Factory Records: Surat

Consultations (with gaps), 1622-1708. Consultations of the English Company's factory, 1700-1704. Diaries and consultations, 1718-1804. Judicial diaries, 1796-1799. Copies of letters despatched, 1631-1708. Copies of letters received, 1623-1708. Miscellaneous, 1759-1800.

The first contact with Surat was made in 1607 when Captain Hawkins of the third voyage landed and obtained permission to sell his goods. He proceeded to Agra to negotiate with the Great Mogul for trading concessions. Meanwhile, Captain Shareigh found his way overland to Surat in 1609 and Henry Middleton, commander of the sixth voyage, visited the place in 1611. Middleton obtained permission from the Great Mogul to establish a factory in 1613. Surat was an extremely busy centre of commerce, with traders coming from northern and south-west India and from the Persian Gulf. Silk and cotton cloth were the main articles purchased. In the early years, Company ships used to dispose of a part of their cargo in Surat and take on supplies of indigo for the home market and silks and cotton to trade at Bantam in exchange for spices. Surat quickly became the base for Company trade in the west of India and places westwards. Owing partly to regular attacks on the city by the Marathas and partly to the growing importance of Bombay, in the latter part of the seventeenth century the importance of Surat to the Company declined. In 1687 Bombay replaced Surat as the centre for the Company's western operations. The governor and council nevertheless continued to send separate consultations to London. In the mid-eighteenth century trade revived, partly because of the sudden development of an export trade in raw cotton with China. The Company was by that time in unofficial control of Surat and in 1800 the city and surrounding district officially became part of the British administration.

Unrestricted

Bombay Factory Records (G/3); Miscellaneous Factory Records (G/40/4, 5, 10, 11, 19, 20)