Document <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <?xml-model href="https://www.tei-c.org/release/xml/tei/custom/schema/relaxng/tei_all.rng" type="application/xml" schematypens="http://relaxng.org/ns/structure/1.0"?> <?xml-stylesheet type="text/css" href="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/LEAF-VRE/code_snippets/refs/heads/main/CSS/leaf.css"?> <TEI xmlns="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0" xmlns:rdf="http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#"> <teiHeader> <fileDesc> <titleStmt> <!-- The title, author, and/or editor here should identify the original document that you are encoding. If you don't have information for one of these, or if you have multiple individuals, you can repeat the particular element--> <title>Phoenix Trust Deed</title> <author>Gandhi</author> </titleStmt> <!-- I'm still trying to figure out the best way to present the project information, but will add that asap --> <publicationStmt> <authority>Karline McLain</authority> <date>2026</date> <availability> <!-- --> <licence/> </availability> </publicationStmt> <sourceDesc> <p>Born digital edition</p> </sourceDesc> </fileDesc> <xenoData><rdf:RDF xmlns:rdf="http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#" xmlns:rdfs="http://www.w3.org/2000/01/rdf-schema#" xmlns:as="http://www.w3.org/ns/activitystreams#" xmlns:cwrc="http://sparql.cwrc.ca/ontologies/cwrc#" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:dcterms="http://purl.org/dc/terms/" xmlns:foaf="http://xmlns.com/foaf/0.1/" xmlns:geo="http://www.geonames.org/ontology#" xmlns:oa="http://www.w3.org/ns/oa#" xmlns:schema="http://schema.org/" xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#" xmlns:fabio="https://purl.org/spar/fabio#" xmlns:bf="http://www.openlinksw.com/schemas/bif#" xmlns:cito="https://sparontologies.github.io/cito/current/cito.html#" xmlns:org="http://www.w3.org/ns/org#"> <rdf:Description rdf:datatype="http://www.w3.org/TR/json-ld/"> <![CDATA[{ "@context": { "dcterms:created": { "@type": "xsd:dateTime", "@id": "dcterms:created" }, "dcterms:issued": { "@type": "xsd:dateTime", "@id": "dcterms:issued" }, "oa:motivatedBy": { "@type": "oa:Motivation" }, "@language": "en", "rdf": "http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#", "rdfs": "http://www.w3.org/2000/01/rdf-schema#", "as": "http://www.w3.org/ns/activitystreams#", "cwrc": "http://sparql.cwrc.ca/ontologies/cwrc#", "dc": "http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/", "dcterms": "http://purl.org/dc/terms/", "foaf": "http://xmlns.com/foaf/0.1/", "geo": "http://www.geonames.org/ontology#", "oa": "http://www.w3.org/ns/oa#", "schema": "http://schema.org/", "xsd": "http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#", "fabio": "https://purl.org/spar/fabio#", "bf": "http://www.openlinksw.com/schemas/bif#", "cito": "https://sparontologies.github.io/cito/current/cito.html#", "org": "http://www.w3.org/ns/org#" }, "id": "https://leaf.bucknell.edu/sites/default/files/2026-08/phoenix-trust-deed_0_0.xml?note_annotation_20260725150234724", "type": "oa:Annotation", "dcterms:created": "2026-07-25T19:02:34.724Z", "dcterms:modified": "2026-07-25T19:02:34.724Z", "dcterms:creator": { "@id": "https://leaf.bucknell.edu/user/72", "@type": [ "cwrc:NaturalPerson", "schema:Person" ], "cwrc:hasName": "kmclain" }, "oa:motivatedBy": "oa:describing", "oa:hasTarget": { "@id": "https://leaf.bucknell.edu/sites/default/files/2026-08/phoenix-trust-deed_0_0.xml?note_annotation_20260725150234724#Target", "@type": "oa:SpecificResource", "oa:hasSource": { "@id": "https://leaf.bucknell.edu/sites/default/files/2026-08/phoenix-trust-deed_0_0.xml", "@type": "dctypes:Text", "dc:format": "text/xml" }, "oa:renderedVia": { "@id": "https://leaf.bucknell.edu", "@type": "as:Application", "rdfs:label": "LEAF-Writer", "schema:softwareVersion": "4.1.0" }, "oa:hasSelector": { "@id": "https://leaf.bucknell.edu/sites/default/files/2026-08/phoenix-trust-deed_0_0.xml?note_annotation_20260725150234724#Selector", "@type": "oa:XPathSelector", "rdf:value": "TEI/text/body/div/head/note" } }, "oa:hasBody": { "@type": "cwrc:NoteScholarly", "dc:format": "text/plain", "rdf:value": "The Phoenix Trust Deed is the document that Gandhi and his coresidents created in 1912 to legally establish the Phoenix Settlement community and land as a trust in order to ensure the continued collective management of the community in accordance with its mission." }, "as:generator": { "@id": "https://leaf.bucknell.edu", "@type": "as:Application", "rdfs:label": "LEAF-Writer", "schema:url": "https://leaf-writer.lincsproject.ca/", "schema:softwareVersion": "4.1.0" } }]]> </rdf:Description> <rdf:Description rdf:datatype="http://www.w3.org/TR/json-ld/"> <![CDATA[{ "@context": { "dcterms:created": { "@type": "xsd:dateTime", "@id": "dcterms:created" }, "dcterms:issued": { "@type": "xsd:dateTime", "@id": "dcterms:issued" }, "oa:motivatedBy": { "@type": "oa:Motivation" }, "@language": "en", "rdf": "http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#", "rdfs": "http://www.w3.org/2000/01/rdf-schema#", "as": "http://www.w3.org/ns/activitystreams#", "cwrc": "http://sparql.cwrc.ca/ontologies/cwrc#", "dc": "http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/", "dcterms": "http://purl.org/dc/terms/", "foaf": "http://xmlns.com/foaf/0.1/", "geo": "http://www.geonames.org/ontology#", "oa": "http://www.w3.org/ns/oa#", "schema": "http://schema.org/", "xsd": "http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#", "fabio": "https://purl.org/spar/fabio#", "bf": "http://www.openlinksw.com/schemas/bif#", "cito": "https://sparontologies.github.io/cito/current/cito.html#", "org": "http://www.w3.org/ns/org#" }, "id": "https://leaf.bucknell.edu/sites/default/files/2026-08/phoenix-trust-deed_0_0.xml?note_annotation_20260725151739769", "type": "oa:Annotation", "dcterms:created": "2026-07-25T19:17:39.769Z", "dcterms:modified": "2026-07-25T19:17:39.769Z", "dcterms:creator": { "@id": "https://leaf.bucknell.edu/user/72", "@type": [ "cwrc:NaturalPerson", "schema:Person" ], "cwrc:hasName": "kmclain" }, "oa:motivatedBy": "oa:describing", "oa:hasTarget": { "@id": "https://leaf.bucknell.edu/sites/default/files/2026-08/phoenix-trust-deed_0_0.xml?note_annotation_20260725151739769#Target", "@type": "oa:SpecificResource", "oa:hasSource": { "@id": "https://leaf.bucknell.edu/sites/default/files/2026-08/phoenix-trust-deed_0_0.xml", "@type": "dctypes:Text", "dc:format": "text/xml" }, "oa:renderedVia": { "@id": "https://leaf.bucknell.edu", "@type": "as:Application", "rdfs:label": "LEAF-Writer", "schema:softwareVersion": "4.1.0" }, "oa:hasSelector": { "@id": "https://leaf.bucknell.edu/sites/default/files/2026-08/phoenix-trust-deed_0_0.xml?note_annotation_20260725151739769#Selector", "@type": "oa:XPathSelector", "rdf:value": "TEI/text/body/div/div/p/note" } }, "oa:hasBody": { "@type": "cwrc:NoteScholarly", "dc:format": "text/plain", "rdf:value": "The persons named here in this paragraph were the major patrons of Phoenix Settlement." }, "as:generator": { "@id": "https://leaf.bucknell.edu", "@type": "as:Application", "rdfs:label": "LEAF-Writer", "schema:url": "https://leaf-writer.lincsproject.ca/", "schema:softwareVersion": "4.1.0" } }]]> </rdf:Description> <rdf:Description rdf:datatype="http://www.w3.org/TR/json-ld/"> <![CDATA[{ "@context": { "dcterms:created": { "@type": "xsd:dateTime", "@id": "dcterms:created" }, "dcterms:issued": { "@type": "xsd:dateTime", "@id": "dcterms:issued" }, "oa:motivatedBy": { "@type": "oa:Motivation" }, "@language": "en", "rdf": "http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#", "rdfs": "http://www.w3.org/2000/01/rdf-schema#", "as": "http://www.w3.org/ns/activitystreams#", "cwrc": "http://sparql.cwrc.ca/ontologies/cwrc#", "dc": "http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/", "dcterms": "http://purl.org/dc/terms/", "foaf": "http://xmlns.com/foaf/0.1/", "geo": "http://www.geonames.org/ontology#", "oa": "http://www.w3.org/ns/oa#", "schema": "http://schema.org/", "xsd": "http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#", "fabio": "https://purl.org/spar/fabio#", "bf": "http://www.openlinksw.com/schemas/bif#", "cito": "https://sparontologies.github.io/cito/current/cito.html#", "org": "http://www.w3.org/ns/org#" }, "id": "https://leaf.bucknell.edu/sites/default/files/2026-08/phoenix-trust-deed_0_0.xml?note_annotation_20260823161305584", "type": "oa:Annotation", "dcterms:created": "2026-08-23T20:13:05.584Z", "dcterms:modified": "2026-08-23T20:13:05.584Z", "dcterms:creator": { "@id": "https://leaf.bucknell.edu/user/72", "@type": [ "cwrc:NaturalPerson", "schema:Person" ], "cwrc:hasName": "kmclain" }, "oa:motivatedBy": "oa:describing", "oa:hasTarget": { "@id": "https://leaf.bucknell.edu/sites/default/files/2026-08/phoenix-trust-deed_0_0.xml?note_annotation_20260823161305584#Target", "@type": "oa:SpecificResource", "oa:hasSource": { "@id": "https://leaf.bucknell.edu/sites/default/files/2026-08/phoenix-trust-deed_0_0.xml", "@type": "dctypes:Text", "dc:format": "text/xml" }, "oa:renderedVia": { "@id": "https://leaf.bucknell.edu", "@type": "as:Application", "rdfs:label": "LEAF-Writer", "schema:softwareVersion": "4.1.0" }, "oa:hasSelector": { "@id": "https://leaf.bucknell.edu/sites/default/files/2026-08/phoenix-trust-deed_0_0.xml?note_annotation_20260823161305584#Selector", "@type": "oa:XPathSelector", "rdf:value": "TEI/text/body/div/div[2]/p[4]/note" } }, "oa:hasBody": { "@type": "cwrc:NoteScholarly", "dc:format": "text/plain", "rdf:value": "Schedule B is unfortunately no longer extant" }, "as:generator": { "@id": "https://leaf.bucknell.edu", "@type": "as:Application", "rdfs:label": "LEAF-Writer", "schema:url": "https://leaf-writer.lincsproject.ca/", "schema:softwareVersion": "4.1.0" } }]]> </rdf:Description> <rdf:Description rdf:datatype="http://www.w3.org/TR/json-ld/"> <![CDATA[{ "@context": { "dcterms:created": { "@type": "xsd:dateTime", "@id": "dcterms:created" }, "dcterms:issued": { "@type": "xsd:dateTime", "@id": "dcterms:issued" }, "oa:motivatedBy": { "@type": "oa:Motivation" }, "@language": "en", "rdf": "http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#", "rdfs": "http://www.w3.org/2000/01/rdf-schema#", "as": "http://www.w3.org/ns/activitystreams#", "cwrc": "http://sparql.cwrc.ca/ontologies/cwrc#", "dc": "http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/", "dcterms": "http://purl.org/dc/terms/", "foaf": "http://xmlns.com/foaf/0.1/", "geo": "http://www.geonames.org/ontology#", "oa": "http://www.w3.org/ns/oa#", "schema": "http://schema.org/", "xsd": "http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#", "fabio": "https://purl.org/spar/fabio#", "bf": "http://www.openlinksw.com/schemas/bif#", "cito": "https://sparontologies.github.io/cito/current/cito.html#", "org": "http://www.w3.org/ns/org#" }, "id": "https://leaf.bucknell.edu/sites/default/files/2026-08/phoenix-trust-deed_0_0.xml?note_annotation_20260823161433899", "type": "oa:Annotation", "dcterms:created": "2026-08-23T20:14:33.899Z", "dcterms:modified": "2026-08-23T20:14:33.899Z", "dcterms:creator": { "@id": "https://leaf.bucknell.edu/user/72", "@type": [ "cwrc:NaturalPerson", "schema:Person" ], "cwrc:hasName": "kmclain" }, "oa:motivatedBy": "oa:describing", "oa:hasTarget": { "@id": "https://leaf.bucknell.edu/sites/default/files/2026-08/phoenix-trust-deed_0_0.xml?note_annotation_20260823161433899#Target", "@type": "oa:SpecificResource", "oa:hasSource": { "@id": "https://leaf.bucknell.edu/sites/default/files/2026-08/phoenix-trust-deed_0_0.xml", "@type": "dctypes:Text", "dc:format": "text/xml" }, "oa:renderedVia": { "@id": "https://leaf.bucknell.edu", "@type": "as:Application", "rdfs:label": "LEAF-Writer", "schema:softwareVersion": "4.1.0" }, "oa:hasSelector": { "@id": "https://leaf.bucknell.edu/sites/default/files/2026-08/phoenix-trust-deed_0_0.xml?note_annotation_20260823161433899#Selector", "@type": "oa:XPathSelector", "rdf:value": "TEI/text/body/div/div[4]/p[18]/note" } }, "oa:hasBody": { "@type": "cwrc:NoteScholarly", "dc:format": "text/plain", "rdf:value": "Schedule B is unfortunately no longer extant" }, "as:generator": { "@id": "https://leaf.bucknell.edu", "@type": "as:Application", "rdfs:label": "LEAF-Writer", "schema:url": "https://leaf-writer.lincsproject.ca/", "schema:softwareVersion": "4.1.0" } }]]> </rdf:Description> </rdf:RDF></xenoData></teiHeader> <text> <body> <!-- You can give an element an attribute – think of it like an adjective for the element as a noun --> <div type="essay"> <head>Phoenix Trust Deed<note type="scholarNote">The Phoenix Trust Deed is the document that Gandhi and his coresidents created in 1912 to legally establish the Phoenix Settlement community and land as a trust in order to ensure the continued collective management of the community in accordance with its mission.</note></head> <dateline> <title>Indian Opinion</title> <docDate>September 14, 1912</docDate> </dateline> <div> <head>THIS INDENTURE MADE BY AND BETWEEN </head> <p>Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi of Phoenix, in the Province of Natal, South Africa, of the one part, and <note type="scholarNote">The persons named here in this paragraph were the major patrons of Phoenix Settlement.</note>Omar Hajee Amod Johari of Durban, Merchant, Parsee Rustomjee Jeewanjee Ghorcoodoo, of Durban, Merchant, Hermann Kallenbach, of Johannesburg, Architect and Farmer, Lewis Walter Ritch, of Johannesburg, Barrister-at-Law, and Pranjivandas Jugjivan Mehta, of Rangoon, Barrister-at-Law, all of the other part,</p> </div> <div> <head>WITNESSETH</head> <p>1. Whereas the said party of the one part is the owner of a certain piece of land situate in Phoenix aforesaid and comprising one hundred acres in extent and containing thereon certain buildings and machinery particulars of which are more fully set out in the Schedule hereunto annexed and marked A, </p> <p>2. And whereas the said party of the one part is also the sole proprietor of the weekly newspaper called Indian Opinion which said newspaper is printed and published at Phoenix aforesaid, and of the International Printing Press situated thereat, </p> <p>3. And whereas the said party of the one part did in the year 1904 establish a settlement at Phoenix aforesaid for the accomplishment of the objects hereinafter mentioned, </p> <p>4. And whereas certain persons are at the date of the signing of these Presents living at or connected with the settlement at Phoenix aforesaid and are employed in various capacities at or in connection with the Printing Works of the said newspaper Indian Opinion, (which said persons and any others who hereafter may join the said settlement, and sign the Schedule B<note type="scholarNote">Schedule B is unfortunately no longer extant</note> hereto are hereinafter styled "the settlers"), </p> <p>5. And whereas the majority of the settlers at present established on the said settlement joined the said settlement for the following objects and purposes and under the following conditions, namely, </p> <div> <p>1) So far as possible to order their lives so as to be able ultimately to earn their living by handicraft or agriculture carried on without the aid so far as possible of machinery; </p> <p>2) To work publicly so as to promote a better understanding between the Europeans and British Indians established in South Africa, and to voice and work to remove the grievances of the latter; </p> <p>3) To follow and promote the ideals set forth by Tolstoy and Ruskin in their lives and works; </p> <p>4) To promote purity of private life in individuals by living pure lives themselves; </p> <p>5) To establish a school for the education principally of Indian children mainly through their own vernaculars; </p> <p>6) To establish a sanatorium and hygienic institute, with a view to the prevention of disease by methods generally known as "nature treatment"; </p> <p>7) To train themselves generally for the service of humanity; </p> <p>8) To conduct the said Indian Opinion for the advancement of the ideals mentioned in the foregoing paragraphs; </p> </div> </div> <div> <p>6. And whereas the said party of the one part now desires to assign, transfer and make over the said land, buildings, machinery, newspaper and all other the [sic] appurtenances, stock-in-trade, book-debts, fixtures, fittings and other things connected therewith and with the said settlement, including the business of the International Printing Press, unto and in favour of the said parties of the other part together with himself the said party of the one part IN TRUST for the use of the said settlement and for the fuller carrying out of the objects and purposes set forth in paragraph 5 thereof, </p> <p>7. And whereas the said parties of the other part have each and all of them agreed to the assignment to them and to the party of the one part of the said land, buildings, et cetera, hereinbefore mentioned and together with the said party of the one part to accept the said trust on the terms and conditions hereinbefore and hereinafter mentioned, </p> </div> <div> <head>NOW THEREFORE THESE PRESENTS WITNESS</head> <p>8. That the said party of the one part does hereby transfer, assign and make over unto the said parties of the other part and to himself as Trustees, all his right, title and interest in and to the said land at Phoenix, Natal, and to the said buildings, machinery, newspaper, fittings, fixtures, stock-in-trade, book-debts and appurtenances, et cetera, aforesaid, to hold the same for themselves and their successors in trust and to the uses hereinbefore enumerated as being the objects, purposes and conditions of the said settlement, and subject to the following further conditions, namely,</p> <p>(a) The said Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi shall be Manager of the Trust during his lifetime, subject to the control of the said Trustees for the due fulfilment of the objects of the Trust;</p> <p>(b) In the absence from South Africa or at the death of the said Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, the Trustees may appoint from among themselves a Manager for the time being or permanently, as the case may be;</p> <p>(c) The said Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi or any other Manager shall be responsible to the remaining Trustees for due and proper management of the said Trust;</p> <p>(d) A majority of the said Trustees shall bind the minority in all matters falling within their authority in virtue hereof, and, in the event of the Trustees being equally divided, they shall be bound by a majority vote of the settlers;</p> <p>(e) An account to be known as the Phoenix Trust Account shall be opened at a Bank and shall be operated upon by the Manager of the Trust or his substitute or substitutes to be by him appointed;</p> <p>(f) In the event of the death or resignation of any of the Trustees, the remaining Trustees shall be competent to carry out the Trust. The settlers may, however, nominate, by a decision of the majority of them at the time residing in South Africa, Trustees to fill vacancies, which nomination shall be accepted by the remaining Trustees;</p> <p>(g) The Trustees, with the consent of the settlers, shall have the power to add to their numbers; </p> <p>(h) In their deliberations the Trustees shall be guided by and accept the decision of the settlers; but the settlers shall not be competent to impose upon the Trustees any change of policy or ideals;</p> <p>(i) The Trustees may, subject to the consent of the settlers, but not otherwise, expand the objects of the Trust; </p> <p>(j) The Trustees may, subject to the consent of the settlers, introduce new settlers or temporary workers, and, subject to such consent, dismiss any settlers or temporary workers. No settler may, however, be dismissed except for dishonesty, gross misconduct or gross neglect of duty assigned to him; </p> <p>(k) The Trustees shall respect and ratify all existing arrangements or contracts; </p> <p>(l) The said Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi reserves to himself the use of the two acres of land and buildings at present used by him and his family on the same terms as the other settlers, and the right to draw sustenance money from the income of the Press or other undertakings, not exceeding five pounds (£5) per month; </p> <p>(m) On the death of the said Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, his wife, should she survive him, shall draw from the income of the settlement not more than five pounds (£5) per month for herself and the two minor sons, Ramdas and Devdas, during her lifetime and the same amount shall be paid to the guardian of the minor sons or son after her death until the younger or the survivor of them attains the age of twenty-one years; the use of the said two acres of land and buildings thereon to be similarly reserved to the wife and minor children of the said Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi; </p> <p>(n) The Trustees may part with the ownership of Indian Opinion in favour of the settlers or any number of them and may lease to them the printing-press, type, and other necessary appurtenances; </p> <p>(o) The Trustees shall have the right to amend or alter the terms of the Trust from time to time, subject always to the consent of the settlers; </p> <p>(p) The Trustees shall have the right, subject to the consent of the settlers, to sell or mortgage the assets described in the said Schedule A and any assets hereafter acquired, and to purchase more land, build more buildings and buy more machinery or stock; </p> <p>(q) The term "settlers" shall mean and include all those at present residing at or connected with the said settlement, and who have signed the schedule attached hereto, marked B or who hereafter may be residing at or connected with the said settlement and who shall subscribe to the objects and conditions herein set forth and sign Schedule B.<note type="scholarNote">Schedule B is unfortunately no longer extant</note> </p> <p>9. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, this Indenture shall come into force as and from the date of registration hereof, and shall be registrable without the signature of the said Pranjivandas Jugjivan Mehta, whose signature shall be incorporated so soon as it is received from India.</p> <p>In witness whereof the respective parties have hereunto set their hands in the presence of the subscribing witnesses.</p> </div> <div> <table> <head>SCHEDULE A</head> <row> <cell/> <cell>£</cell> <cell>s. </cell> <cell>d.</cell> </row> <row> <cell>Land</cell> <cell>1,087</cell> <cell>10</cell> <cell>3</cell> </row> <row> <cell>Buildings</cell> <cell>1,535</cell> <cell>14</cell> <cell>1</cell> </row> <row> <cell>Plant and Machinery</cell> <cell>1,548</cell> <cell>1</cell> <cell>0</cell> </row> <row> <cell>Stock</cell> <cell>307</cell> <cell>7</cell> <cell>10</cell> </row> <row> <cell>Book Debts</cell> <cell>600</cell> <cell>18</cell> <cell>3</cell> </row> <row> <cell>Library and School Books</cell> <cell>50</cell> <cell>13</cell> <cell>0</cell> </row><row> <cell/> <cell>£5,130</cell> <cell>4</cell> <cell>5</cell> </row> </table> </div> </div> </body> </text> </TEI>
