Sir Adamjee Peerbhoy was, by the turn of the 20th century, one of India

India

India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

's largest cotton manufacturers and wealthiest men. At one point he employed more than 15,000 workers in his cotton mills and supplied the canvas

Canvas

Canvas is an extremely heavy-duty plain-woven fabric used for making sails, tents, marquees, backpacks, and other items for which sturdiness is required. It is also popularly used by artists as a painting surface, typically stretched across a wooden frame...

 used for the tents and khaki uniforms of the British soldiers during the Second Boer War

Second Boer War

The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...

. Sir Adamjee Peerbhoy was also the first Indian Sheriff of Mumbai

Sheriff of Mumbai

The Sheriff of Mumbai is an apolitical titular position of authority bestowed for one year on a prominent citizen of Mumbai. The current Sheriff of Mumbai is Indu Shahani, principal of H. R...

 and was said to be the owner of the largest tannery

Tanning

Tanning is the making of leather from the skins of animals which does not easily decompose. Traditionally, tanning used tannin, an acidic chemical compound from which the tanning process draws its name . Coloring may occur during tanning...

 in Asia. It is thought that he first made his money from shipbuilding.

Peerbhoy became president of the Muslim League for a time, attending its first session in Karachi

Karachi

Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...

 in December 1907.

Peerbhoy financed his son Abdul Hussein Adamjee Peerbhoy's construction of the Matheran Hill Railway

Matheran Hill Railway

Matheran Hill Railway is a heritage railway in Maharashtra, India. It was built between 1901 and 1907 by Abdul Hussein Adamjee Peerbhoy, financed by his father, Sir Adamjee Peerbhoy of the Adamjee Group at the cost of Rs.16,00,000...

 which linked Matheran

Matheran

- Getting to Matheran :Matheran is located about 100 km from Mumbai, 120 km from Pune. and 320 km from Surat. It lies on the busy Mumbai-Pune rail link and the nearest train station is at Neral, approximately 11 km from Matheran. From Neral, one can either rent a taxi to the...

 and Neral

Neral, India

Neral is a town in Raigad district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is 83 km from Mumbai in the Karjat tehsil.It is best known as a railroad junction, with trains arriving from Mumbai and from Pune, India. to the nearby and very popular hill station of Matheran. A narrow-gauge rail line, 21...

.