Ajay Kumar at 21:02, 29 August 2023

2023-08-29T21:02:02Z

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{{Short description|British philanthropist}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Edward Brennen
| image =
| image_size = 200px
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth year|1784}}
| birth_place = [[London]], [[United Kingdom]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|1859|10|2|1784|df=y}}
| death_place = [[Thalassery]], [[Kerala]], [[India]]
| resting_place = [[Thalassery]]
| parents =
| spouse =
| children =
| relations =
| alma_mater =
| occupation = [[philanthropist]]
| party =
}}
'''Edward Brennen''' (also spelled as Edward Brennan) was a British philanthropist who lived and died in [[Thalassery]], [[Kerala]]. [[Government Brennen College, Thalassery]] and Govt. Brennen Higher Secondary School, Thalassery are named after him.

==Biography==
[[File:7-Edward Brennen's Bunglow. Later Sub.collectors Bunglow.jpg|thumb|Edward Brennen's Bunglow (Later Sub. collectors' Bunglow) in Thalassery]]
Born in [[London]] in 1784, Brennan joined the [[East India Company]] in 1810. He later moved to their subsidiary, Bombay Marine Services. He worked as a cabin boy on a ship. The ship on which he was working crashed during a voyage. Brennan, who was stranded in the sea near Kannur Thalassery, swam to the shores of Thalassery.<ref name="News18">{{Cite web|date=2021-06-19|title=Edward Brennan{{!}} കടലിൽ നിന്നും ജീവിതത്തിലേക്ക് നീന്തിക്കയറിയ ബ്രണ്ണൻ സായിപ്പിനെ കേരളം ഇന്നും എന്തുകൊണ്ട് ഓർമിക്കുന്നു?|url=https://malayalam.news18.com/news/explained/what-is-the-contribution-of-edward-brennan-to-the-state-of-kerala-new-rv-397407.html|access-date=2021-06-20|website=News18 Malayalam|archive-date=2021-06-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210619103311/https://malayalam.news18.com/news/explained/what-is-the-contribution-of-edward-brennan-to-the-state-of-kerala-new-rv-397407.html|url-status=live}}</ref> He then decided to stay in Thalassery. In 1824, Brennan was appointed Master Attendant at the Thalassery Port Office, where he continued for 35 years.<ref>{{Cite web|title=ഒരു കപ്പൽ അപകടത്തിന്റെ ഓർമയ്ക്ക്..; ഗവ. ബ്രണ്ണൻ കോളജ് വിദ്യാർഥി പ്രസ്ഥാനങ്ങൾക്ക് വളക്കൂറുള്ള മണ്ണ്|url=https://www.manoramaonline.com/district-news/kannur/2021/06/20/kannur-government-brennen-college.html|access-date=2021-06-20|website=ManoramaOnline|language=ml|archive-date=2021-06-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624201426/https://www.manoramaonline.com/district-news/kannur/2021/06/20/kannur-government-brennen-college.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Govt.Brennen Higher Secondary School, Govt.Brennen H.S.S,, Thalassery (2021)|url=https://www.findglocal.com/IN/Thalassery/184584871585935/Govt.Brennen-Higher-Secondary-School|access-date=2021-06-20|website=www.findglocal.com|archive-date=2021-06-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624203752/https://www.findglocal.com/IN/Thalassery/184584871585935/Govt.Brennen-Higher-Secondary-School|url-status=live}}</ref>

The people of Thalassery affectionately called him ''Brennan Saip''.<ref name="News18"/>

Brennan was thought to be unmarried and had only one adopted son.<ref name="News18"/> But later, it is said that Brennan had a daughter on a woman from Thalassery, whose name was Flora, and she was buried in St. Stephen's Church Cemetery in [[Ooty]] at the age of 16.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Correspondent|first=A.|date=2013-07-16|title='It is Flora Brennen's tomb'|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-kerala/it-is-flora-brennens-tomb/article4919797.ece|access-date=2021-06-20|issn=0971-751X|archive-date=2021-06-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624201252/https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-kerala/it-is-flora-brennens-tomb/article4919797.ece|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="News18"/>

Brennan died on 2 October 1859. The tomb of Edward Brennan is located near St. John's Church, behind the [[Thalassery Fort]], which was built with a portion of Edward Brennan's livelihood.<ref name="News18"/> The tomb inscription reads, "A sterling upright Englishman."<ref name="News18"/>

==As a philanthropist==
In 1846 Brennan formed a trust called the ''Tellechery Poor Fund'' with the vision of helping the poor and orphans.<ref name="News18"/> His first share was Rs 3,000 which he had in his hand. Eventually his total savings of Rs. 1,50,000 was paid to the trust. Brennan in his will mentioned to set up a 'free school' in the town of Thalassery to provide free education to all.<ref name="News18"/> This school later became Thalassery Brennan College.

As mentioned in his will, the free school was founded in 1861 and it was merged with the Basel German Mission School in 1866 and was upgraded to a high school in 1868.<ref name="News18"/> In 1871 Basel Mission withdrawn support to the school.<ref name="News18"/> The school was converted into a district government school in 1883 and was taken over by the Thalassery Municipality in 1884.<ref name="News18"/> Ten years later, the school grew into Brennan College and was the first college between [[Kozhikode]] and [[Mangalore]] that time.<ref name="News18"/> The school, which was separated from the college in 1949, was shifted to Chirakkara, but in 1958 the college moved to [[Dharmadam]] and the school returned to its old building.<ref name="News18"/>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Brennen, Edward}}
[[Category:British philanthropists]]
[[Category:British East India Company people]]
[[Category:1784 births]]
[[Category:1859 deaths]]
[[Category:Philanthropists from London]]
[[Category:British people in colonial India]]

Edward Brennen - Revision history

Ajay Kumar at 21:02, 29 August 2023