Habibbhoy Ebrahim

Akbar Ebrahim2 b. 22 Jan 1914, d. 1920 Nazim Ebrahim+2 b. 30 Jun 1915 Sultan Ebrahim+2 b. 29 Dec 1921 Husein Ebrahim2 b. 1924, d. 1925 Munira Ebrahim2 b. 1926 Aziz Ebrahim2 b. 1927

As to the business which ultimately resulted in so much wealth, the evidence of plaintiff's witness Mowji, or the defendant's witness Alibhai Hubib, can leave little doubt that Hubibbhoy was already engaged in trade before his father's death. He was Ebrahim's only son, and as Ebrahim was between 50 and 60 when he died, he may well have set him up in trade, possibly reserving to himself only maintenance, as Hubibbhoy himself contemplated doing in A.D. 1844, and which the witnesses say is not uncommon among the Khojas. Again there is no evidence as to the extent of Hubibbhoy's trade until the beginning of Sammt 1877 (A.D. 1820-21), four years after Ebrahim's death, when the mel, or cash book, produced by the defendant, although beginning with only a cash balance of Rs. 200, would appear to show that he was then in partnership, with one Datu, with goods, &o., in China and in transitu to the r amount of Rs. 14,000 to which they were equally entitled; but it affords no evidence as to the capital employed. The book also shows that Hubibbhoy was drawing very small sums for family expenses, However, the business was so successful that in Samvat 1886 (A.D. 1829-30), the books showed a balance to his favour of Rs. 46,000; but the books also show that he had had several partners in the business, and had been largely assisted with capital by his wealthy relative Nathu Tajani, besides availing himself largely of the avanga system of insurance, which enables a merchant to a certain extent to dispense with capital of his own.