CENSUS 1881 | perim

Perim Census 1881

The earliest census figures for Perim are those for 1881. They are of particular interest as they give the population of Perim 18 months before the establishment of the Perim Coal Company. The basic figures for Perim were:

The figures also show the breakdown by ‘nationality/race’, which in some cases also includes religion. ‘Native Christians’ almost certainly refers to Indians and not Arabs.

The detachment had a strength of one British and one Indian officer and 50 men and in this instance they must have been from a Hindu regiment; the female Hindu was probably the Indian officer’s wife. So six of the detachment must have been Christians. The three male Europeans would have been the OC Outpost and two of the following: the Commissariat representative, the engineer in charge of the lighthouse and the water condenser, and the apothecary. The odd one out, probably the last-named, would have been Anglo-Indian.

The Parsee would have been running a small shop; the Muslims and the other Native Christians would have been in government employment, mostly lighthouse staff. What is also of interest is that the locals comprised more Somalis than Arabs. The Muslims would not have been part of the detachment as it was not the policy to have Muslims and Hindus in the same unit. Most of the Somalis and Arabs would have been living in Meyun.