” says Karen,
special nights and having to wash who retired as a physiotherapist.
hands in buckets of water kept The young couple were married
outside the dinning halls. Karen at St Francis Church. And since
went to school in St Hilda’s in they did not have any children,
‘snooty Ooty’, and for the Karen was like a daughter to
holidays came down to Fort them.
Cochin, where her father’s sister Karen and Gerry went through
Bess and husband Jack the old marriage register of St
Kempson Hopkins, chairman Francis and got a fresh copy of
and GM of Aspinwall and Co.

Karen went to school in St Hilda’s in ‘snooty Ooty’,
and for the holidays came down to Fort Cochin,
where her father’s sister Bess and husband Jack
Kempson Hopkins, chairman and GM of
Aspinwall and Co. Ltd lived. “They might have
met and fallen in love on the ship that they came
over in,” says Karen,

the marriage certificate made. chanting and circling the
“We found that it is surprisingly bungalow in which the family
easy to find old records,” says lived. “It was a frightening
Gerry, who worked with Marks moment and a turning point for
& Spencers. “At the church and my family,” she says. “My
even at St Hilda’s, we just had parents then made the decision
to provide a date and the old to return to England.”
books are there for your Karen’s earliest memories of
perusal.” While the records England are of how cold it was
seem easy enough for find, and being amazed by the snow.
some of the old sites in the “I remember sitting around coal
photos are proving surprisingly fires,” she says. She feel,
difficult to track. There are however, that life back in Barrow
pictures of a couple of grand old Inverness, where they lived, did
bungalows in Fort Cochin that not agree with her father. “The
have, apparently, been pulled lifestyle was different and more
down. stressful in England and he did
Karen vividly remembers the not know anything other than to
event that led the family to uproot be a planter,” she says. He died
themselves from Kerala and aged 55.
return to England. When the But nearly 50 years, walking
Communist movement gained down the old streets, visiting the
strength in the state, there were old dorms, classrooms and
agitations on the plantations. estates, it has been a “happy
Karen remembers a mob homecoming”.

5

IT’S AN OLD STORY

Vasco comes to Cochin

Malabar Collector William Logan’s erudite Malabar Manual, first published in 1887, contains fascinating details of Vasco da
Gama’s arrival in Calicut and his meeting with the Zamorin. Here is an abbreviated account taken from the Manual of that
momentous meeting

Vasco da Gama’s fleet consisted of authorities tried to put him off by king’s justice was accepted as a hostage. white feather fastenend under a
three small vesels called the San making him wait. He had, however, Intrigues were rife, however, and splendid medal and a valuable enamel
Raphael (his own ship, 100 tonnes), been forewarned by a Castilian who when da Gama made his first attempt collar on his shoulders and a rich sash
the San Gabriel (his brother Paulo da was already settled in Calicut, and da to land, he found that the Zamorin with a handsome dagger”.
Gama’s ship, 120 tonnes) and the San Gama refused to deliver his message was not present in Calicut, but that he He must have cut a grand figure, but
Miguel (commanded by Nicholas to anyone but the king. After some would be taken by force and da Gama the Zamorin was not to be outdone.
Coelho, 50 tonnes). Each ship carried delay, the king gave his sanction on a re-embarked.
His appearance is described as “a very

eighty men, officers, seamen and palm leaf for opening trade, but When the authorities realised that the dark man, half-naked and clothed with
servants. They had intended to hit the apparently, “the Portuguese were Portuguese were playing their cards white cloths on which were threaded
Cambay, but a broker provided by the supplied with nothing in the way of shrewdly, they arranged the interview. several gold rings with large rubies
king of Melinde, directed them to goods but rubbish, and scantily even Da Gama appeared at the meeting which made a great show.” On his left
with that”.The foreigners were patient accompanied by 12 men of “good arm, he wore a bracelet, which was
Calicut.
Apparently, the crew were told that through this, but when the Muslim appearance and well dressed”. He studded with rich jewels, and hanging
the first land that they set eyes on in traders intervened to prevent them himself was “in a long cloak coming from it was a diamond of the thickness
the Malabar coast would be a great from getting even this, da Gama asked down to his feet of tawny-coloured of a thumb. He wore strings of
mountain, which the local people call for an audience with the Zamorin. satin, line with smooth brocade, and hazelnut sized pearls around his neck,

Delielly. Logan’s Manual says,“they call But this would mean taking a hostage underneath a short tunic of blue satin, apart from a thin gold chain, with a
it Mount Dely, because in this to ensure da Gama’s safety. By the and white buskins, and on his head a pendant in the form of a heart,
mountain, there were so many rats Castilian’s advice, the nephew of the cop with lappets of blue velvet, with a surrounded with large pearls and full

that they never could of rubies and a large

make a village there”.The emerald. According to

expedition moved from the Castilian, all these

Mout Dely to jewels belongs to the

Cannanore, which was ancient treasury of the

described as a “large kings of Calicut. His

town of thatched houses long, dark hair was

inside a bay”. Finally, gathered up and tied on

they moored at Calicut. top of his head, also

According to the decorated with pearls

Manual, the intrigues larger than the rest. He

started even before the wore many gold

foreigners touched foot earrings.

on land. The Muslims, On either side of the

apparently, had the Zamorin stood page

monopoly of trade in boys, one who held a

Europe through the the jeweled shield and

Red Sea and the Persian another with a gold cup

Gulf, were very jealous into which the king, who

of the newcomers and was handed betel leaves,

sought to nip their spat.

ambitions in the bud. Da Gama on meeting

The three figures in the king made

authority under the “profound salutations”.

Zamorin; the overseer of The king responded by

the treasury, the king’s bowing his head and

justice and the chief body a little, touched the

officer of the place When da Gama sent Nicholas Coelho on shore with a message to tip of his fingers to da
guard; were bribed to Gama and offered him
obstruct the expedition. the Zamorin asking him to sanction trade, the authorities tried to a seat. Da Gama declined

When da Gama sent put him off by making him wait. He had, however, been the offer, and during the

Nicholas Coelho on forewarned by a Castilian who was already settled in Calicut, and interview, he pressed for
shore with a message to da Gama refused to deliver his message to anyone but the king. freedom to trade in the
the Zamorin asking him produce of the kingdom,

to sanction trade, the explaining what he could

give in return.

6

GLIMPSE OF THE PAST

A century through cinema Cochin Chronicle, a
Cochin Chamber of
A Peirce Leslie documentary made in 1962 shows not only the company’s Commerce & Industry
growth, but also a Kerala from a very different era newsletter, is printed and
published by the Cochin
When English trading company the agricultural wealth and prospects western markets and the coconut Chamber of Commerce &
Peirce Leslie crossed the hundred- of Kerala, which the company tree; known locally as the tree of
year milestone of trading out of the nurtured. wealth. However, in 1912, Industry
south coast of India in 1962, it Some of the trading figures seem apparently, the export of coconut oil
commissioned a film to celebrate the staggering: the company bought stopped. Peirce Leslie & Co. Ltd PO Box No 503, Bristow
occasion. The result is Century in 14,000 tonnes of cashew every year shipped container-loads of the Road, Willingdon Island,
Malabar, a 30-minute documentary and the Mysore factory had 1,500 produce to Europe. The film shows
on the “history of Peirce Leslie & people employed in cashew a couple in Germany enjoying a cup Cochin- 682 003
Co. Ltd; 1862-1962” made by David processing. There is a quaint charm of coffee that is “most likely from
Bolland, who worked with the in the depiction of women working the company estates”. Coir was used Tel: +91 484 2668349,
company in London and after the at the factory grading cashew as a trellis in the hopp fields in 2668650
war, rejoined them in Calicut. In according to its size. They all wear Kent. Hopp is used in the
1967, he became the last general flowers in their neatly-tied hair and production of beer,“an important Fax: +91 484 2668651
manager of Peirce Leslie and multi-coloured glass bangles. commodity in life in Britain”. The
oversaw its transformation into an There were, apparently, four main company was the largest shipper of Editor
Indian public company, becoming its items of produce that attracted cashew shell liquid which was used Anna Mathews
managing director in 1968. He merchants to Kerala: coffee, pepper, in brake lining “in most of the
retired to Somerset in 1971. ginger; which had great demand in aircrafts landing at London airport”. Please route suggestions
The film, shot in colour and mostly Apart from these, the company, and feedback to
in Kerala, where the company had which ranks among the 12 oldest
its main offices, is interesting not agencies of Lloyds, also exported, to [email protected]
only for the history it traces of the the west, annatto seeds for or
firm, but also for its depiction of colouring cheese, beeswax for
very different, almost forgotten polishing furniture, Coulus indicus [email protected]
lifestyle in the southern Indian used in medicine and bone grist for Contributions are
state. Century in Malabar captures use in fertilizers among other
the quieter landscape from the times things. The company also welcome. If you have any
and books of Takazhi Shivasanka pioneered aerial spraying by interesting stories from
Pillai and O.V. Vijayan.“Even today, helicopters in the rubber estates in
the most common form of road Kerala. yesteryear Cochin,
transport is the bullock cart and Peirce Leslie & Co. Ltd set up please mail us on the
water transport, the vallom,” offices and factories in Cochin and
according to the film commentary, Calicut in 1862, and soon expanded above address.
which gives an insight not only into to Tellicherry in 1870, Combatore
the evolution of the trading in 1887, Mangalore in 1895, Allepy was one of the Peirce Leslie agencies
company set up by Robert Hodges in 1921 and Kundara in 1940. till 1920.
Peirce and Patrick Leslie, and of These were followed by offices in Each local office seems to have
Bangalore and Mysore. Of course, specialised in a particular product.
photo there was also a London office. Tellicherry was mainly responsible
Calicut was the head-office. Dunlop for coffee curing, cashew nuts were
processed in Kundara and Mysore.
The Allepy factory was known for
its high-quality coir matting.
Though the company was set up by
Peirce and Leslie, it was under P.S.
Wilkinson, who was head of the
firm for 40 years, that it made its
mark. Leslie had returned to
London. Peirce stayed on, but died
14 years later in Calicut. His son,
HRG Peirce, was tea controller for
south India, before he set up
Cochin-based Forbes, Ewart and
Figgis, one of the biggest tea-auction
houses in India.

7

Some have it and some… fake it!

If you think some the fashions Senior company clerks wore a illustration
that kids today follow are monkey cap or turban, and sported
unpalatable, it would require kudumis (hair tied in a knot).
a strong sense of stoicism to The style crisis worsens when
keep a straight face if you were your eyes travel down to the socks,
to travel back about a hundred usually purple in colour, held up
years to take a glimpse of the with garters and worn with
sartorial sense of the Indian mundu or dhoti. This was tied
clerical staff who worked in over a shirt with several gold
English companies, such as buttons and a jacket. If the person
Aspinwall, Peirce Leslie and was well-to-do, he would take it
Pat Woldstock. further and carry a large gold
Quite apart from being a watch with a chain, and rubies in
stylistic horror, the amalgam of their ears. And just in case, this
eastern and western dress- look was not intimidating enough,
sense that they adopted was they carried a walking stick to add
not ideal for our humid climes. to the grandeur.
But apparently,‘clothes maketh Local people were not used to
a man’ and the heat did not wearing stitched clothes, which
matter as long as the Indian was perhaps wise in this weather.
babus stood out from the local The clerks, however, who adopted
people. And stood out they elements of the western attire and
must have with their topis that worked in offices with no fans,
looked like pith helmets. just sweat a lot.

continued from page 1

“It was quite adventurous building the school from ground up, got its university status in 1972. The students applying today are probably
quite literally,” says M.V. Pylee, who retired as vice-chancellor of the unaware of the makeshift beginnings of the prestigious institute. Today,
university. The institute started with a management school, which thousands apply for the 30 full-time management seats open every year.
came as a recommendation from the Delhi-based All India Council The school has been authorised by the Kerala government to provide consultancy
for Technical Education. An expert committee sent by the council to small scale and public sector enterprises. Its services have been availed by the
suggested that the school be started in Cochin. Pylee, who was a Department of Industries, the Civil Supplies Corporation and the Planning
professor of management first at Delhi University and later at Board. The school also actively supports research in management and related
Hyderabad’s Administrative Staff College, was contacted by the areas, such as entrepreneurial development, development administration,
then vice-chancellor of Kerala University, the sole university in the commerce and functional areas of finance, systems, marketing, human resources
state then, to set up the management school. and operations management.
President V.V. Giri inaugurated the institute in 1964. “I was told
that all facilities would be made available by Fertilisers And Chemicals
Trust, which is where classes were held for the first couple of years,”
says Pylee. The management school started with evening classes,
and all the students were working managers nominated by their
companies for the two courses —industrial and business management
—on offer. It was a good five years before women started applying for the
course. “Unlike today, when there is no novelty for bikes and cars, in
those days, it was quite funny to see the students cars and bikes parked
outside class,” says Pylee.
Like the premises, the lecturers were also borrowed and part-time.“People
who held high managerial posts were appointed in part-time positions. It
was only over the next five years that I appointed eight full-time faculty.”
Later, 180 acres was acquired for the university in Aluva. Governor
Bhagwan Sahai inaugurated the new premises in 1967. Soon, physics,
Hindi, law and mathematics departments were set-up. The institution

8

A PAGE FROM THE MINUTES BOOK
Minutes from a meeting that proposed to put an ‘electric scheme’ in motion

Meeting held at 11 am on the 11th Ernakulam and that Mr Dryden of that Company had told him that
March 1919 a similar power installation sufficient to fans and lights for European
Present: Messers E.H. Cooper houses and offices could be placed in Cochin at a cost of about Rs
A. Bueler 35,000. or double the power sufficient for all requirement of Cochin
H.E. Day at less than double that cost.
C.H. Hodgson Resolved that Chamber wait until the representatives of Messers
D.A. Cuthbert Cromptons and Siemens have visited Cochin and thay they be asked
S. Deane to give us full information so that arrangements can be made by
J. Dell which lights and fans would be obtained at the earliest possible
moment.
Cochin Electric Scheme: The
Chairman reported that Messrs This was followed by a meeting on January 8, 1920
Crompton’s representative from
Madras would be coming to It was proposed by Mr Cole seconded by Mr Jones that the joint
Cochin shortly to enquire scheme for supply of electricity by Messrs Geo Brunton & Sons and
further regarding the scheme Cromptons as oulined in the letter written by Mr Harris to the
they had placed before the chairman under date 6th, should be supported by the Chamber.
Chamber. Mr A.R. Shaw also
informed the meeting that he understood that one of Messers Meeting of July 21, 1921. The scheme hits a
Siemens’ people was also expected to be coming here in the same roadblock.
connection.
The Honorary Secretary reported that the Dewan of Cochin had Read letter from Messrs Crompton Engineering Co. Ltd, Madras,
informed him on the 23rd, that the Cochin State Hydro Electric regarding the Electric Scheme and intimation that they have now
Scheme may be expected to be commenced within one year from received the necessary license from government. It was decided that
date. the Chamber could not give any definite reply at present until the
The Honorary Secretary also informed the meeting that he had acquisition of land for a powerhouse had been settled. The matter
seen the new installation working at the Tata Oil Mills at would, however, be further gone into.