The organized trading ventures and business establishments in Cochin were pioneered by the English, and one of the first enterprises in Cochin, South India was the firm of Oughterson & Campbell, from which originated the historical business house of Aspinwall. Oughterson & Campbell was established in 1844 with J. Oughterson as the senior partner. The main business of the firm was timber, shipbuilding and general trading. He eventually sold the business to Finlay Campbell & Co. of London in 1863. The acquisition of the Cochin property and business of Oughterson necessitated bringing in a young Englishman – Mr. John Hutchison Aspinwall, as a partner for management of the Cochin enterprise.
Ritchie Stewart & Co., the parent firm of Finlay Campbell & Co. of London, suffered a crash due to speculation in cotton trading during the American Civil War and in 1867; the entire assets of the firm in Cochin were transferred to the managing partner, Mr. J.H. Aspinwall. On the dissolution of the partnership, the business took the name of Aspinwall & Co. from 30th June 1867, with J.H. Aspinwall becoming the sole proprietor.
J.H. Aspinwall had taken keen interest in the civic and public activities of Cochin area and he was the Vice-President of the Fort Cochin Municipality during the years 1875 to 1878. J.H. Aspinwall was also the President of the Cochin Chamber of Commerce in 1870 and the Chamber records his leading role in the development of Cochin Port.
After the time of J.H. Aspinwall, W.N. Black became the sole surviving partner of the firm. Later his younger brother, E. H. Black, was admitted into the partnership. During the last quarter of the 19th century, the export trade of Cochin had become more general and extensive, with additional commodities participating in the trade, apart from many new trading companies of English and European origin establishing their business headquarters in Cochin. Coconut Oil and Pepper continued to be the primary lines of business of Aspinwall, apart from Coir Fiber / Rope, Hides, Lemongrass Oil, Ginger, Coffee, Turmeric, Copra, Timber, etc. The role of Black Brothers in developing the business of Aspinwall was invaluable, and records mention that William Black was “the real architect of Aspinwall” who diversified the business of the Company.
Although James Darragh first established coir manufacture and trade in 1859 at Alleppey, the real development of export of Coir Yarn took place later. Towards the end of the 19th century, Aspinwall & Co. was participating in the export of Coir Yarn and later in 1904 acquired the Cabral Yard property and established a Hydraulic Baling Press for Coir Yarn in Cochin. The property acquired from the Cabral Family has derived its name from the Portuguese navigator Cabral who made the first shipment of merchandise from Cochin in 1500. This was the beginning of our Natural Fiber business…
