IOR/G/29/5

The volume consists of nine entries in the form of diaries, covering the period between November 1728 and July 1737. The diaries contain records of the Gombroon [Bandar-e ʻAbbās] Factory, a trading post where a number of merchants, or factors resided. The Gombroon Factory, along with those at Carmenia [Kerman], and Spahaun [Isfahan, also written as Spahune] were subordinate to the East India Company at Bombay (the Bombay Presidency). While a chief agent and a council of factors ran the Gombroon Factory, only a broker seems to have been placed at the factories in Isfahan and Kerman.

The Gombroon Factory's Chief Agents between 1728 and 1737 were John Geekie, John Horne, and William Cockell respectively. When an Agent was absent, one of the Factory's members took over until his return. Gombroon Factory's members at the time included, but were not limited to, William Cordeaux, Edward Clift, William May, Nathaniel Whitewell, Walter Ray, James Smith, Thomas Waters, and James Verelst.

The diaries in the volume record the day-to-day consultations taking place at the Factory. The consultations cover the daily activities, administrative decisions made, letters received and sent, visits to and from the Factory, ships arriving and importing goods, as well as list of cargo loaded on to the ships. Copies of the consultations, letter-books, books of accounts and other annual papers were to be prepared and made ready to be dispatched by sail to the Company’s administrative headquarters in the Bombay Presidency.

Among the main details and issues recorded in the volume are the following:

• The trading activities of the Dutch and the French in the region
• The Persian-Afghan dispute
• The Persian-Turk [Ottoman] dispute
• The Persian-Arab dispute
• Records of local disputes taking place in Oman
• The arrival of the wool caphila [caravans] from Carmenia
• The appointments of new agents and members at the Gombroon Factory
• The rebellion of an Arab Shaikh called Ahmett Madannah [Shaikh Ahmad Madani, also written as Ahmud and Ahmatt] and that of the Jubarrah [the Jubarah Arabs]
• The Factory obtaining rogoms [raqams or ruqums, also written in the diary as rogomms: royal grants confirming specific trading privileges] from the Shah of Persia. The rogoms were originally granted to the Factory during the reign of Shah Abass [‘Abbas] the Great.

The volume includes records of certain commodities including Kerman wool, sugar candy, rice, rose water, grain, sugar, copper, cardamom, pepper, turmeric, coffee and ginger. Also present are accounts of salaries, payments, and prices of commodities provided in Persian currencies including Tomands [Toman], Mamoodies [Mahmudis], and Shahees [Shahis].

In addition, the volume includes the names and trade activities of a number of ships including but not limited to: the Britannia, the Queen Carolina, the Prince George, the Robert Galley, the Kissing Peggy and the Northumberland. It also includes records of Dutch ships such as the Jacob and the Castor and Pollux, and French ships such as the Union and the Four Sisters.

The volume also includes the names of places where certain events took place, as well as the names of ports where ships were sailing to and from. They include but are not limited to: Gombroon, Spahaun/Spahune, Shyrash [Shiraz], Bunder Bouchier [Bushire], Bassidore [Basidu], Ormuz [Hormuz, also written as Ormuse], and Busarah [Basra, also written as Bussorah].

Most of the diaries in the volume include abstracts of the standard account disbursements for each month. These cover the following: house expenses, garrison charges, the Afseen garden, hospital charges, medicines, marine charges, merchandised charges, house furniture, extraordinary charges, stable charges and servants’ wages.