Gerald Aungier - Accomplishments and Legacy

Accomplishments and Legacy

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.

Bombay's population was around 10,000 people when Aungier assumed charge and had grown to 80,000 by the time of his death eight years later. The revenue too had grown from GBP 2,823 to GBP 9,254.

There is a silver chalice, religiously preserved at the St Thomas Cathedral, which Aungier presented to the Christian community of Bombay in 1675.

Aungier died in Surat on June 30, 1677. His tomb lies close to that of Sir George Oxenden. His grave was unmarked for many years and was finally identified and a tablet was installed under instructions from Lord Curzon in 1916.