David Sassoon was born on October 1792 in Baghdad. He was the son of businessman, Sassoon ben Saleh. His family belonged to Iraqi Jews. His family moved to Bombay via Persia due to persecution of Baghdad Jews. In Bombay, he was acting as middle man between British textile firms and Persian Gulf commodity merchants. Later invested in harbours. He slowly increased in business in textiles, opium and started exporting goods to Britian.
After three years he landed in Mumbai with borrowed capital of one thousand punds, built the business empire David Sasssoon & Co.
Along with Parsi businessmen such as Sir Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy, David Sassoon continued the trade with China and from the wealth earned there he started his own business of oil. His first mill was named E.D. Sassoon Mills and he became exceedingly prosperous. Later the Sassoons were the largest mill owners and were known as Badshah of the business community of Bombay. Overall there were 17 mills, employing in total some 15,000 to 20,000 workers. Later, David Sassoon also entered the cotton, fabrics and various other industries on a large scale.
David Sassoon saw the possibility of immense growth in cotton trade and began to export cotton bales to Britain and import piece of goods from there to be sold in Baghdad, Bushire and India. When trade with China opened, he followed suit and set up branches at Canton, Hong Kong and Shanghai.
Philanthropy
David Sassoon from his wealth contributed to various causes which included the beautification and development of the city of Bombay and Poona. Made David Sassoon Library and Reading Room (1938), David Sassoon Elderly and Destitute Persons Home or the David Sassoon Infirm Asylum (1863) in Poona (today the Nivara Old Age Home), the Clock Tower at the Victoria Gardens (today Veermata Jijimata Udyan), and the Statue of the Prince Consort at the Victoria and Albert Museum (today the Bhau Daji Lad Museum) and many more.
Died – David Sassoon became a legend in his own times. At the age of 72 years, he died in Pune in 1864.
Some of the prominent Buildings built by David Sasoon and his family are:
David Sassoon Library & reading room, Fort Mumbai
Magen David Synagogue, Byculla, Mumbai
Jacob Sasooon High School, Byculla, Mumbai
E.E.E. Sassoon High School, Byculla, Mumbai
David Sassoon Hospital, JJ Hospital Premises, Byculla, Mumbai
Masina Hospital, Byculla, Mumbai
Knesset Eliyahoo Synagogue, Colaba, Mumbai
Sassoon Dock, Colaba, Mumbai
The Bank of India, Fort (head office), Mumbai
The David Sassoon Reformary and Deaf school, Matunga, Mumbai
Ohel David Synagogue, Pune
Sassoon Hospital, Pune
Lady Rachel Sassoon Dispensary, Pune
David Sassoon Elderly and Destitute Persons Home (1863), Pune (today’s Nivara Old Age Home)
Sassoon House
They have contributed to the construction of:
Gateway of India
Sassoon Building of Elphinstone Technical High School, Mumbai
The Institute of Science, Mumbai
Clock Tower at The Victoria Gardens
The Victoria and Albert Museum
Information source: Wikipedia
