Family Photographs: Memories and Histories

According to Yves Pitchen, there exists only one Pitchen family in Mauritius, but he does not know much about the first Pitchen who arrived in Mauritius. However, according to local genealogists, the original name is derived from Jacques Pitcha, who arrived with other workers from Pondichery sometime between 173 and 1739. They settled in the Camp des Malabars area in Port Louis.

Pondicherians, at that time, occupied an influential position in Mauritius. Jacques Pitcha is described in official sources as 'Noir indien libre, ouvrier de la Compagnie'. He died in 1780. The inscription on his tomb mentions that he was a 'mestre briquier' (master bricklayer) which would be consistent with the occupations sought for at that time in the early days of French construction of Port Louis. As master brick layer, he was most probably in charge of all the Indian workers of the Company. He worked in Grande Riviere, Port Louis and Pamplemousses.

In 1739, he was married to Kittery (written Guiterie), an Indian slave also of the French East India Company, at St. Louis cathedral by Father Igou (MNA:KA 5).

One of his children, Denis, became 'Chef Pion' for Indians in Port Louis. The family owned extensive land in Pamplemousses and Riviere du Rempart and also in Flacq (Les Defricheurs de l'Ile Maurice).

From the oral history in the family, subsequent marriages occurred with French and Coloured persons in Mauritius.

Recent history

The great grandfather of Yves Pitchen was Ernest Pitchen. His son, Felix, worked at the Municipality of Port Louis before emigrating to 'Congo-Belge' in 1935 with all his children. Yves' father (b.1915) had already left in 1932.