"JOHN
JOSEPH MURPHY"THE
EVER GLITTERING PERSONALITY (1872-1957)
Kottayam district, situated in the middle of Kerala state, South India is renowned for its natural beauty and the head quarter of the district is 'Kottayam'. Which is known as the land of 'Letters and Latex'.
The people of the district are highly educated, cultured and having a fair social and financial status. The district is having many rubber and tea plantations and allied factories, which attribute to the financial uplift of the society. A large number of educational institutions of the district have made it the land of letters. Churches, charity institutions and temples have induced a high sense of spirituality and morality. The people of the whole district is highly obliged to Late Mr. John Joseph Murphy of Ireland for all these present prosperity and social development.
Mr. John Joseph Murphy resided at his "Yendayar Estate" near Mundakayam village of Kottayam district, Kerala for about 50 years. He started cardamom, tea and rubber plantations in Kerala on commercial basis.He was a planter, a social reformer, educationalist and above all a lover of labourers.
He started schools to educate the children of his employees, provided hospitals and creches in his estate. Family lines, water supply, sanitation were in existence in his estate. He also built churches, chapels and convents to encourage their spiritual life. On retirement he placed them on pensions. All this he did, years before laws and regulations were enacted by the governments.In turn his employees and their generations love him and respect him. Their affection and love will flourish forever.
Birth - John
Joseph Murphy was born on 1st August 1872 at Dublin of Ireland in to a Catholic
family of Shippers and Bankers.
Childhood - An asthmatic child - Early education with
the "MARIST BROTHERS", a Catholic Educational brotherhood - Later
education at "Trinity College Dublin"
1893 - His planting career began as a
'Creeper' on the '' in the Ramboda District of Ceylon.
1897- He migrated to South India, joined Messrs, Finlay Muir & Co., who were Tea planters in the High Ranges of Kerala. - He opened the 'LETCHMI' Estate in the High Ranges - Started the first Cardamom estate of South India at Pampadumpara of Kerala -
1902 - He was the member of the 'Periyar
Syndicate" (Members - J. J. Murphy, J. A. Hunter, K. E. Nicoll and
G.Nicoll) - They started the first 'Hevea Rubber Estate' near Alway of Kerala
on the banks of Periyar River.
1903 -
He bought the jungle land of the present 'Yendayar Estate' near
Mundakayam of Kerala from the POONJAR
CHIEF and started planting rubber.
1904 - By this time he started rubber
plantation on a commercial basis at his Yendayar Estate - The estate is near
Mundakayam of Kottayam District, Kerala, S-India. - He also planted tea in his
estate - Brand name of his tea was 'Stella'.
1917 - He volunteered himself for war service. - he was recruited and served at Persia in 'Supply and Transport'.
1926 - He built the present St. Mary's Latin
Catholic Church at Mundakayam of Kottayam District, Kerala, S-India - It
resembles a cathedral and still exists as such - The church is of Vijayapuram
Diocese - He built Chapels at Pampadumpara and Yendayar estates of Kerala - He
bought Rajagiri estate and later sold it.
1927 - He was conferred Papal honour as 'Pro
Ecclesia Et Pontifice' by his holiness Pope Pius XI - His charities to
seminaries, convents, schools, orphanages and to Catholic Parishes were very
much considered for this Papal Honour.
1930 - He purchased the 'Rockwood Tea Estate'
and renamed it 'Shendurni' - later he sold this estate to his lifelong friend A.
W. Leslie in the year 1939.
1937 - He purchased the Mycologist Station
and handed it over to the Vijayapuram Diocese of Kerala, for use as a convent
and orphanage - present S H Convent - (Mycology Convent) at Mundakayam. - He
also built a primary school along side. (Present St. Joseph's Girls High
School)
He dominated the racing world for several years. - Notable successes - C. N Wadia Gold Cup in Bombay 1933 - Governors cup at Madras. He raced his horse "Old Orkney' in England to win the Manchester November Handicap in 1927 and Goodwood Cup in 1929. Steve Donoghue rode for him in the Manchester Handicap 1927. St. Ann's was his house in Ooty - he visited Ireland and UK for the last time in 1938 - 39.
Late Mr. A. Xavier Thaipparambil house of Yendayar Estate an early time employee of J.J - recollected that, Mr Murphy tried to develop techniques for developing 'rubber belts' for pully drive, at his rubber factory at Yendayar and that he was an active member of the 'UPASI' from the very beginning.
Mrs Nancy Kershaw and Mr K.L Kershaw were Murphy's sincere
friends. During last month of Murphy's demise, he became completely deaf.
On the morning of 9th May 1957 he was dead and was buried at
'Mathu Mala' on his own beloved Yendayar Estate.
"
May His Soul Rest In Peace"
Compiled By:- Joseph Mathew
Nattuvayal house, RPC
(P.O)
Mundakayam, Kottayam Dt., Kerala, INDIA.
PIN - 686513
E-Mail -
josephmathews00701@gmail.com
Reference - Article by KLK - 1957
NOTES
1. WILSON MURPHY visited Mundakayam enquiring
about J.J - refer ' London Times Daily'
- picture captioned 'A Typical Indian Family' in 2003.
2.
Luke Sitzhezrbert visited Mundakayam in 2007.
3. One
of the student from Murphy’s Tamil school, is yet alive, and is about 80 years.
4. His
bungalow maintained at Yendayar Estate.
5.
Commemorative Holy Mass at St. Mary's Catholic Church , Mundakayam on 9th may
