Sir Robert Bristow (13 December 1880 – 3 September 1966) was a British harbour engineer best known for his contributions to the development of the port of
Kochi
Kochi (), also known as Cochin ( ) ( the official name until 1996) is a major port city on the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea, which is a part of the Arabian Sea. It is part of the district of Ernakulam in the state of K ...
(Cochin) in India. Bristow recounted his experiences in his book ''Cochin Saga'', which is considered an important source of historiography of
Kerala
Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...
. He is also noted for his initiatives in founding the ''Lotus Club'', the first inter-racial club in Kochi.
[
] He was also a member of the
Royal Society of Arts
The Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA), also known as the Royal Society of Arts, is a London-based organisation committed to finding practical solutions to social challenges. The RSA acronym is used m ...
.
[Akhilavijnanakosam'' (an encyclopaedia in ]Malayalam
Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of 22 scheduled languages of India. Malayalam was des ...
), Vol. 4, D.C. Books
Early life
Born in
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
on 13 December 1880 to Alfred Bristow and Laura Web, Bristow studied at the Technical Institute in London and joined the Civil Engineering Service in 1903. He worked in various harbours for the next sixteen years, including ports such as
Malta
Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...
and
Portsmouth
Portsmouth ( ) is a port and city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. The city of Portsmouth has been a unitary authority since 1 April 1997 and is administered by Portsmouth City Council.
Portsmouth is the most dens ...
. He was also involved in the maintenance of the
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal ( arz, قَنَاةُ ٱلسُّوَيْسِ, ') is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea through the Isthmus of Suez and dividing Africa and Asia. The long canal is a popular ...
. He joined the services of the
Madras government at the age of 39, and came to Kochi on 13 April 1920 under the direction of
Lord Willingdon
Freeman Freeman-Thomas, 1st Marquess of Willingdon (12 September 1866 – 12 August 1941), was a British Liberal politician and administrator who served as Governor General of Canada, the 13th since Canadian Confederation, and as Viceroy and ...
, then the
Governor of Madras
This is a list of the governors, agents, and presidents of colonial Madras, initially of the English East India Company, up to the end of British colonial rule in 1947.
English Agents
In 1639, the grant of Madras to the English was finalized b ...
.
Career
During this time, trade at the port of Kochi had increased substantially, and the need to develop it was greatly felt. The port, which was under
British rule
The British Raj (; from Hindi ''rāj'': kingdom, realm, state, or empire) was the rule of the British Crown on the Indian subcontinent;
*
* it is also called Crown rule in India,
*
*
*
*
or Direct rule in India,
* Quote: "Mill, who was hims ...
since 1795, had seen little development, despite its illustrious maritime history. According to Sreedhara Menon, ''It took some time for the British authorities to realise the commercial and strategic potential of Kochi as a port and take the necessary steps for its development, as if to compensate for the earlier neglect.''
Bristow was thus assigned with the charge of constructing an approach channel from the deep sea to the inner harbour. This would help ships to enter the safer harbour rather than be exposed to the violent sea where they currently berthed while offloading cargo. The challenge Bristow faced in his task, was the obstruction caused due to a rock-like sand bar that guarded the entrance to the port. However, he was widely optimistic, and started off with a detailed study of the harbour and submitted a report to
Lord Willingdon
Freeman Freeman-Thomas, 1st Marquess of Willingdon (12 September 1866 – 12 August 1941), was a British Liberal politician and administrator who served as Governor General of Canada, the 13th since Canadian Confederation, and as Viceroy and ...
, the Governor of Madras. For the next twenty one years, he was involved with the construction of the port and succeeded in transforming Kochi into one of the safest harbours in the peninsula, where ships berthed alongside the newly reclaimed inner harbour equipped with a long array of steam cranes.
[
][
] The steamship ''Padma'', sailing from Bombay on 26 May 1928, was the first major ship to enter the newly constructed inner harbour of Kochi.
Around 3.2 km
2 of land was reclaimed during the dredging process. The
Willingdon Island
Willingdon Island is the largest artificial island in India, which forms part of the city of Kochi, in the state of Kerala. Much of the present Willingdon Island was claimed from the Lake of Kochi, filling in dredged soil around a previously ...
, as it was known (after the Madras Governor), soon grew to become a prominent part of the city. It today houses the
Cochin Port
Cochin Port or Kochi Port is a major port on the Arabian Sea – Laccadive Sea – Indian Ocean sea-route in the city of Kochi and is one of the largest ports in India. It is also the first transshipment port in India. The port lies on t ...
and the
headquarters of the Southern Naval Command.
Speaking to the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
on 11 August 1935, Bristow proudly proclaimed his achievements at the Kochi port with the following words: ''I live on a large Island made from the bottom of the sea. It is called Willingdon Island, after the present Viceroy of India. From the upper floor of my house, I look down on the finest harbour in the East.''
Bristow returned to England on 13 April 1941.
for some time. He died in September 1966 at the age of 85.
Sir Robert Bristow in his book "Cochin Saga" (1959) tells the history of Foreign Government and Business adventures in Kerala, South India, by Arabs, Romans, Venetians, Dutch, and British.
Bristow is also noted for co-founding with his wife the ''Lotus Club'' in 1931. Baring the prevailing social stigma, the Bristows opened the club to people of all races and genders, doing full justice to its objective of being "a club where men, women and children of all communities would have the opportunity of meeting together and cultivating mutual acquaintance and promoting good fellowship."
Thus, the club became the first non-white-exclusive club in the state.
), Vol. 4, D.C. Books
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bristow, Robert