History of Surianalle

Surianalle Estate is a 1600-acre Tea estate opened by legendry planter Henry Mansfield Knight of High Range and Central Travancore.

Surianalle is considered as one of the fine areas of high grown tea surrounded by some of the most beautiful mountains, Kollukumalai, Gundumalai and Silent Valley as the sentinels to this mesmerising land of Mountain mist.

The initial clearings were started by H.M. Knight in 1902 that continued till 1907.Knight established Travancore Tea estates in 1897 and was founding director and General Manager of T.T.E company which owned 9 estates in Peermade Hills and Periyar Valley.

It was in 1909 that Harrisons and Crossfields made their presence in South Indian plantation after Malaysian Investment led by the ever futuristic Arthur Lampard who led the investment in India, H.M Knight became a solid support to him as he worked between Lampard and many estate owners for their meteoric rise as the largest investors after James Finlay’s in Travancore.

It was of interest that why the estates on the southern boundary was not offered to the Finlay Muir & Company. Rosenberg family was not keen to part with their estates as it was well established by 1890s

“Six months after the death of Baron Von Rosenberg in 1904 his widow married H.M.Knight .This alliance consolidated the Von Rosenberg and Knight properties and following a row between H.M Knight and P.R Buchanan ,who had succeeded W.O Milne as General Manager of Kannan Devan’s in 1901 , seemingly over a game of cards in Munnar Club which led a serious estrangement between them thus Kannan Devan Hill Produce Co Ltd were effectively denied any opportunity of acquiring the four strategic block of tea estates ,Lochart,Manale ,Surianalle and Panniar , at the southern boundary” These estates were eventually sold to Malayalam Rubber and Produce Company Ltd in 1909, a subsidiary of Harrisons and Crossfield Ltd.

The Upper Surianalle Estate Panniar and Lockhart estates is presently owned by Harrison Malayalam Ltd, under the prestigious R P G enterprise of Calcutta.