POPULATION 1885

Captain Snell was the first long-tour Assistant Resident Perim. One of his first tasks was to submit a population return; it is an interesting document as it lists all the British employees of the Coal Company by name and function. In early February 1885, that is within 18 months of the Coal Company coming to Perim, the population had increased from the 149 of the 1881 census to 820 distributed as follows:

All the above except for those listed under Perim Coal Company would have been living on ‘Government Side’, the majority in Meyun. The 28 ‘living outside the fort’ were presumably those not in government employment, mainly families.

The four Europeans at the Fort were Captain Snell, his wife and one child and a Miss Gordon who was listed as having no occupation. She was therefore possibly a house guest rather than a nanny. Captain Snell had five servants. The Jemadar commanding the detachment had his wife with him at the fort. Also living in the fort was Mr George, the apothecary, and presumably Eurasian. Amongst those in the immediate vicinity of the fort were three traders and the interpreter and his family of five. The engineer in charge of the lighthouse was an Indian. The 30 Europeans on Company Side were:

• Captain Squire (Managing Agent), Mrs Squire plus five children and an English nurse.

• Mr Prosser (Harbour Master)

• Mr Hooper (Assistant Harbour Master)

• Mr Hicks (Builder)

• Mr Swan (Clerk)

• Dr Stopford (Medical Officer)

• Mr Shand (Manager’s Clerk)

• Signor Borea (Italian visitor)

• Captain Duncan (Pilot)

• Mr Watson (Assistant Pilot)

• Mr Pascal (Able Seaman)

• Mr Bain (Coaling Superintendent)

• Mr McGregor (Chief Engineer)

• Mr Morris (2nd Engineer)

• Mr Ramsey (3rd Engineer)

• Mr Thompson (Storekeeper)

• Mr Jones (Blacksmith), Mrs Jones and four children

• Mr Briggs (Signaller i/c Flagstaff)

This gives a total of 17 European Company staff. The non-European staff were from nine nationalities. The seven Chinese were the seven carpenters; the fitter and the 12 rivetters were all Indian. There were seven Goanese: two butlers, two cooks, the baker, the storekeeper’s assistant and an office clerk. The coolies numbered 413, about two thirds of whom were Arabs, one sixth Dankalis and the others Somalis or Seedees.

POPULATION 1885

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