Question

Write the information about the British factories.

• Places
• Officers

Answer 1

The British established ‘East India Company’ on 31st December 1600. Queen Elizabeth granted permission to the company to trade in the eastern countries.

In the latter half of the 17th century, the company operated from Surat and Madras (Chennai). The eastern coast, Odisha, Bengal in India, and other eastern countries were under the company’s jurisdiction. The factories at Rajapur in Maharashtra, the port city of Mokha (Mocha in Yemen) in the Red Sea, Basra in the Persian Gulf were controlled by the Surat centre. The Surat factory staff comprised of an accountant, an in-charge of the stores, a treasurer, some factors and clerks. In addition, there was a Christian priest, a surgeon and his assistant, cooks, Company President’s personal servants, and a trumpet blower.

The British citizens were also appointed in the factories as apprentices, clerks, and factors. Everybody, right from the President to the apprentices lived in the factory premises.

The company started building forts in India as part of its strategy. They built a fort and a factory in Chennai. The fort was named ‘Fort St. George’. A mint was also established in Chennai. 

Abraham Shipman, an Englishman was assigned 500 soldiers and was appointed as the ‘Governor of Bombay’. In 1665, Mumbai was fully under British control. Mumbai comprised seven islands, namely, Mumbai, Mahim, Paral, Wadala, Worli, Sion (Shiv), and Mazgaon. Charles II leased Mumbai to the East India Company because the expenditure for its maintenance exceeded the income earned from it. In 1669, the company appointed Sir George Oxenden as Governor of Surat and Commander-in-Chief of Mumbai. A British mint was established in Mumbai and coins of silver, copper, and zinc were issued from there. This encouraged merchants and artisans to come and settle down in Mumbai. The company had 5-6 small ships and around 300 soldiers to ensure the security of Mumbai. The soldiers were given guns and swords.