Gillanders and the Greenhorn

by Aloke Mookerjee
Gillanders Arbuthnot & Co. Ltd, now operating as a fully Indianised company, was once a family firm of the Gladstones. Wielding power and influence in high political circles of nineteenth century England, the Gladstones (one of them rose to be the Prime Minister of England on four occasions between the years 1868 and 1894) created a vast business empire that spread across the globe when the tiny island was on the pinnacle of her colonial supremacy.

In time, Gillanders opened up offices in Calcutta, then considered the ‘Second City’ of the Empire and the business capital of her ‘crown’ colony. From here, they managed an array of businesses ranging from engineering to copper mining, tea plantations, general insurance, office filing systems, tacks and nails, wood derivatives and paints. Notably, the legendary 24” narrow gauge ‘Darjeeling Himalayan Railway’ line was built by them in, as far back as, 1879. This enchanting ‘toy train’, listed by UNESCO as a ‘World Heritage’, still puffs along the eastern Himalayan slopes delighting those travelling up to this high mountain resort.

Gillander House, Kolkata. Pix - Wikimapia

Interestingly (and unknown to me then), one of their other business activities, dubious but thankfully short lived, arose from the ban on slavery across the colonies of the British Empire. Enforced in 1833, the embargo, caused acute shortage of workers required for the expanding plantations of the ‘new world’, including their own properties in far flung colonies. Undeterred, the powerful stakeholders set in motion a plan that adroitly dodged the ban by replacing the hitherto African slaves with ‘indentured’ labourers recruited from the various colonies, mainly India.

Gillanders Arbuthnot, along with Gladstone Wiley, another one of Gladstone enterprises in India (that later got to be known as Gladstone Lyall), exploited this lucrative opportunity by relocating from India, workers to Central America, Fiji, Mauritius and The West Indies.

Lured by (failed) promises of a good life and bonded by (one sided) contracts, many thousands of ‘indentured workers’ found themselves crammed in ocean going vessels sailing out to the newly opened plantations in the ‘new world’ including (British) Guyana where the Gladstones owned vast sugar plantations. Whether the descendants of the first generation diaspora in those distant lands should thank Gillanders, for their displacement, would now be a moot point!                                                                                                                                                                                               
In the tea business, Gillanders Arbuthnot owned plantations in Assam as well as the Dooars and Terai regions of North Bengal. They also managed, as agents, ‘sterling’ tea companies on behalf of the British owners residing in the U.K. The King William House Group, comprising three ‘sterling’ companies; The Dooars Tea Company, The Empire of India and Ceylon Tea Company (later changed to Empire Plantations) and The Singlo Tea Company with their plantations in the Dooars, the Terai and Assam were managed by Gillanders from their head offices on Clive Street (now Netaji Subhas Road) in Calcutta’s (now Kolkata) prime business hub, Dalhousie Square (now BBD Bagh).  A discreet but heavy teak door with a burnished brass plaque at its side, unobtrusively indicating the company’s presence, formed the entrance.

As a youngster seeking gainful employment, I knocked on their doors one Wednesday of May in the early 1960s. Full sleeved shirt with tie and jacket was mandatory wear for the executives of mercantile houses even in the steamy hot summers of Calcutta. I was thus appropriately attired for the ‘occasion’. The sombre wood paneled and high-ceilinged main hall with its dangling lights and whirling fans was filled with the chatter of the many dhoti clad clerks at their desks. Turbaned peons (chaprasis), in their starched white pyjamas and long white coats with wide, brass monogrammed, ‘cummerbunds’ round the middle hovered about with files and sheaves of paper, in an air of great importance. The constant clatter of manual typewriters and loud ringing of the heavy black Bakelite telephones across the hall added to the clamour.

The bustle and banter was a little unnerving for a greenhorn aspiring to embark upon a commercial life. Nevertheless, stretching to full height and leading with my chin, I strode across to one of the haughty chaprasis in the hope of an appointment with an appropriate executive of the tea department. It seemed to work. I was handed a slip of paper to write my name and purpose of visit, albeit with a cultured look of indifference; I was not the ‘chosen one’ to the ‘elite circle’ – yet!

Before long, I was ushered into a cabin occupied by an expatriate executive. In his crisp white shirt and striped ‘club tie’, he looked the archetypal ‘white saab‘ of the ‘colonies’. I did not fail to notice a linen jacket, on a hanger, dangling from a hat rack in a corner of the room – necessary, no doubt, when summoned by the ‘company burra saab’.

A series of rather starchy interviews followed; moving up the ladder to the head of the Tea Department and culminating in a call from the company ‘burra saab’ himself, the Chairman and Managing Director, Stephen Gladstone (of the Gladstone family). Comfortably ensconced behind a large desk in his impressive chambers, his restrained charm and geniality put me at ease. The interview ended with a pleasant handshake. I felt (rightly as it turned out) I was in!
  
Following the final interview and after what seemed like a long wait back in the main hall, I was called in once again, this time, to be offered a job in one of their plantations. My appointment, as an Assistant Manager of Nagrakata Tea Estate of the Dooars Tea Company, was tied to a ‘signed and sealed’ covenant of three years including an initial six months period of probation.

The salary, perquisites and other terms of service were clearly delineated in the contract and handed over, printed and bound, in an impressive folder. Specifically, stipulated was the clause that I could, at immediate notice, be transferred to any one of the fifteen plantations belonging to the three King William House Group of companies that spread across the Dooars and Assam regions. Also stipulated was a rather quaint clause that required me to remain a bachelor during the tenure of the first contract (not that there was an urge to tie the knot then)! Our leave terms allowed an annual ‘local break’ of two weeks for two consecutive years followed by a three month ‘furlough’ in the third year. I was given seven days to prepare for departure and asked to return to the office, in a couple days, for the final briefing.

Salary and perquisites of the British tea companies in India were then among the best offered by the mercantile houses. Added to this reputation was the lore of glamour and adventure associated with life in the plantations. ‘Tea’, therefore, attracted the somewhat flamboyant and spirited from the finest schools in the country, particularly those less academically inclined (!) with a leaning towards sports and outdoor activities. It resulted in a gathering of like-minded and often colourful individuals; some decidedly audacious and quirky!

Hercules - a '60s model. Pix - Google

On appointment, a ‘joining allowance’ paid to the young recruit helped him acquire the necessities of life in the plantations. I was advised to use wisely my allowance of six hundred and fifty rupees that was handed over in a sealed envelope, specifically, to equip myself with adequate pairs of shorts (khaki for work and white for tennis at the club), half sleeved shirts, work boots (Bata’s canvas ‘Hunter’ boots’ sufficed) and last, but not the least, a bicycle (‘Hercules’ for its sturdiness!). This ‘princely’ amount allowed me to not only acquire all the advised essentials but also left me with a surplus for a tailored ‘made to measure’ dark suit as formal wear!

That was not all, for the company separately purchased, for the new recruit, a set of dinner and tea services (by the then popular Bengal Potteries) as well as a set of Sheffield made cutlery including bone handled fish eaters and meat carvers.

Thus equipped, the young recruit was set to start life in the plantations independently.

The famous 'Hunters'! Pix - Pinterest

Aloke Mookerjee

Meet the writer:Here's what Aloke has to say about himself : 'Long retired from tea, but still active in business. Even after all these years, tea remains to live strongly in my thoughts; they were the best years of my life. Other interests? Always loved Jazz music - still do and have written about this incredible genre. Love vintage airplanes (thus my love for Dakotas!) and cars, and intend to make this my next focus.' Aloke's first story for Indian Chai Stories, in case you missed it, is called A Spiritual Encounter.