Imagine a company that had more power and wealth than any nation in the world. A company that controlled trade across continents, fought wars with its army and ruled over millions of people. A company that also shaped the culture and history of a city like London. That company was the East India Company (EIC), and it existed for more than 200 years.
This blog post will tell the fantastic story of how the EIC rose from a humble trading venture to a global empire and fell from grace after a series of scandals and rebellions. We will also show you how the EIC left its mark on East London, where it built its headquarters, docks, warehouses, and factories.
How the EIC Became a Global Powerhouse
The EIC started as a small group of merchants who wanted to trade with Asia, especially India and China. They were looking for spices, tea, silk, and other exotic goods in high demand in Europe. They got a royal charter from Queen Elizabeth I in 1600, which gave them the exclusive right to trade with the East Indies (now Indonesia).
The EIC faced many challenges and rivals in their quest for trade and profit. They had to compete with the Portuguese and Dutch, who had already established strong footholds in Asia. They also had to deal with the local rulers and people, who were only sometimes friendly or cooperative. The EIC often used force and violence to get what they wanted. They built their army of European and Indian soldiers, called sepoys. They also had forts, ships, guns, and allies.
The EIC’s big break came in 1757 when they won the Battle of Plassey against the Nawab of Bengal and his French supporters. This gave them control over Bengal, India’s richest and most populous region. It also allowed them to take over more land and power from the Mughal Empire and other Indian states. The EIC became the ruler of India, collecting taxes, making laws, and enforcing justice.
How the EIC Became a Global Powerhouse
The EIC started as a small group of merchants who wanted to trade with Asia, especially India and China. They were looking for spices, tea, silk, and other exotic goods in high demand in Europe. They got a royal charter from Queen Elizabeth I in 1600, which gave them the exclusive right to trade with the East Indies (now Indonesia).
The EIC faced many challenges and rivals in their quest for trade and profit. They had to compete with the Portuguese and Dutch, who had already established strong footholds in Asia. They also had to deal with the local rulers and people, who were only sometimes friendly or cooperative. The EIC often used force and violence to get what they wanted. They built their army of European and Indian soldiers, called sepoys. They also had forts, ships, guns, and allies.
The EIC’s big break came in 1757 when they won the Battle of Plassey against the Nawab of Bengal and his French supporters. This gave them control over Bengal, India’s richest and most populous region. It also allowed them to take over more land and power from the Mughal Empire and other Indian states. The EIC became the ruler of India, collecting taxes, making laws, and enforcing justice.
The EIC also wanted to trade more with China, where they bought tea, silk, porcelain, and other products. But they faced problems with the Chinese government, which limited their trade to one port: Canton (Guangzhou). The EIC had to pay high fees and follow strict rules to trade there. To make more money, they started smuggling opium from India to China, even though it was illegal. This caused a lot of trouble with the Chinese authorities, who tried to stop them. The EIC fought back with war, using its army and navy. They won two wars against China, called the Opium Wars. These wars forced China to give up more ports, land, money, and rights to Britain.
How the EIC Lost its Grip: Scandals, Revolts and Changes
The EIC could have been a better ruler of India. It was greedy, dishonest, careless, and cruel. Many people hated it and wanted to get rid of it. The EIC’s shareholders only cared about making money, not about the welfare of the people or the land. The EIC’s employees cheated and stole from the company and the locals. The EIC’s policies harmed India’s economy, society, culture, and religion. The EIC’s taxes made the farmers poor and hungry. The EIC’s monopoly killed the competition and innovation. The EIC’s army caused wars and revolts with its bullying and meddling.
The most significant revolt against the EIC was the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857-1858. It started when some Indian soldiers (sepoys) refused to use the new rifle cartridges the EIC gave them. They believed the cartridges were coated with cow or pig fat, which was against their religion (Hinduism or Islam). They had to bite the cartridges to load them into their rifles. The sepoys rebelled and killed some British officers. Then they joined forces with other Indians who were unhappy with British rule. They captured Delhi and other cities, killed many British people, and declared a new Mughal emperor. The EIC fought back with its army and its loyal allies. They crushed the rebellion after a year of fierce fighting.
The Sepoy Mutiny showed that the EIC was not fit to govern India and shocked the British government and the British people.
How the EIC Shaped East London: Trade, Industry, and Culture
The EIC had a significant presence in East London, where it built its headquarters, docks, warehouses, and factories. It also brought many people, goods, and ideas from Asia to London.
The EIC’s main office was in East India House on Leadenhall Street in the City of London. It was a grand building that showed the company’s power and wealth. It had everything the company needed: offices, warehouses, archives, a library, a museum, and a court of directors. It was also where the company held its meetings and ceremonies. The building was torn down in 1861.
The EIC’s ships came from the docks along the River Thames in East London. The main docks were in Blackwall and Limehouse. They were busy places where the company loaded and unloaded its cargoes of spices, tea, silk, cotton, opium, and other goods. Many of the company’s workers lived near the docks: sailors, dockworkers, carpenters, smiths, and other artisans. The docks also drew other traders, travellers, and settlers from different countries and cultures. They made East London a diverse and lively area.
The EIC’s factories were spread across East London. They made textiles from the raw materials that the company imported from India and China. The most famous ones were Spitalfields, Bethnal Green, Bow and Bromley-by-Bow. They made silk and calico (cotton cloth) famous in Europe. The factories hired thousands of workers, primarily women and children. They worked hard for little money and in bad conditions. The factories also faced problems with their competitors, customers, and workers. They had to deal with cheaper imports, higher taxes, and new machines. They also faced protests and strikes from their workers who wanted better pay and rights.
The EIC’s trade and empire changed the culture of East London. The company brought new things to Londoners that they liked or wanted to try: tea, coffee, chocolate, spices, porcelain, chintz (printed cotton fabric), and shawls. The company also shared its knowledge and collections of art, literature, maps, specimens, and curiosities from Asia. The company also helped create connections and exchanges between East Londoners and Asians. Some of them married each other or had children together. Some of them adopted each other’s customs or beliefs. Some of them formed new communities or identities.
During the mid 18th and into the early 19th centuries 3 brothers were connected to the EIC. John Burford was Chief Clerk to the Buying Office, his younger brother Jonathan worked in the Pay Office and older brother Richard supplied broadcloth to the company, at one time turning over £90,000 a year. They came from a long line of Wapping distillers. Unfortunately, for reasons still unknown, John took his own life by jumping from an upper window at the EIC’s offices in Leadenhall Street in May 1800. The event was reported in The Times.
Interesting comments, i worked in London’s Dockland in the 1950’s. Wonderful place full of great characters.
Check out my book ‘Dockland Apprentice’