KOCHI: The Aspinwall House in Kochi, a mesmerising heritage property in Fort Kochi, has been in the news for quite a few months. And the state government’s efforts to buy the property from DLF, the Delhi-based company, have reportedly failed.
However, one of the main venues of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale since the mega art fair started way back in 2012, Aspinwall House will continue to hold the position. So, it’s time city folks learnt the story behind this proud structure, having a history of 178 years standing tall on the shores of the Arabian sea.
It all started way back in 1867 when legendary trader John H Aspinwall set up his business Aspinwall & Co. It was one of the earliest enterprises on the Malabar coast of south India. The company engaged in the trade of various spices and pepper to coconut oil, timber, and much later coir, coffee, tea and rubber. The compound has many structures, some of which were used as office buildings, along with a residential bungalow.
But the history of the Aspinwall House doesn’t start there. The large waterfront property once belonged to the East India Company. And later in 1844, Oughterson Campbell & Co got hold of the building and sold its waterfront office and properties to Ritchie Stewart & Co in 1846. “In 1867, the new company also crashed. So, the entire asset went to the managing partner of the company John H Aspinwall, and he set up his shipping firm there,” says Johann Binny Kuruvilla, a history enthusiast who runs the @kochiheritageproject.
“Aspinwall, the person, was a monumental figure in Kochi’s history. He served as the vice-president of the Fort Cochin municipality and the president of the Cochin Chamber of Commerce. He was one of the first persons to think of why Kochi needed a harbour,” says K J Sohan, ex-Mayor and state convenor of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage.
He adds that the entire structure got destroyed in the great fire of 1889. “The fire destroyed many properties in Fort Kochi. Many godowns of Aspinwall & Co were also affected. The current structure was built after the fire of 1890,” Sohan says.
In 1956, it became a public limited company, and the Travancore royal family acquired a small share, Sohan says. “The remaining shares were bought by the family in 1971,” adds Johann. Now, Aspinwall & Co operates from Edappally. And the historic property changed hands once again when DLF acquired it. However, the state government took the building on lease, and it will continue to be the centre of attraction for Kerala’s buzzing art fair.
There & Then
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