Cemeteries in Calcutta

Listed in the 'Bengal Obituary' are:

1. St John's Churchyard - from 1709 and maybe earlier
2. South Park Street Cemetery - "The Great Burial Ground of Chowringhee" - opened on 25 August 1767
3. North Park Street Cemetery "New burial ground Chowringhee" - probably opened in 1799 - on opposite side of road to South Park Street but no longer in existence. Was final resting place of Richmond Thackeray (father of novelist), Lt Col James Achilles Kirkpatrick (the White Mughal) and other well known persons
4. The Mission Cemetery - "The Mission Burial Ground, Chowringhee, commonly called Mr Kiernander's" - opened in or by 1773 for wife of Rev John Zachariah Kiernander. Also no longer in existence
5. Tiretta's Cemetery - "The French or Tiretta's Burial Ground, Park Street" - earliest record 1796, also no longer in extistence.
6. Bhowanipore Cemetery - "The Military Burial Ground, beyond the General Hospital was opened in the year 1782-3"
7. Lower Circular Road (at 184 Acharya Jagadis Bose Road) - "The New Burial Ground, Circular Road" was opened on 29 April 1840 for reception of remains of Captain E T Milner's child. This cemetery is still in use. However, the condition of the older graves in general is not good.
8. Scottish Cemetery (3 Karaya Road) - "The Scotch & Dissenters Burial Ground - was purchased in 1820
9. Armenian Church & Cemetery - the Armenian Church of St Nazareth built 1724 has a burial ground attached to it.
10. Greek Church & cemetery - The Greek Church of the Transfiguration of Our Blessed Redeemer on Mount Tabor was consecreted 6 August 1781, but demolished and new one built at Kalighat in 1926. "Greek cemetery at 105 Narkeldanga Main Road is forlorn" (NB: Interestingly I have a CD of pictures of Greek gravestones which was given to me, but need transcribing)
11. Portuguese Church & burial grounds - seem to be several, notable cemetery maybe the Portuguese Burial Ground at Boithakhana opened 8 Feb 1786.

Nos 3, 4 and 5 above were adjoining about opposite the South Park Street Cemetery which has been so well restored. The sites of these cemeteries are now occupied by tall buildings.

There are Roman Catholic cemetries at 22 Convent Road and 169 Baliaghata Main Road.

Also mentioned are:

• The Jewish Cemetery at 45 Narikeldanga Main Road
• Chinese Cemeteries (5 of them)

Burial grounds also at Dum Dum, Barrackpore, Serampore, Chandernagore, Chinsurah, Bandel and Howrah (epitaphs from which are represented in'The Bengal Obituary'

External Links

Christian Burial Board The Christian Burial Boards online search facility for access to grave records and pottahs of burials dating back to the 1700s

Bengal Obituary can be viewed online at archive.org