EAP1104/8

Custodial history: The founder of the Mitra family of Shyampukur was Digambar Mitra (1817 – 1879). He belonged to the Mandirabati Mitra family of Konnagar. His grandfather, Ramchandra Mitra had sons, Shib Chandra, Shambhu Chandra and Rajkrishna. Digambar Mitra was the son of Shib Chandra Mitra. He was educated at Hare School and later Hindu College and was one of the leading disciples of Henry Louis Vivian Derozio. He left the college in 1834 and moved to Murshidabad and took a teaching assignment in the Nizamat school there. Later on, he left that job and joined as the head clerk under the District Magistrate and Collector of Rajshahi. But he was not satisfied with the job. He came back to Murshidabad and joined the service of the East India Company as tashildar, amin. Towards the end of 1838 he was appointed as the mentor of the young Raja Krishnanath of Cossimbazar Rajbari. Later he was promoted to the rank of Manager of Cossimbazar Raj. He was rewarded with Rupees one lakh by the minor Raja of Cossinbazar for his excellent service to the Estate. In 1842, Raja Krishnanath moved to Calcutta and settled down there. However, the relationship between Digambar Mitra and Raja Krishnanath considerably soured over the time. In 1844 Raja Krishnanath committed suicide. Digambar Mitra left the service of Cossimbazar Rajbari and stated his career of business by investing his capital in indigo and silk manufacturing. He soon had silk factories in Ramkhollah, Rajapatty, Mirzapur and Daulatbazar in Murshibad. His silk was prepared and assorted after European method. He had his own trademark bearing his initials DM undr which it was placed for sale in market. It became a well-known mark that readily found buyers, and fetched prices next to the qualities produced by Messrs. Watson &Co., the great silk merchants of the time. In the course of his mercantile transactions, he came into close contact with the leading members of the Union Bank and started putting his money in speculation. He suffered heavy lose due to the fall of Union Bank in 1849. When the Bank failed in 1849, he was left with only Rs. 25000/-. But with this small amount of capital, he did miracle. He recovered steadily. He was engaged in stock dealing. He also started investing in land and became a zaminder. He acquired landed properties in Joynagar, Konnagar, Raichak, Baruipur and other places. Digambar Mitra was not only a renowned Bengali businessman of his time; he was actively involved in other spheres of life. He became the assistant secretary of the British Indian Association in 1851 and later on became the President of Indian Association. He became the sub-editor of ‘Bharat Sabha’. In 1874, he became the first Bengali Sheriff of Calcutta. Before that, he presided over various committees and commissions. He was the only Indian representative in ‘Epidemic Fever Commission’. He produced an excellent book in 1876 entitled “The Epidemic Fever in Bengal”. He was a staunch orthodox Hindu and opposed the issues of abolition of Kulin polygamy practice and widow remarriage. Digambar Mitra passed away in 1879. His son, Girish Chandra passed away before him. Girish Chandra had two sons, Manmathanath and Narendranath. They started a charitable dispensary after the name of Girish Chandra Mitra. It became famous for ayurvedic treatment. The eminent ayurvedic practitioners (kabiraj) in Kolkata used to supervise the treatment of the patients there. Manmathanath and Narendranath were involved in many philanthropic works. They donated heavily for Victoria Memorial fund, South Africa War Fund, famine relief fund, Prince Albert Victor Hospital, and Carmichael Medical College. Later Manmathanath left Jhamapukur Rajbari and bought a mansion from R. Mitter,an eminent lawyer of that time, and settled in Shyampukur (which later came to be known as Shyampukur Rajbari. He had seven sons. Narendranath remained in the ancestral house in Jhamapukur. Shyampukur Rajbari, presently, houses the descendants of Narendranath. Presently, both the descendants of Jhamapukur Rajbari and Shyampukur Rajbari are involved in various professions other than business.

Arrangement: Arranged by the custodian.

This collection contains the following 11 files:

• EAP1104/8/1: Cash Book(vol.1) [14th Apr 1948]
• EAP1104/8/2: হিসাবের খাতা [1927]
• EAP1104/8/3: Cash Book(vol.3) [23rd Jun 1944]
• EAP1104/8/4: Cash Book(vol.4) [2 Oct 1945]
• EAP1104/8/5: Cash Book(vol.5) [15th Apr 1939]
• EAP1104/8/6: Cash Book(vol.6) [1937]
• EAP1104/8/7: Cash Book(vol.7) [1945]
• EAP1104/8/8: চালান [27 Apr 1948]
• EAP1104/8/9: Letters [18 Aug 1948]
• EAP1104/8/10: Scrapbook [Early 20th century]
• EAP1104/8/11: Tax Bill of Calcutta Corporation [1947].