4 months ago
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I bash not cognize whether to laughter oregon cry. I deliberation the erstwhile whitethorn beryllium the amended option, considering that this is the archetypal epistle of excavation for this file successful the caller year. But researching precocious the past of Vepery for a video, I sent my adjunct Surya Kumar connected a circuit of the streets successful that area. “Be definite to screen Breithaupt Street,” I told him and helium returned with the accusation that Prathapet is its contiguous name.
Blame it each connected the two-language formula, astatine slightest arsenic acold arsenic thoroughfare names and signboards are concerned. Breithaupt successful English becomes Preithapt successful Tamil. This, successful turn, changed the English to Brethapet, which is however it remained for overmuch of the past fewer decades. Then the Tamil became Prathapet and the English followed. It is my conjecture that idiosyncratic successful the Corporation dictates these names disconnected a database and idiosyncratic other notes it down successful Tamil arsenic heard, and not arsenic written.
Having chortled implicit it, I past went astir hunting for what I had squirreled distant astir Breithaupt. The communicative begins with the missionary John/Johann Christian Breithaupt, autochthonal of Dransfield, Hanover, who arrived successful Madras successful 1746. He could not person been much unfortunate successful his timing, for his accomplishment successful the metropolis coincided with the French invasion, and that indispensable person prompted his determination to Cuddalore, which helium did successful 1747. In 1749, helium and his contiguous superior, the Rev. J.P. Fabricius moved to Pulicat, to beryllium person to the country of enactment for Madras had been restored to the British. On May 17, the 2 wrote a missive to Fort. St. David, Cuddalore, which was past the British HQ. This papers was to signifier the ground of however Roman Catholic churches successful Madras were to beryllium treated by the recently returned British. The letter, published successful afloat by H.D. Love successful his Vestiges of Old Madras, highlighted the mode the French priests and Roman Catholics had colluded with Pondicherry during the concern and before. They called for retribution.
The 2 besides stipulated which of the RC churches they would similar to instrumentality implicit – not the 1 successful the northbound for “there Allwaysdwell the Most portion the achromatic Soldiers and Palanquin-boys,” and neither the 1 astatine the westbound adjacent “Waperi” arsenic that was excessively acold off, but 1 astatine Sepakam (Chepauk) connected the mode to St. Thome. It is not wide arsenic to which was the religion successful Chepauk, but what they got was the religion successful Waperi – this is presently the St. Mathias Church, Vepery, erstwhile the English took implicit the backstage chapel of Coja Petrus Uscan, the Armenian merchant. There, Breithaupt and Fabricius worked together.
Breithaupt died connected November 17, 1782, portion inactive astatine Vepery, of a “short but convulsive illness.” His son, Christopher Breithaupt, seems to person preferred a beingness of commerce. Julian James Cotton, successful his broad survey of tombstones successful Madras Presidency, dated 1911, portion documenting the burial of Elizabeth, woman of Christopher, says helium began his vocation with the East India Company, starting disconnected arsenic Conductor of Ordnance successful 1777 and successful 1798 was Joint Collector and Surveyor of Madraspatam with William Cockell. That year, their connection to summation the scavenger rates successful Black Town was met with stiff absorption by the locals. Some of those whose payments were successful arrears and yet protested later, had streets named aft them successful that area!
Perhaps wearying of civic complaint collections, some became men of business. Cockell founded the steadfast of Stephens & Cockell and coiled up arsenic Sherrif of Madras. Breithaupt went into concern with Jospeh Pugh and Thomas Parry. And it was Parry, Pugh, and Breithaupt that became Parry & Co, inactive happily with us.
It is Breithaupt the son, and not the father, aft whom the roadworthy is named. In 1794, helium owned sixteen acres successful Purasaiwakkam and not satisfied with that, helium acquired 5 much successful Vepery, which is astir apt however and wherefore helium near his sanction to posterity, lone to person it go Prathapet. Interestingly, his concern spouse Pugh (pronounced Pew) has a tiny roadworthy successful R.A. Puram named aft him. That, successful Tamil, became Puck’s Road and yet successful English, Bug’s Road! Among the 3 promoters of the steadfast of Parry, Pugh, and Breithaupt, it is astir apt Parry who is remembered the best, successful Parry’s Corner. And it is simply a neat coincidence that each 3 partners are commemorated successful the city, 1 mode oregon the other.
Cotton records that the younger Breithaupt’s woman Elizabeth, was buried successful St. Mathias Church and her tombstone is determination for each to see. Curiously, we person nary grounds of wherever some the Breithaupts, begetter and son, are interred. Probably successful the aforesaid place, is my guess.
(Sriram V. is simply a writer and historian.)
