John Vaux

John Vaux was the Deputy Governor of Bombay in 1689. In the year 1697, when Vaux, along with his wife, were enjoying a boat ride in River Tapi in Surat, the boat capsized. A landmark known as Vaux's Tomb was built at the mouth of the River Tapi. The tomb served as a guide to approaching sailors. Early life John Vaux himself grew up in England, and later served as a book-keeper to Sir Josiah Child, the former Governor of the East India Company. The 'History of Gujarat' by M. S. Commissariat states that Vaux was on account of his good behaviour made by his master, a supercargo in charge of a ship employed to trade with China. Soon after, Vaux boarded a ship to Bombay where he was appointed a factor. Subsequently, in 1685, he was made Civil Judge in charge of prosecuting interlopers and pirates. In a letter to Sir Josiah Child, Vaux acknowledged his gratitude for the honour, power and position bestowed upon him. He wrote, "The laws of his country should be the rules he designed to walk by." This remark however irritated the potentate at the India House, who wrote back, "He expected his orders to be his rule, not the laws of England." The then Admiralty Judge, St John, wrote to the secretary of the state complaining that Vaux, a man ignorant of law and unqualified for duties related to the bench, should not have been appointed for such an important office. In spite of this, when Bartholomew Harris was appointed Governor of Bombay in 1690, John Vaux was promoted to Deputy Governor.