Gerald Aungier
Encyclopedia
Gerald Aungier was the second Governor of Bombay. He was made the president of the Surat
factory and the governor of Bombay in 1672, which posts he held till 1675. He was responsible for the initial growth of the city.
Although the Portuguese king had ceded all the islands of Bombay to the British
king Charles II of England
, the Portuguese in India refused to hand over the territory. It was not till 1675 that Aungier actually took possession of Colaba
and Old Woman's Island
, thus completing the transfer of power to the British. His plan of fortifying the main island, from Dongri
in the north to the harbour, had to wait until 1715 for completion, when Charles Boone
became the governor of the town.
He offered various inducements to skilled workers and traders to set up business in Bombay. His offers were tempting enough to lure many traders and artisans from Gujarat to the newly developing town. As a result Bombay registered its first population boom. Between 1661 and 1675 there was a sixfold increase in population.
In Bombay, Governor Aungier formed a militia of local Bhandari
youth to deal with organized street-level gangs that robbed sailors in 1669. Thus, Bhandari Militia was the first police establishment in Mumbai(then Bombay) during British India.
Aungier established the first mint in Bombay, and ceded land near the Malabar Hill
to immigrant Parsi workers and traders for a Tower of Silence. It was during his governorship, in 1670, that the first printing press was imported and set up in Bombay.
Surat
Surat , also known as Suryapur, is the commercial capital city of the Indian state of Gujarat. Surat is India's Eighth most populous city and Ninth-most populous urban agglomeration. It is also administrative capital of Surat district and one of the fastest growing cities in India. The city proper...
factory and the governor of Bombay in 1672, which posts he held till 1675. He was responsible for the initial growth of the city.
Although the Portuguese king had ceded all the islands of Bombay to the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
king Charles II of England
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
, the Portuguese in India refused to hand over the territory. It was not till 1675 that Aungier actually took possession of Colaba
Colaba
Colaba is a part of the city of Mumbai, India, and also a Lok Sabha constituency. During Portuguese rule in the 16th century, the island was known as Candil...
and Old Woman's Island
Old Woman's Island
The Old Woman's Island, also known as Little Colaba is one of the seven islands composing the city of Mumbai, India, and part of the historic Old Bombay....
, thus completing the transfer of power to the British. His plan of fortifying the main island, from Dongri
Dongri
-See also:*Dongri Fort...
in the north to the harbour, had to wait until 1715 for completion, when Charles Boone
Charles Boone
Charles Boone was a British governor of the Bombay Presidency during the period of the Honourable East India Company, serving from 1715 to 1722....
became the governor of the town.
He offered various inducements to skilled workers and traders to set up business in Bombay. His offers were tempting enough to lure many traders and artisans from Gujarat to the newly developing town. As a result Bombay registered its first population boom. Between 1661 and 1675 there was a sixfold increase in population.
In Bombay, Governor Aungier formed a militia of local Bhandari
Bhandari
For other uses, see Bhandari .Bhandari caste is among the sea-faring warrior castes of ancient and medieval India. They migrated southward from Rajputana in early 1100 and subsequently spread over different parts of India...
youth to deal with organized street-level gangs that robbed sailors in 1669. Thus, Bhandari Militia was the first police establishment in Mumbai(then Bombay) during British India.
Aungier established the first mint in Bombay, and ceded land near the Malabar Hill
Malabar Hill
Malabar Hill, a hillock in southern Mumbai , India is an extremely upmarket residential area, most known for the Walkeshwar Temple which houses the Banganga Tank. Situated at a height of 50 metres Malabar Hill, a hillock in southern Mumbai (formerly Bombay), India is an extremely upmarket...
to immigrant Parsi workers and traders for a Tower of Silence. It was during his governorship, in 1670, that the first printing press was imported and set up in Bombay.