Read Book Online : http://www.archive.org/stream/bombayplacenames00sheprich#page/n3/mode/2up

Download pdf Book : http://ia341307.us.archive.org/2/items/bombayplacenames00sheprich/bombayplacenames00sheprich.pdf

An absolutely fascinating book for anyone who loves this city.

I have never been there, but I have loved reading about the early days of the British in the Bombay Presidency. Some of this part of the EIC's history is positively hilarious. :))

With apologies for the long post. :)) In 1701-02, Charles Peachey wrote to the President in Council (who had beaten Peachey up): "I have received from you two cuts on my head’The one very long and deep, the other a slight thing in comparison to that; then a great blow on my left arme which has enflamed the shoulder and deprives me (at present) the use of the limb; on my right side a blow, on my ribs just beneath my pap, which is a stoppage to my breath and makes me incapable of helping myself; on my left hipp another, nothing inferior to the first; but, above all, a cut on the brow of my left eye. The anguish thereof has caused a swelling and that swelling destroyed my eyesight, which I should perfectly receive. There is a statute (which assuredly you shall take your triall upon); the sense thereof is, that whosoever shall mame another, shall be thought culpable and be punished with death.” "It must be admitted that the Right Honourable pugilist had shewn considerable and planted his blows to some purpose. Imagine Charles Peachey, Esquire, in his prison house, with a deep gash on his head; his eye bunged up, his arm in a sling, stiff and wheezy from a blow beneath his fifth rib and limping with a sprained hip joint. We must allow that although some Governors at the present time may have administrative abilities, none can have studied the noble art of self-defence with more success than had the gallant Stephen Colt " And last but not least, an EIC prayer, which had to be recited in the factory in Bombay, and "...which taught their servants to implore in the first place the Divine favour for their honourable masters and in the second place their honourable masters’ favour for themselves.’ "O, Almighty and merciful God, Who art the Sovereign Protector of all that trust in Thee and the Author of all spiritual and temporal blessings, we, Thy unworthy creatures, do most humbly implore Thy goodness for a plentiful effusion of Thy grace upon our employers, Thy servants, the Right Honourable East India Company of England. Prosper them in al their public undertakings and make them famous and successful in all their governments, colonies and commerce both by sea and land; so that they may prove a public blessing by the increase of honour, wealth and power to our native country, as well as to themselves. Continue their favours towards us and inspire their Generals, Presidents, Agents and Councils in these remote parts of the world and all others that are intrusted with any authority under them, with piety towards Thee our God and with wisdom, fidelity and circumspection in their several stations; that we may all discharge our respective duties faithfully and live virtuously in due obedience to our superiors and in love, peace and charity one towards another, that these Indian nations among whom we dwell, seeing our sober and religious conversation, may be induced to have a just esteem for our most holy profession of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be honour, praise and glory, now and for ever. Amen." All from Philip Anderson's "The English in Western India". A fabulous read. :)) http://ia310815.us.archive.org/2/items/englishinwester02andegoog/englishinwester02andegoog.pdf http://www.archive.org/stream/englishinwester02andegoog

Absolutely hilarious ! Only the English can write like this. : )

Oh, the whole book is full of such gems...and Philip Anderson was a theologian!! :)) His book is actually a collection of biographies of the main players in the early days of the EIC. It's fascinating, and has made me even more determined to one day in the near future, begin my long-planned book on the EIC. :))

I unearthed this old book when Michael & I were writing our own book. Along with a lot of other interesting snippets. Interesting to find that the father of the first recorded Anglo-Indian children (of British descent) in India, was an ancestor of the late President, Richard Nixon. :))

Oops!! Should have said: this fact came from another source, our beloved Philip Anderson having long since departed this mortal coil. :))

That's crazy !! Or... is it that its a small world really.

I know!! :)) The irony of the whole thing is that this man was an unmitigated crook. Given Richard Nixon and Watergate, one is tempted to recall the old adage: "the apple doesn't fall far from the tree". :))

@RBSI: You had put out another book on byways of Bombay (on September 6, 2010) by Stephen Meredyth Edwardes which was indeed entertaining as it contained lively details of people and personalities living in those byways and also had some sketches. Rare Book Society of India Download pdf Book : http://ia311308.us.archive.org/1/items/bywaysofbombay00edwa/bywaysofbombay00edwa.pdf

@Lynne Hadley: Richard Nixon's India connection is indeed amazing. Had he known about it, probably he would not have sent the seventh fleet into the Bay of Bengal in 1971 to intimidate India and save the inevitable dismemberment of Pakistan during Bangla Desh's war of liberation against the erst while West Pakistan. The US of A wanted to complete the unfinished British agenda of balkanising India. Amazingly,this country still holds together as one.

I don't think it amazing that you hold together. You are a fusion of so many peoples and cultures - the sum total of which is massive. You are remarkable, wonderful people - living in what to outside eyes often seems like chaos, but it's a chaos which works. Too solid a foundation to fall apart. Events which might cause lesser nations to tumble, cause you a slight tremble, then you pick yourselve up and continue as before. I always tell people that your's is the most stable country - which has my heart.

Well said Philippa. You have understood India like few have. India is is not a country as we generally understand....it is verily hundreds of countries and thousands of peoples who have made this place their home under an idea called India. They are like thousands of electrons zipping in their own orbits without clashing with one another around a single nucleus called India.

I read somewhere once, that the Brit's went to India and she conquered them. :))

good luck.