Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Jeejeebhoy, Jamsetjee
JEEJEEBHOY, Sir JAMSETJEE (1783–1859), philanthropist, was born at Bombay 15 July 1783. He was the son of poor parents, natives of Nowsaree, a small town in the state of Baroda. In 1799 he acted as clerk to his cousin, Merwanjee Maneckjee, a merchant, on a voyage to China. On 1 March 1803 he married Awabaee Framjee, daughter of Framjee Pestonjee, a Bombay merchant, who was also engaged in trade with China. As partner of his father-in-law he made four more voyages to China. On the return voyage from Canton in 1804 the ship in which he sailed formed one of the fleet of merchantmen under the command of Sir Nathaniel Dance [q. v.], which put to flight a squadron of French ships of war under Admiral Linois. During a subsequent voyage he was captured by the French and carried to the Cape of Good Hope. After losing all his property and suffering many hardships he obtained a passage in a Danish vessel bound for Calcutta, and returned to Bombay in 1807. From this time his mercantile transactions met with extraordinary success, and by 1822 he had gained a fortune of about two crores of rupees (2,000,000l.) At this period commences that long series of public benefactions which has made his name famous. In 1822 he released all the prisoners detained in Bombay gaol, under the authority of the small cause court, by satisfying the claims of their creditors. In 1824 and 1837 he subscribed large sums to relieve the sufferers from destructive fires at Surat, and to restore the buildings destroyed; and in 1828 he gave to his co-religionists, the Parsees of Bombay, Poona, and Gujarat, large endowments to provide for the proper performance of their religious ceremonies. The hospital in Bombay which is known by his name was founded by him in 1843, and in the same year he endowed schools in Bombay, Surat, Odepore, Nowsaree, Broach, and other places. In 1845 was completed the enormous causeway which connects Mahim with Bandora. This work had been contemplated by the government, but had been deferred because of the expense. It was undertaken by Jeejeebhoy at the suggestion of his wife, who was moved by the frequent casualties in the sea passage between the two places. The extensive waterworks at Poona, the dharmasala, or home of rest for poor travellers, at Bombay, and many other philanthropic and educational institutions are due to the liberality of Jeejeebhoy. As a reward for these services he was knighted on 2 May 1842, and was further created a baronet of the United Kingdom on 6 Aug. 1857. He distinguished himself by his loyalty during the mutiny, and by the large contributions which he afterwards made for the relief of the sufferers in India. He died on 14 April 1859, and was succeeded in the baronetcy by his eldest son, Cursetjee, who in 1860 assumed the name of his father, in accordance with a statute which which ordaine that every succeeding holder of the baronetcy should take the name of Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy.
On the elder Jeejeebhoy's elevation to knighthood the Parsee community of Bombay presented an address to him, and subscribed fifteen thousand rupees to establish a fund for the translation of useful works from all languages into Gujaratee. To this sum he himself added three lacs of rupees, and the interest of the whole amount, called the Sir Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy Translation Fund, is now annually devoted to such translations.
[Bombay Gazetteer, 15 April 1859; Burke's Peerage; The First Parsee Baronet, by Cowerjee Sorabjee Nadir.]