Thread by @Paperclip_In

Violence in the queen of hills! On this #InternationalTeaDay we look back at how the last British tea planter of Darjeeling met with an untimely death. A thread. 1/15

The queen of hills is known for its stunning views of the Kangchenjunga, the historic Himalayan Railway, and of course its most famous export, tea. But Darjeeling also has its fair share of mysterious and violent tales. 2/15

On a fateful summer night in 1981, the sleepy hills suddenly woke up to a ruckus. Following a fierce argument between a plantation owner and his workers in the Garden of Rungmook and Cedars, the owner was found dead the next morning. 3/15

Geoffrey James Ower-Johnston was a third-generation planter and the last of his kind, a pure British tea planter. It was Geoffrey’s grandfather, called by the locals as Jalsing sahib, who had set up the cedar garden in Sonada in the late-1800s. 4/15

Around 1920 Geoffrey’s father bought the neighbouring garden of Rungmook and merged the two. A young Geoffrey spent most of his time in the gardens bonding with the workers and learning the inner workings of the plantation. 5/15

By 1945 the charge of the plantation was completely handed down to him. Geoffrey was quite the star in the hills, driving his beige-colored Mercedes around the town and even falling in love with a local girl Manhang with whom he had two children. 6/15

He was often found helping people in need, settling many refugees in parts of his estate, and even helping the locals in clearing the roads after days of heavy rainfall. But all was not well on the Rungmook and Cedars plantation. 7/15

A major upheaval occurred in the tea industry in 1955 when during a major agitation at the Margaret’s Hope Garden six workers were killed in cold blood. Following this incident, there was a sharp increase in political activity across the tea gardens. 8/15

By the 1970’s Geoffrey was finding it hard to keep the plantation afloat. He had installed new equipment, and even set up a mini hydel power plant. But the plantation was somehow not generating enough profits. 9/15

The situation really became grave in 1980 as an unofficial demand went from the unions to the West Bengal Government to take over the estate. The following year the state government took over the estate citing payment defaults. 10/15

Geoffrey got a stay order in place but by then things were already out of his hand. On 28th April Geoffrey headed to the factory to sign off the excise papers to have the tea dispatched, but he was cornered by some of the garden workers. 11/15

Geoffrey tried convincing the workers of his plan of reviving the plantation, but it fell on deaf ears. At some point during the conversation when Geoffrey tried heading into the factory, he was hauled down and stabbed multiple times. 12/15

The news of the murder sent shockwaves across the hills. The police report stated 90 injury marks on Geoffrey’s body, most of them being stab wounds. It was said that some of the garden workers wept like children after his death. 13/15

Geoffrey’s legally wedded wife Janet whom he married in St. Bartholomew’s Cathedral in Barrackpore headed back to the British Isles leading a forlorn life for the rest of her days while Manhang and her two children became untraceable. 14/15

In many local communities associated with tea plantations, the beverage is often called blood tea, referring to the many sacrifices and blood that has been spilled to produce it, Geoffrey’s is one such tale. 15/15

Sources : Arora, Madakini. darjeelinghistory.wordpress.com/2016/08/26/the…., Arora, Mandakini. koi-hai.com/Default.aspx?i…., Gurung, J.P. All in a Cup of Tea, Labar, Jiwan. Geoffrey James Ower Johnston. Darjeeling, thedarjeelingchronicle.com/when-hope-was-…