Bald was born in Glasgow in 1853 and as a youth worked as an engineer. He began tea planting on the Lohargur Tea Estate near Darjeeling in 1877 at the age of 24, the year following his father's death. In about 1881, he joined the Lebong Tea Company where he served as manager over the next 26 years.
David Bald, Claud's younger brother, also an engineer went with him to India but died of cholera in Calcutta in 1883. A younger brother Henry was in Darjeeling by 1887 and worked for the Government.
In 1885 at the age of 32, Claud married 24-year-old Glaswegian lass Margaret Ker the elder daughter of religious parents and a wider family which had supported missionary work in India.
Tea production from 1866 to 1874 had increased by 89%, from 1874-188Bald was born in Glasgow in 1853 and as a youth worked as an engineer. He began tea planting on the Lohargur Tea Estate near Darjeeling in 1877 at the age of 24, the year following his father's death. In about 1881, he joined the Lebong Tea Company where he served as manager over the next 26 years.
David Bald, Claud's younger brother, also an engineer went with him to India but died of cholera in Calcutta in 1883. A younger brother Henry was in Darjeeling by 1887 and worked for the Government.
In 1885 at the age of 32, Claud married 24-year-old Glaswegian lass Margaret Ker the elder daughter of religious parents and a wider family which had supported missionary work in India.
Tea production from 1866 to 1874 had increased by 89%, from 1874-1885 to 56.8%, and from 1885 to 1895 by 22.4%. 1888 was the year India produced more tea than any other country. It was also the year Claud's eldest child Evelyn was born.
In 1907, Bald became manager of the Tukvar Company’s estates, holding this position until his retirement in 1918 at the age of 65. He retired to Worthing England where he was an active member of the Baptist church.
Like most planters, Bald was a member of the Northern Bengal Mounted Rifles. He was also treasurer of the Union Church in Darjeeling and had some influence on the relocation of the Mount Hermon School to land originally part of Tukvar.
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