National Archives Department

The Month of April in the History of Mauritius

  • 02 April 1721 – Upon the reccomendation of the French East India Company and King Louis XV, Denis De Nyon was summoned to perform the duties of Governor of Ile De France. He arrived on 06th April the following year aboard vessel Atalante. He was accompanied by his lieutenant Duval De Hauville and commander Joseph Francois Dupleix who soon left for Pondicherry.
  • 05 April 1722 – Arrival of the first French settlers destined to populate Mauritius, aboard the vessel Diane. The month of April also witnessed several arrivals of women brought to this colony to marry the inhabitants already present at that time.
  • 01 April 1737 – A violent cyclone hit the colony causing substantial damage to infrastructures, plantations and the growing settlements. Due to the inclement weather, the vessel Atalante which transported more 250 cattles at that time, shipwrecked near the shores of  Port louis.
  • 05 April 1741 – Mahe De Labourdonnais left Lorient for Brazil to collect sample of maniocs. He aimed at introducing them in the colony.
  • 25 April 1742 – Foundation of the Chapel of Pamplemousses.
  • 04 April 1747 – Departure of Mahe De La Bourdonnais for France. Accompanied by his wife and his children, he voyaged aboard the vessel Achille. He was subsequently imprisoned at the Bastille on the 1st of March 1748, acquitted on the 03 February 1751. He died on the 09 September 1753.
  • 16 April 1749 – Departure of Pierre Poivre aboard the vessel Sumatra for Cochinchina (Vietnam) for a scientific mission.
  • 09 April 1753 – Establishment by the Superiour Council of a commune in charge of the maintenance of roads, regulations of hunting and slaves.
  • 18 April 1753 – Arrival of Bishop Nicolas Louis De La Caille, celebrated astronomer, famous traveller and mathematician aboard the vessel Puisieux.
  • 07 April 1757 – Nomination to this colony of Mr. Etienne Colas as first notary attached to the Superiour Council.
  • 07 April 1761 – Arrival of the vessel Saint Louis from Negapatam, announcing the successful conquest of Pondicherry by the British.
  • 09 April 1761– Census of the Population illustrated the presence of 2 chinese from Macou: Antoine, a Blacksmith and Marie, a nurse.
  • 02 April 1764 – Necrology: Death at Port Louis of Bishop Igou, the first Bishop of the colony.
  • 01 April 1768 – A destructive cyclone did hit the colony causing huge damage to the settlement particularly in the region of Moka and Plaine Wilhems.
  • 02 April 1768 – Construction works of the Batterie Dumas at Riviere Latanier began on this day
  • 13 April 1768 – Pierre Poivre, intendant of this colony left Port Louis for a peaceful retreat at Montplaisir.
  • 27 April 1768 – Benefaction of the Flags of the Legion of Ile de France which was followed by a feast organised by the Governor to celebrate this occasion.
  • 28 April 1772 – Death at Port Louis of Antoine Regis Chazal De Chamarel, former captain of the Provence Regiment, servant of his Majesty the King of France. The village of Chamarel as well as the mountain found in that region have been named after him.
  • 09 April 1773 – Saint Louis Church was annihilated following a most destructive cyclone on this day. 300 habitations from Port Louis till Grande Riviere North West also faced a similar fate with the Superiour Council estimating unprecedented damages which previously were never experienced on this colony.
  • 13 April 1774 – The Governor De Ternay alongside his intendant Maillart-Dumesle signed a concession for a portion of land that would subsequently be used for the construction of the new Saint Louis Church.
  • 26 April 1777 – Marriage at Port Louis of Richard Antoine De Saint Victor, Chevalier De Lort, brigadier to the King’s Army, colonel of the French Regiment to Camille De Reminac. The shooting and military ground found in between the Champ De Mars and the Montagne Des Signaux is named after him.
  • 30 April 1779 – Arrival  of Vicomte De Souillac aboard the vessel Subtile to replace Governor La Brillanne. He would subsequently leave for Pondicherry on the 04th April 1785.
  • 01 April 1781 – Arrival of the vessel Le Flamant which captured British Brigantin captured in the Indian Ocean on the 24th January.
  •  27 April 1790 – First session of the Assemblée générale des représentants de la colonie a L’Église Saint Louis at Port Louis.
  • 21 April 1791 –  Promulgation of a new constitution. However this constitution be deemed unlawful by the National Assembly in France on the 15 May 1792 as firstly it was promulgated without the approval of the Assembly in France and secondly it allowed coloured people born from freed parents to acceed to  political and religious rights.
  • 02 April 1794 – Change of name : Port Louis was referred to as Port et Ville De La Montagen. The repercussion of the French Revolution in France was felt to large extent in the colony during those periods. Various amendments were made to various posts within the Superiour Council. For Example: The post of Receveur Generale was abolished.
  • 10 April 1795 – A huge and momentous feast was organised at the colonial assembly to introduce the Consul of the United States of America and fellow Americans. However on 21st April 1799 with the suspicion of war between France and the United States, the American consul to Mauritius William Macarty was declared Persona Non Grata.
  • 01 April 1806 – First publication of the Gazette Des L’Isle De france et de la Reunion.
  • 21 April 1808 – Promulgation of the Code Napoleon.
  • 24 April 1815 – Nomination of Marie Claude Antoine Marrier, Baron D’Unienville, as Archivist to this colony.
  • 17 April 1817 – Birth at Port Louis of Charles Edouard Brown Sequard. He would have a successful career as a medical practitioner and psychologist. He died on the 1st April 1894.
  • 15 April 1822 – Ratsitatane was hanged to death at Plaine Verte.
  • 07 April 1824 – Fire outbreak in Port Louis caused huge damages to inhabitations. The house of Mr Bestel situated at Rue De La Corderie, celebrated lawyer and politician was completely burned. Mr Bestel on the 06 June 1832 presented a report regarding prospective emancipation of slaves in front of the colonial committee.
  • 17 April 1827 – Flash floods in Port Louis caused the paving of the Grande Riviere Nord Ouest bridge to be completely destroyed.
  • 01 April 1829 –  Arrival at Port Louis of 400 Chinesemen and 500 Hindus of Tamil origins from Singapore.
  • 19 April 1834 –  A postal service linking Port Louis to Mahebourg and vice versa became fully operational on a daily basis.
  • 21 April 1837 – A Government Notice concerning the construction of a quarantine station at Ilot Benitier was proclaimed.
  • 05 April 1839 – Le Mauricien No. 692 published an article which made reference to the collection of books Adrien D’Epinay left before his departure for London. This collection is now found at the Carnegie Library at Curepipe.
  • 22 April 1841 – Death at Riviere Noire of Colonel Edward Alured Draper, founder of the Mauritius Turf Club. He was also the former treasurer, accountant general, registrar of slaves of this colony
  • 12 April 1842 – Death at Port Louis of the Sultan of Anjouan (Comoros)
  • 19 April 1850 – Arrival of the vessel Medea. It was suspected that it brought Cholera to this colony. Cases of Cholera were increasingly being detected ever since. In 1856 the colony faced the proliferation of the disease. On the 16th April 1856, Henry Koenig, one of the forefathers of Mauritian jurisprudence made a passionate speech in front of supreme court regarding the inaptitude of the then government to combat the epidemic of Cholera. The 24th April 1856, further 279 immigrants were tested positive to the disease. A petition by the inhabitants to Her Highness Queen Victoria was even drafted in that regard to underline the government’s incapacity to contain the disease.
  • 2 April 1869 – Death of Thomas Price, Superintendent of Police, aged 34 at that time. He is remembered for his excellent service to the police forces.
  • 14 April 1872 – Arrival of the commissioners Frere and Williamson to investigate the treatment of Indian immigrants at this colony.
  • 23 April 1879 – The construction of the market at Curepipe was completed.
  • 09 April 1883 – Death at Port Louis of Honourable Doctor Edmond Icery. He was President of the Chamber of Agriculture in 1865, 1868, 1870, 1875, 1880.
  • 19 April 1886 – Opening of the legislative council by Sir John Pope Hennessy.
  • 03 April 1895 – A huge fire broke out at the Chaussee Street. The Offices of Notary Koenig and Geffroy were completely destroyed.
  • 01 April 1902 – Opening of the Long Mountain Hospital.
  • 27 April 1914 – Electricity was used for the first time aboard trains operating for the railway department.
  • 21 April 1917 – The Legislative Council decided that the name of the Church, Rempart and Moka Streets are to be replaced by that of the Sir William Newton, Edith Cavell and Lord Kitchener Streets. Proclaimed in Ordinance No 9 of May 1917.
  • 07 April 1920 – Floreal was decreed as a village on this day.
  • 21 April 1924 – Opening of the new Grand Riviere Nord Ouest bridge.
  • 09 April 1928 – Arrival of 300 tourists from the United States aboard the vessel Franconia.
  • 29 April 1933 – Arrival of the French Consul, Pierre Orenga De Gaffory.
  • 02 April 1941 – Departure of the third contingent of artisans from Mauritius to the World War 2 – War Zone in Egypte
  • 11 April 1941 – Arrival of Milan Stoyadinovitch, Prime Minister of Yugoslavia. He is suspected to be an ally to Germany. He took residence at Val Ory (Property/Castle of the regnard family) at Moka.
  • 22 April 1941 – Commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the death of Edward Alured Draper.
  • 09 April 1951 – The High Commissioner of France to Madagascar arrives on this colony as Guest of Honour to the Governor.
  • 20 April 1955 – Inauguration of Saint Mary’s College at Rose Hill.
  • 6 April 1959 – Formation of the first Ministry under the 1958 constitution. Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam, Sir Satcam Boolell, Sir Guy Forget, Sir Veersamy Ringadoo among others are appointed ministers.
  • 09 April 1960 – Arrival of Honourable Ian Mcleod, Secretary of state for colonies. He left on the 12th of April.
  • 29 April 1961 – Police constable Herve Joomanibooa was awarded the George Medal for Bravery.
  • 05 April 1965 – Arrival of Sir A. Greenwood, Secretary of State for Colonies. 200, 000 people assembled in Curepipe calling out for integration of Mauritius to Great Britain whilst a similar number amassed at St Jean with cries for Independence.
  • 30 April 1965 – Arrival of vice admiral J.M.D Gray, Commander in Chief of American South Atlantic Station.
  • 20 April 1967 – Honourable Sir Aneerood Jugnauth resigned as Minister of Labour. He was appointed as magistrate.
  • 18 April 1968 – The Security Council approved the admission of the Republic of Mauritius to the United Nations.
  • 19 April 1968 – Mr Len Williams, former Secretary of British Labour Party was nominated Governor General of Mauritius.