CHENNAI: A collector of old bonds and certificates recently posted a share certificate of Swadeshi Steam Navigation Company (SSNCo) on social media along with TOI’s article on “How Swadeshi Ships battled an imperial storm” (January 4). The 116-year-old share certificate is only the third known to have survived.
“I purchased it from an old documents seller four years ago. I didn’t know its significance till I read the newspaper article and I shared its picture on our group,” said Shirsendu Mukherjee, a professor from Asutosh College in Kolkata and collector of old documents.
“By early November 1907, more than 20,000 shares had been issued by SSNCo to at least 1,700 shareholders. Of them, only two share certificates have survived,” historian A R Venkatachalapathy said in his recently published book “Swadeshi Steam: V O Chidambaram Pillai and the Battle against the British Maritime Empire”.
The first is share number 11779 issued on August 26, 1907, to S Saminatha Mudaliar of Sirkazhi. The second surviving share certificate was issued to S Nagalingam Pillai of ThadalanKoil, Sirkazhi, in November 1907.
The third certificate, in Mukherjee’s possession, was issued to Dalal Jeshingbhai Pochalbhai of Ahmedabad on October 10, 1907.
“I have more than 1,200 old bonds and certificates from the 1800s. The share of SSNCo was not part of my collection. So, it must be a very rare document,” said Sanjay Mishra, a scripophily collector and member of International Bond and Share Society.
Buy certificate and showcase it, govt told
He had shared the TOI article on his social media group, which led to Mukherjee posting his share certificate.
“The new share certificate is evidence SSNCo had a wider reception across the country and beyond,” said historian N Rajendran, who had written a book on “National Movement in Tamil Nadu 1905-14”.
He asked Tamil Nadu government to purchase the certificate and showcase it.
Venkatachalapathy said more share certificates were not preserved either due to the liquidation of the company or fear after collector Ashe’s murder.
“I purchased it from an old documents seller four years ago. I didn’t know its significance till I read the newspaper article and I shared its picture on our group,” said Shirsendu Mukherjee, a professor from Asutosh College in Kolkata and collector of old documents.
“By early November 1907, more than 20,000 shares had been issued by SSNCo to at least 1,700 shareholders. Of them, only two share certificates have survived,” historian A R Venkatachalapathy said in his recently published book “Swadeshi Steam: V O Chidambaram Pillai and the Battle against the British Maritime Empire”.
The first is share number 11779 issued on August 26, 1907, to S Saminatha Mudaliar of Sirkazhi. The second surviving share certificate was issued to S Nagalingam Pillai of ThadalanKoil, Sirkazhi, in November 1907.
The third certificate, in Mukherjee’s possession, was issued to Dalal Jeshingbhai Pochalbhai of Ahmedabad on October 10, 1907.
“I have more than 1,200 old bonds and certificates from the 1800s. The share of SSNCo was not part of my collection. So, it must be a very rare document,” said Sanjay Mishra, a scripophily collector and member of International Bond and Share Society.
Buy certificate and showcase it, govt told
He had shared the TOI article on his social media group, which led to Mukherjee posting his share certificate.
“The new share certificate is evidence SSNCo had a wider reception across the country and beyond,” said historian N Rajendran, who had written a book on “National Movement in Tamil Nadu 1905-14”.
He asked Tamil Nadu government to purchase the certificate and showcase it.
Venkatachalapathy said more share certificates were not preserved either due to the liquidation of the company or fear after collector Ashe’s murder.
