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{{Short description|English businessman and philanthropist}} |
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'''Sir Robert Stanes''' (13 May 1841 – 6 September 1936) was a British businessman and philanthropist in [[India]] who founded [[United Nilgiri Tea Estates]] (UNTE) in [[Coimbatore]]. |
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Stanes was born in [[Aldgate]], [[London]], the eighth of nine children of James Stanes (12 March 1796 – 3 February 1880) and Sarah Poultney Stanes (''[[née]]'' Worth; 26 April 1806 – 15 July 1843). James Stanes was a glass and china shipping merchant who established the Stanes' presence in India by sending several of his sons to the country. In 1848, James Stanes junior (1830–1852), the second son, arrived in southern India and established the Runnymede Coffee Estate near [[Coonoor]] in [[Madras Presidency]]. He was drowned in May 1852 while traveling near Kulhutty. Later that year, following the death of James Stanes junior, William Henry Stanes (12 May 1826 – 31 January 1865), his eldest brother, was sent to India. He was followed by the fourth son, Thomas Stanes (6 January 1837 – 30 January 1905), who arrived at Madras on the [[SS Hindustan|SS ''Hindustan'']] on 26 June 1855. James Stanes senior visited his sons William and Thomas in Madras Presidency in 1855, accompanied by his third son, Henry Thomas Stanes (1835–1917), who ran the London end of the family's businesses. The greatest impact in India was made by Robert Stanes, the youngest son, who arrived in India on 24 December 1858 on his father's ship the SS ''Trafalgar'' while still a boy of seventeen.{{citation needed|date=July 2020}} |
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Sir '''''Robert Stanes''''' was the founder of ''[[United Nilgri Tea Estates]]'' (UNTE). |
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He arrived in [[India]] in [[1858]] while still a young boy of seventeen. Robert Stanes immediately launched himself on a career that was a remarkable blend of [[entrepreneurship]] and [[philanthropy]]. He had already been in India fifty five years before UNTE was formed, by which time he had been Knighted in recognition of his generous contribution to society. Those fifty five years also saw Robert Stanes grow from a diffident boy into the dynamic head of a business empire. [[Cotton mill]]s, coffee plantations, tea, coffee curing, motor works and tire retreading made up the diverse interests of his business. Robert Stanes was also a man with a commendable sense of social responsibility, when the City Council for [[Coimbatore]] was first formed, he took on the Chairmanship. He set up the [[Stanes School]] in 1862, the city's premier educational institution till date. His elder brother [[Thomas Stanes]] had established the ''Stanes School'' [http://www.stanescoonoor.com www.stanescoonoor.com] in [[Coonoor]], in [[1875]]. For his contribution to society Robert Stanes was also conferred the title of ''Kaiser-e-Hind' |
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In 1885 Stanes & Co went out of business. |
Robert immediately launched himself on a successful career as a [[coffee]] planter in Coimbatore. Five years later he established the first inland coffee-curing plant in India, In 1885, Stanes & Co went out of business. Stanes recalled that "the firm suffered great losses and Messrs Stanes Watson failed in business, which led to the collapse of my firm. I had to begin all over again, all that I had was 500 rupees" (about £40 at that date). Failure in business was at that time a disgrace and Robert Stanes's son, Fred, who was five at the time, remembered both the shame and also having to return to England on a cargo boat. Stanes wrote that "my dear wife endured it all without a murmur and with the greatest patience". He started again and the business again prospered. By the time of his death he owned [[cotton mill]]s, coffee and tea plantations, coffee curing plants, motor works and tire retreading plants; Coimbatore is still a major industrial city today, largely through Stanes's contribution.{{citation needed|date=July 2020}} |
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return to England on a cargo boat. Robert put it on record that ‘my dear wife endured it all without a murmur and with the greatest patience.’ |
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When Coimbatore City Council was formed, he became chairman. He set up the [[Stanes School]] in the city in 1862. His elder brother, [[Thomas Stanes]], had established the Stanes School in [[Coonoor]], in 1858.<ref>[http://www.stanescoonoor.com Stanes School, Coonoor website]</ref> |
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He started again and the business again prospered. The Stanes textile mill he started in Coimbatore is the forerunner to the huge textile industry of |
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world repute which Coimbatore has today |
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In 1913, he was awarded the [[Kaisar-i-Hind Medal|Kaiser-i-Hind Gold Medal]] for services to Coimbatore and to education and he was [[Knight Bachelor|knighted]] in the 1920 New Year Honours.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=31712 |date=30 December 1919 |page=3 |supp=y}}</ref> |
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'''Citation for the Honour of Knight Bachelor (1920)''' |
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Sir Robert died in Coimbatore in 1936 and is buried alongside his wife, Harriet Huntingdon Harris (1843–1901), at All Saints church, Coonoor.{{citation needed|date=July 2020}} |
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‘Mr Stanes first came to India fifty-seven years ago and joined a commercial firm. Owing to financial difficulties the business had to be wound up and Mr Stanes started business on his own account. His ability and enterprise have been shown by the high position which he has won for himself in commercial circles and the high sense of honour which has always distinguished him was signally demonstrated at the outset of his career he assumed responsibility for and paid off the whole of the liabilities of the company to which he formerly belonged. His firm are the proprietors and agents of a large number of commercial |
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undertakings in Coimbatore including the important Coimbatore Spinning and weaving Company and are also intimately connected with the planting industry. Throughout his long career Mr Stanes has taken a keen and generous interest in education more especially that of the domiciled community [sc.the Anglo-Indians]. Shortly after his arrival in India he founded a school in Coimbatore for the education of poor European and Eurasian children. The school now has about two hundred children and Mr Stanes continues to manage it and undertake all financial responsibility. A similar school is maintained by him at Coonoor and he is also Chairman of the Trustees of the Breeks memorial school at Ootacamund, which is one of the most important European schools in the Presidency. His interest in education is not however confined to the domiciled community; fot many years he served as Secretary of the committee of Coimbatore College, an institution which including the connected High School has about seven hundred pupils on its rolls. The success of the College has been largely due to his capacity and generous financial assistance and he is a life member of the Committee. All movements in connection with the war work and for the benefit of soldiers and convalescents stationed in the Nilgiris have found in him a warm and generous supporter. Mr Stanes is universally respected by all sections of the community and his ability, integrity and unostentatious benevolence have won for him a unique position in the districts with which he has been connected.’ |
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==Footnotes== |
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{{Reflist}} |
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==References== |
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*Obituary, ''[[The Times]]'', 8 September 1936 |
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{{Authority control}} |
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Stanes, Robert}} |
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stanes, Robert}} |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:1841 births]] |
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[[Category:1936 deaths]] |
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[[Category:People from Aldgate]] |
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[[Category:Businesspeople from Tamil Nadu]] |
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[[Category:Businesspeople awarded knighthoods]] |
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[[Category:Knights Bachelor]] |
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[[Category:English philanthropists]] |
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[[Category:British planters]] |
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[[Category:Businesspeople in coffee]] |
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[[Category:Recipients of the Kaisar-i-Hind Medal]] |
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Latest revision as of 10:46, 28 November 2024
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (April 2021) |
Sir Robert Stanes | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 13 May 1841 London, England |
| Died | 6 September 1936 (aged 95) |
| Occupation(s) | Founder, T Stanes & Company; industrialist; educationalist. |
| Spouse | Harriet Huntingdon Harris |
Sir Robert Stanes (13 May 1841 – 6 September 1936) was a British businessman and philanthropist in India who founded United Nilgiri Tea Estates (UNTE) in Coimbatore.
Stanes was born in Aldgate, London, the eighth of nine children of James Stanes (12 March 1796 – 3 February 1880) and Sarah Poultney Stanes (née Worth; 26 April 1806 – 15 July 1843). James Stanes was a glass and china shipping merchant who established the Stanes' presence in India by sending several of his sons to the country. In 1848, James Stanes junior (1830–1852), the second son, arrived in southern India and established the Runnymede Coffee Estate near Coonoor in Madras Presidency. He was drowned in May 1852 while traveling near Kulhutty. Later that year, following the death of James Stanes junior, William Henry Stanes (12 May 1826 – 31 January 1865), his eldest brother, was sent to India. He was followed by the fourth son, Thomas Stanes (6 January 1837 – 30 January 1905), who arrived at Madras on the SS Hindustan on 26 June 1855. James Stanes senior visited his sons William and Thomas in Madras Presidency in 1855, accompanied by his third son, Henry Thomas Stanes (1835–1917), who ran the London end of the family's businesses. The greatest impact in India was made by Robert Stanes, the youngest son, who arrived in India on 24 December 1858 on his father's ship the SS Trafalgar while still a boy of seventeen.[citation needed]
Robert immediately launched himself on a successful career as a coffee planter in Coimbatore. Five years later he established the first inland coffee-curing plant in India, In 1885, Stanes & Co went out of business. Stanes recalled that "the firm suffered great losses and Messrs Stanes Watson failed in business, which led to the collapse of my firm. I had to begin all over again, all that I had was 500 rupees" (about £40 at that date). Failure in business was at that time a disgrace and Robert Stanes's son, Fred, who was five at the time, remembered both the shame and also having to return to England on a cargo boat. Stanes wrote that "my dear wife endured it all without a murmur and with the greatest patience". He started again and the business again prospered. By the time of his death he owned cotton mills, coffee and tea plantations, coffee curing plants, motor works and tire retreading plants; Coimbatore is still a major industrial city today, largely through Stanes's contribution.[citation needed]
When Coimbatore City Council was formed, he became chairman. He set up the Stanes School in the city in 1862. His elder brother, Thomas Stanes, had established the Stanes School in Coonoor, in 1858.[1]
In 1913, he was awarded the Kaiser-i-Hind Gold Medal for services to Coimbatore and to education and he was knighted in the 1920 New Year Honours.[2]
Sir Robert died in Coimbatore in 1936 and is buried alongside his wife, Harriet Huntingdon Harris (1843–1901), at All Saints church, Coonoor.[citation needed]
Footnotes
[edit]- ^ Stanes School, Coonoor website
- ^ "No. 31712". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 1919. p. 3.
References
[edit]- Obituary, The Times, 8 September 1936
- Robert Stanes in The Hindu Metro Plus[usurped]