Gerald Aungier

Historian Phirozshah Malabari dedicates a full chapter to Gerald Aungier in his book Bombay in the Making.

Historian S. M. Edwardes states Aungier's great work was: "to weld into one homogeneous mass the discordant materials of Asiatic nationalities, to solve the problem which had never been solved before, as to how a great multitude of men of diverse religions and races should live together in peace and harmony, free from discord within and aggression without — this was the work he set himself to do, and he did it.

[2] He was deputed by the Surat factory to accompany the Earl of Marlborough when the latter claimed the town and island of Bombay in 1662 on behalf of the King of Great Britain.

On the death of Sir George Oxenden on 14 July 1669, Aungier became the President of the Surat factory, a post which then carried with it the governorship of the port and island of Bombay.

Learning from the incessant perils of wars and tyranny being faced by traders in Surat, his first idea was that the city needed absolute peace and security.

This strengthened his resolve to move the seat of government from Surat to Bombay, a suggestion that was finally implemented after his death in 1687.

Aungier created an amicable settlement on property titles by arranging residents to pay annual quit rents in lieu of better administration.

Aungier negotiated the acquisition of the islands of Colaba and Old Woman from the Portuguese Neema Parrack was a reputed Banya trader based in Diu, who presented certain conditions before moving to Bombay.

An event which attracted the wealthy trader population was the establishment of a Mint in 1676 for the coinage of "rupees, pies and bujurks".

Aungier was called in 1674 to quell a mutiny by English soldiers, and the first execution by British law as far as we can learn in Bombay was ordered by him.

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.

Aungier ceded land near the Malabar Hill to immigrant Parsi workers and traders for a Tower of Silence.

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.

A silver chalice presented by Aungier to the Anglican Christian community in 1675 is among the historic treasures of the now diocesan cathedral.