Nasser Virji

Sheth Nasser Virji

Honorary Titles

• King of Business in Tanganyika

All Nicknames

• Virjee

Town of birth

• Ratadiya

Province of birth

• Kutch

Country of birth

• India

Date of Birth

• 1865

Date of Death

• 1943

Place of Death

• Mwanza

Country of death

• Tanganyika

Place of longest stay

• Mwanza

Profession or occupation carriedout for the longest period in life

• Merchant Prince

Where-City or Country

• Tanzania

Family tree

Parents

Kajbai Alloo Bhimji

Virji Muraj

Siblings

Kassamali Virji

Partners

Khatija Bai Gulamhussein

Sakina Haji Mohammed Ukera

Children

Abdulhussein Nasser Virji

Abdulrasul Nasser Virji

Ebrahim Nasser Virji

Gulamabbas Nasser Virji

Hassanali Nasser Virji

Hussein Nasser Virji

Mohammed Jaffer Nasser Virji

Born in 1865 Ratadiya

Kajbai Alloo Bhimji(Born in).

Virji Muraj(Born in Ratadiya).

'Under the most favorable conditions, the voyage of 2,400 miles to Zanzibar could be made in twenty-six days, but a storm or a calm could extend it by several weeks or even months. Nasser Vlrjee’s passage from Kutch in 1875 took nine months'.

Nasir Virji came to Bagamoyo in 1886 and other prosperous merchants joined him.

'For example, in 1893, Dharamsi Khatau called his brother Jivraj Khatau from British Indiato manage a branch of Dharamsi Khatau & Co in Mombasa. Also at this time, two famous Bagamoyo merchant princes, Allidina Visram and his Ithna-asheri nephew, Nasser Virji decided to shift their businesses to Mombasa and opened branches in 1895 and 1900 respectively'.

'Nasser Virjee, son of Muraji Haji was born in 1865 in Kutch, India. He was 12 when he arrived in Zanzibar in 1877 to join his father and his brother, Kassamali in business. Over time, the Nasser Virji group operated 70-72 different companies in German East Africa, their main business being the Mwanza Cotton Trading Company Limited. The family established themselves in Bagamoyo and Mwanza. Nasser Virjee had ten children; his son, Hassanali was the Mayor of Mwanza from 1957-^58. Another son, Abdulrasul received an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. Nasser Virjee died in 1943.'

• The German Colonial Handbook mentions the firm of "Nassor Wirji & Sons" as being ivory merchants in Bagamoyo & Tabora in 1903.
• The German Colonial Handbook Supplement 1904 mentions the firm of "Nassor Virji" as being ivory merchants in Bagamoyo in 1904.
• The firm is also listed in the the German Colonial Handbook of 1908 as being ivory merchants in Bagamoyo.
• The firm is mentioned in the same handbook as a import/export firm in Songea.
• The firm is mentioned as a Ivory & Rubber traders in Ujiji in 1908.

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• 
  German Colonial Manual Supplement 1903
• 
  List of some Bagamoyo Khoja Merchants,listed by trade. pg 121
• 
  Indian Traders Tabora1903
• 
  German Colonial Handbook Supplement 1904
• 
  Indian Traders Bagamoyo 1904
• 
  German Colonial Handbook 1908
• 
  Indian Traders Arusha 1908
• 
  German Colonial Handbook, page 1 1908
• 
  Indian Traders Tabora 1908