Google it. The Honourable East India Company (HEIC), often colloquially referred to as "John Company", and "Company Bahadur" in India, was an early joint-stock company (the Dutch East India Company was the first to issue public stock). It was granted an English Royal Charter by Elizabeth I on December 31, 1600, with the intention of favouring trade privileges in India. The Royal Charter effectively gave the newly created HEIC a 21 year monopoly on all trade in the East Indies. The Company transformed from a commercial trading venture to one that virtually ruled India as it acquired auxiliary governmental and military functions, until its dissolution in 1858 following the events of the Indian Rebellion of 1857. -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of callaloo Sent: Tuesday, December 18, 2007 2:29 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: Indentured servants from India in Trinidad or Tobago what is the HEIC? I'm looking for inoformation on my grandparents who settled in George Village Tableland. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ann Q" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, December 18, 2007 1:13 PM Subject: RE: Indentured servants from India in Trinidad or Tobago > > Cindy, > Here are some rough dates, and a little background. > > The VOC which was the Dutch Trading company had a stronghold in India, > the British was also the ruling power in the country. > > In the late 1700's many of the European countries were abolishing > slavery, that is, not transporting slaves themselves, which left the > two big companies, the VOC and HEIC-the British Trading Company. > The British was in control of Trinidad by 1844, and they started to > import East Indian Laborers. > On May 30, 1845 the first indentured East Indian laborers arrived in > Trinidad, and by 1917, 141,615 had been brought in for a period of 5 > year indenture. > In 1840 the first Chinese indentured laborers were brought in to Trinidad. > I would suggest checking the records of the HEIC for that island and > that period, possibly there might be some record of his town/village/tribe. > Ann"Sharing the information."Researching the USVI, St.Eustatius, St. > Barths, Barbados> From: [email protected]> Subject: Indentured > servants from India in Trinidad or Tobago> Date: Tue, 18 Dec 2007 > 10:27:01 -0800> To: [email protected]> > Does anyone know how I > can find out more about this? My grandfather's> family came to Tobago > from India in the early 1900s. I would like to> see if it is possible > to trace his family back to India. Can anyone> help me?> > Thanks,> > > Cindy> > -------------------------------> To unsubscribe from the > list, please send an email to [email protected] with the > word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of > the message > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message > ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Hi I did a bit of googling and found a book which will give you abit of historical background on the issue of East Indian Indentures to the West Indies....There is quite a lot available on Google first batch provided general file citations to follow at the Public Record Office. http://books.google.com/books?id=xIHR8ht9dFIC&pg=PA14&lpg=PA14&dq=west+indie s+indentured+indian&source=web&ots=UJY7tz8e4j&sig=wiq3tfTbVyECF4GN4pRhE8V2Qr Q My search on Google was as follows: "West Indies" (search within) "indentured" (search within) "Indian". Do not use quotes Hope it helps Chris Cod http://books.google.com/books?id=xIHR8ht9dFIC&pg=PA14&lpg=PA14&dq=west+indie s+indentured+indian&source=web&ots=UJY7tz8e4j&sig=wiq3tfTbVyECF4GN4pRhE8V2Qr Q -- I am using the free version of SPAMfighter for private users. It has removed 34 spam emails to date. Paying users do not have this message in their emails. Get the free SPAMfighter here: http://www.spamfighter.com/len