Chapter II

HISTORICAL EVOLUTION AND EXPANSION OF

ANGLO INDIAN COMMUNITY IN KERALA
The Anglo-Indian communities are the Indo-European minority
community of India whose evolution, expansion, and socio positioning are
inseparably collaborative contained by the politico, ethnic and cultural
problematic of the European colonization in India.
1
Anglo Indians have
historically endured a disturbed and non assimilative position in India.
2

Since the commencement of their evolution as a group in India, the Anglo
Indians were largely sidelined by native Indians who made no distinction
between them and the British imperialists. Even though India is the
homeland of the Anglo-Indian community and also being constitutionally
documented as one among Indias six minority groups, they continue to
occupy a controversial position within the discourse of Indian national
identity and thus has historically been regarded as un-homed in India, the
land which paradoxically constitutes the communitys historical recollection
most importantly, the domain of their collective memory.
3

Historical Background
The evolution of Anglo-Indians can be traced back to the time of
European expedition to the unknown East. The 16
th
century CE, after a
millennium in the dark ages, a handful of courageous and determined
explorers, driven by a thirst of power, glory and wealth, sailed from Europe
to conquer this unknown land.
4
The first Europeans who succeeded in this
endeavour were the Portuguese by the arrival of Vasco-da-Gama at the
coast of Malabar in 1498
5
, followed by the Dutch, French and finally the
British. The continued stay of European men in this sub continent paved
the way for politically justified relations with the native women and this
union resulted in the birth of a novel community, previously known as
Eurasians and later Anglo-Indians.
6

The historical evolution of Anglo-Indians as a social group started in
India with the arrival of Portuguese and its establishment as a colonial
power.
7
The beginning of this was the successful expedition of the well-
known sailor Vasco-da-Gama, who started his voyage from Lisbon on 8
th
of
July 1498. The manuals and naval records suggest that his expedition
lasted around eight months and it came to an end at the port named
Kappadu near Calicut on 18
th
of May 1498.
8
This was the actual foundation
of both European colonization and the evolution of Anglo-Indians as a
hybrid community in India.
9

Gamas request for the permission to leave a repository behind him in
charge of the merchandise he could not sell was dealt with a disappointing
report by the Zamorin asking for taxes in return.
10
Thus the willingness for a
political discourse and magnanimity of Zamorin of Calicut short lived. Gama
broke up his relation with the Zamorin and sailed to Cannanore. There he
managed to form a trade agreement with the Kolathiri. In 1499 Gama
reached back Lisbon with fleets of ships crammed with spice.
11

The next move from the Portuguese emperor was little systematic and
eventually after six months, Gama under the patronage of King Henry had
sent around 1500 men in 33 ships to India under Captain Pedro Alvarez
Cabral, out of which only 6 could reach the shore. Cabral could make good
relationship with the Zamorin.
12

The second attempt under Gama succeeded in finding a storehouse at
Calicut. The acceptance that Portuguese got here envied the Arabs who were
enjoying the monopoly of trade in Calicut. Competition in trade and
consequent conflicts between them finally made Cabral leave Calicut early.
13

He left the shore after destructing some Arab ships and moved to Cochin. In
24 December 1500 Cabral reached Cochin where he got a warm welcome.
The then king of Cochin Unnirama Thirumulppadu permitted him to
establish a trading station there and left some of his men to take care of it.
Later Cochin became an important centre of the Anglo-Indians.
14
This is
marked as a major event in the history of Anglo-Indians.
15

Before leaving, Cabral abandoned some men from the team. But the
King of Kannur was generous in accepting them and making arrangements
for their stay and survival here. Thus Portuguese culture and life style
sprouted in Cochin and Kannur. After Cabral, Joao-da-Nova and followed by
Vasco-da-Gama made their visit to India. Nova couldnt make any trade
agreements, but Gamas activities were a clear reflection of the colonisation
plans of the Portuguese.
16

The very next year Gama anchored at Anchidweep at Kannur and
visited the native ruler. On his way to Calicut, Gama wrecked a ship
carrying Muslim Hajjis, as a warning to the Muslim traders in hindering
their growth in Calicut.
17
The Portuguese noticed earlier that it was the
Zamorin who makes their establishment in Kerala tough, and wanted the
Zamorin to push out all the Muslim merchants from Calicut. As expected,
the Zamorin denied Gamas wish and as revenge Gama attacked Calicut and
moved to Cochin.
18

An agreemenst was signed by Vasco-da-Gama with the ruler of
Cochin.
19
The provisions of the agreement favours that, the people should
sell spices and other things to the Portuguese in the price which has
decided by the King and Portuguese.
20
Gama got the right to build barracks
for the Portuguese forces. This was another mile stone in the establishment
of Anglo-Indians in Kerala
21
. Before going back to Portuguese Gama came to
Kannur and left 200 men there in purpose.
This new group joined with the already established people who were
abandoned by Cabral and together these groups mingled with the natives
and sprinkled their Portuguese culture. Gama left some of his men in
Cochin too. The Zamorin who had rivalry with Gama asked the King of
Cochin to confer them to him. The King denied this and the Zamorin
attacked Cochin to get them. The Portuguese force was so weak in resisting
the Zamorin and finally they accepted the defeat.
22

This war started by Zamorin catalysed the expansion of Anglo-Indians
in Kerala. On 2
nd
September 1503, a huge Portuguese force reached Cochin
under Francisco Albuquerque to help the King of Cochin and placed him
back to his position. In return, as a token of gratitude the king provided
adequate space for the building of a Portuguese Fort
23
. On 27
th
September
1503, they started the building of a fort in the name of Dom Manuel which
subsequently developed as a Portuguese settlement. The Anglo-Indian
development fortified in connection with the Manuel fort. Albuquerque
formed a strong force for the fort and gave all the responsibilities for
maintaining the force to Duarte Pacheco.
24

The Portuguese force led by Duarte Pacheco, a Portuguese Naval
admiral, conquered the Zamorin at Kodungallore and started to make a fort
there in 1504. After the native chief of Kodungallore took refuge under the
Portuguese, the Anglo-Indians started spreading towards north from
Cochin. The King Manuel of Portugal had decided to keep a permanent force
in Kerala to save the Portuguese interests and towards the same he sent
Fransisco Almeda to Cochin as his representative to look after the fort who
later became the first viceroy of Portuguese. This moulded Cochin a
Portuguese settlement in Kerala.
25

Almeda gave remarkable contributions in the spreading of the Anglo-
Indian community. Their growth in Malabar area was accelerated in
connection with the building and strengthening of St. Angelo Fort and other
Forts in Kannur and Calicut. After Almeda, Alfonso de Albuquerque took
charge of viceroy who aimed the widening of Portuguese empire in India.
26

Under his leadership the Portuguese attacked the Zamorin, but couldnt
conquer him; instead they could make him sign in an accord.
27
According to
this agreement they got right to build a fort at Calicut and buy spices at the
same price that they got from Cochin. But the continuous attack from the
Arabs forced them to give up the fort. This necessitated a major structural
change and the Portuguese shifted their capital from Cochin to Goa.
28

However, the change in Portuguese capital never affected the spreading
of Anglo-Indians in Kerala. After Albuquerque, Loposores took charge as the
viceroy. He tried to convert Kollam as their centre. They were able to build a
fort at Tangassery, named Fort Thomas and eventually Tangassery became
a major Portuguese settlement in Kerala.
29
In the meantime Kunjali
Marakkar, a close aide of the Zamorin became a major threat for their
domination in the Indian Ocean.
30
Nuno da Kunha built a fort at Chaliyam
in 1531 and regained their supremacy over Indian Ocean, which was
attacked and ruined the Zamorin in 1571. But the hostility between the
Kunjali and Zamorin opened a new relationship with the Portuguese. This
gave a more assured life to the Portuguese descendants. Zamorin gave
permission to build a factory at Ponnani in 1584. Portuguese and Zamorin
attacked the Kunjali fort and caught KunjaliIV and assassinated him at Goa
in1600 and brought his head to Kannur which was kept for display in a
public place, an act worsened their image among the common people.
31
The
Portuguese established factories and settlements in Cochin, Palliport,
Kannur, Calicut, Chaliyam, Purakkad, Kayamkulam and Quilon to carry on
trade in pepper, spices and other articles.
32
They also built forts in most of
these places like Fort Immanuel in Cochin, Fort Thomas in Tangasseri
(Quilon) and Fort St. Angelo in Kannur in order to protect their factories.
The origin and growth of the Anglo-Indian community starts around these
forts and military centers.
33
The Portuguese men who came here with the
force at the beginning of the invasion were mostly unmarried. The need for a
female partner for the Portuguese soldiers and the traders was inexorably
felt. This made the government who had spent huge amount of money for
their wellbeing in India to bring Portuguese women here. Later they found
this as not economic and decided to legalize the relationship between the
Portuguese men and native women, which in reality had started even long
back. In the initial stages, such intermarriages were permitted for men of
good character only and there were only some 100 marriages were recorded
in 1600.
34

Origin and expansion of Anglo-Indians
Historically the origin of the Anglo-Indian community dates back to
many centuries to the earliest years of contact between Europe and India,
precisely a period of four centuries to the time when Vasco da Gama, the
Portuguese Navigator, landed at Calicut on the West Malabar Coast of India
in May, 1498. Within two years of 1500 there was at Diu a Portuguese
Governor the great Alfonso d Albuquerque.
35
As a means of establishing the
Portuguese authority in India he encouraged his countrymen to marry
Indian women.
36
He did not however give permission to marry except to men
of approved character. The women whom they married were the daughters
of the principal men of the land. But nevertheless, the Portuguese failed to
establish themselves permanently in India and one of the vital causes of the
Portuguese failure was the arrival of the Dutch and the English in the
opening years of the 17th century. The offspring of these mixed marriages
between the Portuguese and Indians were known as Luso-Indians. When
the Portuguese, under pressure, abandoned their Indian possessions the
Luso-Indians rapidly sank in the social scale and within a space of two
centuries the majorities of them had reverted to Indian stocks, and are
known today as Goanese, a very common community in Goa, Bombay and
the West Coast. But in the larger cities of India like Calcutta, Bombay and
Madras, the better type of Luso-Indians retained their European
characteristics and many of them ultimately amalgamated with the newly
born mixed community, the Anglo-Indians.
37

The birth of the Anglo-Indian community in contradistinction to the
Luso-Indian community dates back to the year 1600 when Queen Elizabeth
granted a Charter to the East India Company to initiate trading operations
with India. The English at first merely visited Indian ports as traders. By
1612 a factory had been established at Surat and another in Madras in
1639. Bombay was a centre for trade purposes in 1668. In 1698 the East
India Company purchased the Zemindary of three villages, one of which was
called Calicutta, from which Calcutta derived its name. Very soon it was
crucial to construct fortifications and employ soldiers to defend the factories
against attacks from the Mahrattas and other marauders of those early
days. Thus there gradually grew up colonies of English men only in all the
trading factories along the shores of India, for the East India Company had
forbidden women from accompanying their men folk to India.
38

Owing to the fact that the English missed the companionship of their
women, and suffered from the monotony and tedium of life in a strange and
tropical land, many of them formed alliances with the Luso-Indian and
Indian women.
39
Moreover the English discovered that the offspring of mixed
marriages, the Anglo-Indians, were of great service to them in many ways.
40

The Court of Directors of the East India Company on 8th April, 1687, thus
addressed their President at Madras: The marriage of our soldiers to the
native women of Fort St. George is a matter of such consequence to
posterity that we shall be content to encourage it with some expense, and
have been thinking for the future to appoint a pagoda of Rs. 5 to be paid to
the mother of any child that shall hereafter be born of any such future
marriage, upon the day the child is christened, if you think this small
encouragement will increase the number of such marriages.
41
The offer of
the Directors was accepted and put into effect so that the British in this way
became officially responsible for the birth of the Anglo-Indian Community.
Gradually however, as the numbers of Anglo-Indians increased, the practice
of Britishers marrying Indian women fell into disrespect, because the
necessity for it had disappeared.
42
The new arrival could always wed a girl of
mixed parentage, and it became customary for him to do so.
43

From the earliest times the Anglo-Indian community stood for the
cause of England. They enlarged the inadequate forces of the East India
Company; they spilt their blood on many a battlefield, they rendered
estimable services in scrutinizing and bringing information of the enemy. In
the early days Anglo-Indians were not branded with the mark of inferiority
44
.
If their fathers could afford it, they were sent to England for their education,
and returned to India in the covenanted services of the Company. Those
who were not lucky enough to be sent to England were given the best
education obtainable in India and occupied the majority of the positions in
the uncovenanted Civil service, and in the warrant ranks of the Companys
army. They fought under Clive at Arcot. They perished in the Black Hole of
Calcutta. They were to be found in the front line of battle at Plassey.
45
These
were the years of their prosperity, their quiet days. The days of chaos and
hardship were fast approaching.
46

The days of prosperity of the Anglo-Indian community may roughly
extend from 1600 to 1785. On the 14th of March, 1786, the first of three
repressive orders was promulgated against the community. By the first
order of March 1786 the wards of the upper orphanage school at Calcutta,
recently established under the auspices of the East India Company for the
orphans of British Military officers, were prohibited from going on to
England to complete their education, and thus qualifying for the covenanted
services.
47
A second order passed in April 1791 stated that no person the
son of a native Indian shall henceforth be appointed by the court in
employment in the Civil and Military forces of the Company. The third
Resolution passed in 1795 stated that all not come dowm from European
parents on both sides were disqualified for service in the army except as
fifers, drummers, bandsmen, and farriers. These repressive measures were
due partly to a fear of mutinies such as had occurred in the English force
under Clive in Bengal in 1776 and in the Madras army which revolted and
imprisoned Lord Pigott, Governor of Madras, in the same year; partly to a
panic in India and England caused by thinking the possibilities of a
rebellion in India led by the now numerous Anglo-Indians.
48
This experience
had happened about this time to the Spaniards in San Domingo; and partly
to a desire on the part of shareholders of the East India Company for the
support with regard to filling appointments in India which up to now was in
the hands of the Indian Government, for the shareholders saw in the
Companys service attractive careers for their sons and other near relatives.
Thus Anglo-Indians had been deprived of every honorable career in the
military forces and the door was closed against them with regard to civil
appointments.
49
Thus within the brief period of 10 years lying between 1786
and 1795, by the standing orders of the great East India Company, Anglo-
Indians had been reduced to the status of a outlawed and down-trodden
race.
50
Immediate action was taken in order to give effect to these
regulations, and these conditions with slight variations were in force till the
outbreak of the Mutiny in 1857.
51
Anglo-Indians in every branch of the army
were discharged from the service without any compunction as to their
future. Owing to the fact that hence forth they were regarded more like
Englishmen, they had been debarred from acquiring land or residing further
than 10 miles from the nearest Presidency town or Companys settlement.
52

Hence they could not turn to agriculture or trade. Thrown out of the
soldiering, the only profession to which they had been reared, there was
nothing for them to do but transfer their services to Indian chiefs, and they
were received with open arms. Others of them formed their own groups of
irregular infantry and cavalry; while hundreds of Anglo-Indian warriors won
their spurs in the ranks of armies not belonging to the East India
Company.
53

The East India Company had hardly cast Anglo-Indians out of its army,
when it found itself beset by foes. The Marquis of Wellesley had arrived in
India in 1798 and had introduced his Subsidiary System which initiated
the Mysore and Mahratta wars. At this time to the English in Europe were
at death-grips with the French and Napoleon in the Revolutionary Wars and
could send very little help to India. So A Proclamation was issued
summoning all British and Anglo-Indian men and officers who were serving
with the Mahratta army under Perron and in other Indian States, to return
to the Companys forces. The Proclamation concluded with a warning that
those who failed to rejoin the British ranks would be treated as traitors.
There was no need for the threat. The Anglo-Indians heard the Call of the
Blood and absolutely conformed. The war against the Maharattas was
concluded abruptly and inconclusively. The Court of Directors had grown
weary of Wellesleys ceaseless and costly campaigns, and recalled him. A
Non-Intervention policy was once again adopted and expenditure on the
military side reduced.
54

During the first half of the 19th century (1800-1850) the Anglo-Indian
community made the first serious attempts to provide for the education of
their children.
55
Being shut out from the army they realized that a good
education was needed for the various callings in civil life. In response to this
urge, and with the help of influential men and societies La Martiniere
College was established in 1836, St. Xaviers College in 1834, and many
other institutions too numerous to mention. The spirit of self-help of this
period is worth bearing in mind.
56
In spite of improved educational facilities
the prospects of the community during the first half of the 19th century
were none too rosy. In fact for many the future was black. The political,
social and economic, disabilities of their community was freely discussed in
every Anglo-Indian home and ultimately it was resolved that a petition
should be presented to the British Parliament on their behalf.
57
A suitable
document was drawn and J.W. Ricketts was unanimously elected agent to
present it to the Houses of Parliament. Ricketts arrived in London with this
precious Document on 27th December 1829 and it was at length duly
presented to Parliament. Owing to the political upheavals in England about
this time the petition did not produce the results which were expected of it.
The struggle for Catholic Emancipation and the Reform bill of 1832 was in
progress. The people in England had too many of their own problems to
cope with to find time for the petition of the Anglo-Indians. The communal
activities of the Anglo-Indians about the period 1820-1830 had a local but
nevertheless important result. It called for the sympathy and good-will of
influential friends in the country, who gave their moral support to the
aspirations and reasonable demands of a patient and enduring section of
the British inhabitants.
58

In 1833 the Charter of the East India Company was renewed.
Influenced no doubt somewhat by the Anglo-Indians petition, Section 87 of
the said Act stated that No native of the said territories, nor any natural
born subject of His Majesty resident therein, shall, by reason of his religion,
place of birth, descent, colour, or any of them, be disabled from holding any
place, office, or employment under the said Company.
59
In theory all posts
were thrown open to people of any race in India, but in practice only the
subordinate trades were bestowed upon Indians and Anglo-Indians, since
higher services could be filled only by recruitment in England.
60
Fortunately
for Anglo-Indians, about this same time (1833), English took the place of
Persian as the official language of the Courts and Government offices.
61
In
future English was to be the only medium of correspondence in commercial
houses. English being their mother-tongue, the Anglo-Indians had an
advantage in this direction and very soon many of the community found
employment under Government and in commercial firms as clerks, though
in subordinate positions. This advantage, however, was only temporary
because Lord Bentinck, who was Governor-General from 1828 to 1836, with
the cooperation of Lord Macaulay who drew up his famous Minute on
Education in 1835, determined that the linguistic disadvantage of Indians
should be removed, and accordingly instruction in English was ordered to
be imparted in Indian schools.
62

Fortune once again came to the rescue of Anglo-Indians for soon new
avenues of employment were opening up for them. In 1825 the first railway
had run in England.
63
In 1845 the East India Railway was projected in
India.
64
Simultaneously railway schemes were set on foot in Madras and
Bombay. The first train in India ran from Bombay to Thana in 1853. In
1851 the Telegraph system was inaugurated.
65

Anglo-Indians found ample employment on the railways, and in the
telegraph and custom services. These departments needed men of
adventurous stock who were willing to endure the hardships, risks, and
perils of pioneers. The Anglo-Indians had in them the spirit of their
forefathers and placed in navigation Companies with captains, second
officers, engineers and mechanics. From them were recruited telegraph
operators, artisans and electricians. They supplied the railways with station
staffs, engine-drivers, permanent way-inspectors, guards, auditors - in fact
every higher grade of railway servant. The Mutiny of 1857 too had proved
beyond doubt the absolute loyalty of the Anglo-Indians and removed the
suspicion which had been responsible for the repressive measures of the
latter part of the 18th century.
66

The modern period for the Anglo-Indians may be begun in the year
1911. It was in this year that the term Anglo-Indians was substituted by
Government for the old name Eurasians, by which the community was
known. In the 20th century Indians have made rapid progress in every
direction. The universities, colleges and schools, of India have turned out
thousands of young men well-fitted to hold posts in all the departments of
Government and in civil capacities too. The Morely-Minto Reforms of 1909,
the Montagu-Chelmsford of 1919, and the Indian Bill of 1935 have given
Indians an increasing share in the Government of their country. As the
Indians are fitting themselves more and more to undertake leadership in all
phases of life in India, it is only in the natural order of affairs that Anglo-
Indians should lose the near monopoly they once held and find in the
struggle to secure employment more difficult.
67

Today young men of Anglo-Indian community with a good high school
education, and some with degrees, are roaming the streets in search of
employment, and unemployment is widespread. Hundreds, of the
community are to be found today in all the large towns begging for their
daily bread. The community as a whole is downhearted and discouraged,
and had not yet found a solution for its difficulties. In many senses the
community had faced more difficult problems and been through more trying
circumstances in this modern age than ever before in its history.
68

Anglo-Indian Expansion in Kerala
The Anglo-Indians of Kerala are chiefly the ancrstors descendants of
the Portuguese, who settled down in the west coast of Malabar in the
sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. There is a sprinkling of the Dutch, the
French and the English descendants also among them. But most of them
have intermingled by inter-marriages now. Persons of unmixed European
blood also are there. The surnames Almeida, Abrao, Alweyn, Aruja, Bivera,
Coutinho, Carvalho,Cabral, Coelho, Correya, Dcosta, DCouto, DCunha,
DCruz, DRose, DSilva, DSouza, DClaus, Dias, Durome, Fereira, Faria,
Fernandez, Figerado, Figueres, Furtado, Furtal, Furtas, Gomez, Gonsalvez,
Lopez, Luiz, Livero, Mendez, Nunez, Nevis, Netto, Noronho, Olivero, Paiva,
Padua, Pereira, Pinheiro, Pinto, Prakasia, Rodriguez, Rozario, Rebeiro,
Rebello, Saiza, Severenvce, Sequira, Surrao, and Zimenthy indicate
Portuguese origin; Gallyot, Hoogewerf, Hendricks, Jacobs, Jacques, Lobo,
Meyn, Van Ross, Van Reyke and Van Spall-Dutch origin; Labauchardier and
Lafrenais-French origin and Jackson, Mcleod, Price, Platel, Williams and
Watts-British origin. There are a few offsprings of Germans, Swiss and
Italians also among the Anglo-Indians of Kerala as Guenthers, Schmidts,
Guezlers and Niglis. However, it is seen that some of the Portuguese names
were adapted by converts to Christianity in the south during the Portuguese
Period.
69

It was the Portuguese king, Dom Manuel who sanctioned the marriage
of Portuguese men, who had rendered good services to native women. These
marriages were most often from the high ranking and rich families which
enabled them to learn the native language, Customs and manners and
helped them to establish better contacts with the native population. It has
been recorded that the Raja of Cochin arranged the marriage of a
Portuguese Officer with a Namboothiri lady.
70

The Portuguese were in Kerala for a period of 165 years. Vasco Da
Gama landed at Calicut on May 18, 1498, followed by Pedro Alvarez Cabral
who came to Cochin on 24
th
December, 1500. The Portuguese had
settlements in Quilon, Kayamkulam, Poracad, kochi, Cranganore,
Palliport, kozhicode, Chaliyam and cannanore. They also built forts at Kochi,
Palliport, Cranganore, Quilon, Calicut and Cannanore. With the surrender
of Cochin to the Dutch on January 6, 1963, the Portuguese supremacy in
Kerala ended. The Protestant Dutch followed a policy of religious
persecution. Hence most of the mixed races who were Catholics fled from
the towns to interior places where they could follow their religion
unmolested. However, in their own interests, the Dutch revised their policy
subsequently and tried to attract back those who left. The Mestices, as the
mixed races were then called were allowed to erect a church at Vypin. The
present church of Our Lady of Hope at Vypeen was accordingly built and
the altar and the old screen from
the Church of St.Francis at Fort Cochin were transferred to that Church.
71

When the Dutch surrendered to the British on October 19, 1795, many
among the Dutch preferred to remain in Cochin. But they were gradually
reduced to such great distress that the British Government had to settle
pensions on them. The Dutch and their descendants inter married with
Portuguese descendants.
72
During the period of the British, some of them
married girls of mixed blood while some others had connections with Thiya
women of Malabar. The progenies of such connections most often followed
the life of their mothers and seldom came forward to claim that they were of
mixed race. But in case of solicitous fathers, the children were sent to
Anglo-Indian schools where they were well educated and looked after. Such
progenies thrived in life because of the special treatment they received at the
hands of British Government. Some of the Frenchmen also settled down and
married girls of mixed decent. Thus we find among the Anglo-Indians of
Kerala, people with the blood of European who came chiefly from countries
like Portugal, Holland, France and Great Britain.
73

Anglo- Indians in Alleppey
There is very close affinity between the Anglo- Indians of Cochin and
Alleppey. The Anglo- Indians belong to the Latin Church, and till 1952
Alleppey Diocese was part of the Cochin Diocese and most of the Anglo-
Indians in Alleppey had originally come from Cochin and its suburbs. There
are Anglo-Indians came from Kollam and Kayamkulam who reached there
for business and employment. Early settlers in Alleppey were men who hold
important positions in the erstwhile Travancore Government and important
positions in the Commercial banking Houses established by the Europeans.
Mr. A.J Veiyra the Chief Secretary of Travancore, Mr. A. J. Van Rose the
excise Commissioner of Travancore Government, Mr. Robert Cleur the
magistrate of Alleppey, Walter Cleur, the Chief Customs officer of Alleppey,
Dr. Robert Veiyra, Dr. Charles Veiyra, Dr. John La Bouchariere and Dr.
Gomez Medical Officers of the local hospital were the pioneers of Anglo-
Indian settlers in Alleppey. Some of the members of the Anglo-Indian
community established well in commercial sector especially the export of
coir products. Thomas S.DCruz, C.J.hantney, E.Bout, Joe Fernandez and
Edward Fernandez were the most important among them. The members of
the community are well connected with the Latin Catholic Diocese of
Alleppey. The Anglo-Indian association is very active in Alleppey. The Anglo-
Indian Community in Cochin maintains distinct entity having their own
customs and mode of life.
Anglo-Indian Settlement in Cannanore
The first Church in Malabar and the first Portuguesze Church in India
was built in Cannanore by the Portuguese. When Vasco d agama reached
Calicut on 20
th
May 1498 he failed to get the permission from the King to
build a fort at Calicut. Hence Gama contracted the Kolathiri , the local king
of Cannanore and obtained permission to construct a fort at Cannanore.
The construction of the fort was undertaken by Joao Da Nova and he built
store house and a Church at the shore of Cannanore. Portuguese Viceroy
Francisco de Almeida built the castle and the Fort at Cannanore. The Anglo-
Indian Community developed in and around the Cantonment area at
Burnacherry where the Holy Trinity Church situates. They developed the St.
Treasas Anglo-Indian School and St. Michaels Anglo-Indian School in to
renowned education institutions. The Anglo-Indian Association is very active
in Cannanore. It has its activities right from 1952. The Anglo-Indian
teachers at At, Treasas and St Michaels schools sufficiently supported the
activities of the organisation. Now due to large scale migration there is
around 50 Anglo-Indian families in Burnacherry. Anglo-Indian community
in Cannoore will be remembered due to the Fort St. Angelo, the vibrant
Activities of Anglo-Indian MLA C.F.Pereira, the Chief of Indian Naval Staff
Admiral R.L.Pereira,Mrs. Ancel Netto and Mr. Desmond Netto IPS.
Anglo-Indians in Calicut
Calicut had the Anglo-Indian experience from 1498 when Vasco da
Game reached Kappad. Bishop Dr. Maxwell Valentine Noronha, an Anglo-
Indian became Bishop of Calicut in 1980. The prominent Anglo-Indian in
religious order could be seen in late Archbishop of Shillong Dr. Hubert
DRozario SDB who was from Calicut. The two Anglo-Indian girls high
schools confirm the strong hold of the community in Calicut. Large scale
migration after independence weakened the structure and functioning of the
association.
Anglo-Indians in Chathiath
Chathiath is one of the important centres of Anglo-Indians in Kerala.
Pachalam, Vaduthala are the adjacent areas where the Anglo-Indians live in
large number. With nearly 1000 Anglo-Indian families in the parish of
Chanthiath, there is a strong feeling of Anglo-Indian presence and unity.
The members of the community were called by others as Saipanmar or
Parangikar and considered as the higher strata of citizens at this area. Anglo-
Indian Association is very vibrant and the Chanthiath-vaduthala Anglo
Indian Association is the biggest association in the union. Edword
Rodrigues, Francis Correya, Francis Severance and Joseph Diaz were the
early leaders of the community.
Anglo-Indians in Kollam
Portuguese established their settlement in Kollam and their authority
could be assessed from the remains of the Fort St. Thomas, near
Thangassery. In later years, Dutch and French and finally English came to
Cochin. The descendants of these Europeans now formed the present Anglo-
Indian Community in Quilon. Apart from Thangassery Anglo-Indians lived
at Chavara, Neendakara, Clappana, Eravipuram, Kovilthottam and the
surrounding areas of the present Quilon city. Mr. S.P.Luiz, A.A.D. Luiz and
Stephen Padua were responsible for the strengthening of the community in
this area. The two Anglo-Indian Schools- the Infant Jesus High School for
Boys and the Mount Carmel High School for girls are situated here. The
great names to remembered are Gen. Noronha who lead the UN Missions in
Congo, Ms. Janis Spink, athlet, Dr. N.P. Fernandez and a number of priests
including Msgr.A.J.Rozario, the Vical General of the Diocese of Quilon and
nuns from this area did wounderful service for the community.

Notes and References
1. Moritz Deutschmann, Cultural History of British Colonialism in India,
German, 2011, pp. 1-15.
2. Noel Pitts Gist & Roy Dean Wright, Marginality and Identity: Anglo Indians
as a Racially Mixed Minority in India, Leiden, 1973, p. 122.
3. Ibid., p. 34.
4. Frederick Charles Danvers, Portuguese in India- Being a History of the Rise
and Decline of Their Eastern Empire, New Delhi, 1988, pp. 22-47.
5. L. L. Mehta, Advanced Study in the History of Modern India: Volume One:
1707 1813, New Delhi, 2005, p. 323.
6. Ronald Daus, Portuguese Eurasian Communities in South East Asia (Local
History and Memoirs),Singapore, 1989, p. 35.
7. Ibid., p. 68.
8. Richard Worth, Vasco Da Gama, New York, 2009, pp 33-49.
9. Lionel Caplan, Children of Colonialism: Anglo-Indians in a Postcolonial
World, New York, 2003, p. 112.
10 Richard Worth, Op.cit, p. 55.
11 A.Sreedhara Menon, A Survey of Indian History, Kottayam, 2007, pp. 176-
178.
12 M.N. Pearson, The Portuguese in India, Cambridge, pp 120-124.
13 Richard Worth, Op.cit, pp. 61-66.
14 A. Sreedhara Menon, Op. cit., p. 231.
15 Ibid.
16 Ibid., p. 178.
17 Richard Worth, Op.cit., pp. 66-68.
18 Sreedhara Menon. A, Op.cit.p. 179.
19 Sanjay Subramanyam, The Career and Legend of Vasco d agama, New
York, 1997, p. 14.
20 Ibid.
21 P. J. Cherian, Perspectives on Kerala history: the second millennium,
Thiruvananthapuram, 1999, p. 34.
22 Sreedhara Menon A., Op. cit., pp.179-80.
23 T. V. Mahalingam, South Indian Studies, Mysore, 1990, pp. 404 - 405
24 Henry Mores Stephens, Albuquerque, p. 31.
25 Richard Worth, Op. Cit. p.72.
26 Henry Mores Stephens, Albuquerque, New Delhi,1897, p. 35.
27 Frederick Charles Danvers, The Portuguese in India: A. D. 1571-1894,
London, 1894, p. 146.
28 Ibid.
29 Census of India, 1961, Volume 7, p. 132.
30 Pius Malekandathil, Maritime India: Trade, Religion and Polity in the Indian
Ocean, Delhi, 2010, p. 90.
31 Ibid., pp. 131-140
32 Celsa Pinto, Trade and Finance in Portuguese India: A Study of the
Portuguese Country Trade 1770-1840 (XCHR Studies Series No. 5), Celsa,
1994, p. 122-217.
33

Ibid.
34

Ibid.
35

Morse Stephens, Albuquerque and the Early Portuguese Settlement in India,
New Delhi, 2003, p.134-145
36 Ibid.
37 Karin Larsen, Faces of Goa, New Delhi, 1997, p.411.
38 Asiatic Journal and monthly miscellany, (Vol.-23)
39 Sultana Choudhry, Multifaceted Identity of Interethnic Young People:
Chameleon Identities, England, 2010, p. 31
40

Esther Mary Lyons, Unwanted!: Memoirs of an Anglo-Indian Daughter of
Rev Michael Delisle Lyons of Detroit, Michigan, Kokata, 2005, p. 33.
41 Nicholas B. Dirks, Colonialism and Culture, Michigan, 1992, pp.122-126.
42

C. J. Hawes, Poor Relations: The Making of a Eurasian Community in British
India 1773-1833, London, 1996, pp.6-19.
43

Ibid
44 Alison Blunt, Domicile and Diaspora: Anglo-Indian Women and the Spatial
Politics of Home, Blackwell, 2005, p.134.
45 Peter Harrington, Plassey 1757: Clive of Indias Finest Hour, London, 1994,
pp. 34-35.
46 Johnson OToole, Confessions of A Gay Globetrotter, London, 2003, p.
124.
47 Austin Anthony DSouza, Anglo-Indian education: a study of its origins and
growth in Bengal up to 1960, London, 1996, p. 15.
48

Nancy Lucille Brennan, The Anglo Indians of Madras; An Ethnic Minority in
Transition., Syracuse, 1979, p.78.
49 Mark Harrison, Public Health in British India: Anglo-Indian Preventive
Medicine 1859-1914, Cambridge, 1994, p. 22.
50 Bharati Debi & Anshu Prokash Nandan, The Anglo-Indians of Calcutta: a
community of communities, Kolkata, 2005. p. 6.
51 Evelyn Abel, The Anglo-Indian community: survival in India, Delhi, 1988,
pp.33-38.
52 Ibid.
53 Ibid.
54 C. N. Weston, Anglo-Indian revolutionaries of the Methodist Episcopal
Church, p. 104
55 Austin Anthony DSouza, Anglo-Indian education: a study of its origins and
growth in Bengal up to 1960, Delhi, 1976, p.94.
56 Arnold P. Kaminsky & Roger D. Long, India Today: An Encyclopedia of Life
in the Republic: An Encyclopedia of Life in the Republic, Volume 1, p. 39.
57 Austin Anthony D Souz, Op.Cit., p. 88.
58 Subodh Kapoor, The Indian Encyclopaedia, Volume 1, California, 2011, p.
268.
59 G. S. Chhabra, Advanced Study in the History of Modern India, New Delhi,
2005, p. 75
60 Zareer Masani, Indian Tales of Raj, Berkeley, 1987, p.151.
61 Harish Trivedi, Colonial Transactions: English Literature and India,
Manchester, 1995, p. 37.
62 C. N. Weston, Op.cit., pp. 107-8
63 Sidney Homer and Richard Sylla, A History of Interests Rates, New Jersy,
2005, p. 179.
64 Daniel Thomer, Investment in Empire: British Railway and Steam Shipping
Enterprise in India, 1825-1849, p. 66.
65

Evelyn Abel, Op.cit., p. 32. 4
66

William Ferguson Beatson Laurie, Sketches of some distinguished Anglo-
Indians: with an account of Anglo-Indian periodical literature, London,
1887, pp.100-120.
67

Evelyn Abel, Op.cit., p. 43.
68

Saurav Gangopadhyay, Anglo Indians Yesterdays and Today, p.488.
69 P. Achutha Menon, The Cochin State Manual, Ernakulam, 1911, p.311.
70

Sreedhara Menon A., Op.cit. p. 162.
71 Report of the Backward Classes Commission, (Vol-1).
72

P. Achutha Menon,Op. cit. p. 311.
73 Ibid.