Development of the Port at Canning and Gosaba Co-operative

Immediately after the 1857 revolt, the British authorities turned their attention to develop a new port to the east of the city in the 24 Parganas part of the Sundarbans. It was to be named after Lord Canning the initiator of political and economic reorganization which followed the suppression of the revolt—as an alternative as well as a supplement to Calcutta. The establishment of Port Canning brought change in the region's socio-economic profile. Middle class migration moved through Canning towards the formation of more heterogeneous settlements. With large-scale reclamation people began to flock to the region and participate in its economic activities. This attracted the attention of Daniel Hamilton, a social reformer who felt that the Indian economy needed self-reliant villages functioning under the cooperative system. As long as Hamilton was alive the co-operative estate at Gosaba functioned completely under his supervision. Later in 1924, the Gosaba Central Co-operative Bank was established and new rural branches were formed.