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Cemeteries in Calcutta

5,810 bytes added, 16 March
Adding link to findagrave.com for Scottish cemetery
# '''Tiretta's Cemetery''' - "The French or Tiretta's Burial Ground, Park Street" - earliest record 1796, also no longer in extistence.
# '''Bhowanipore Cemetery''' - "The Military Burial Ground, beyond the General Hospital was opened in the year 1782-3"
# '''Lower Circular Road''' (at 184 Acharya Jagadis Bose Road) - "The New Burial Ground, Circular Road" was opened on 29 April 1840 for the 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.The [http://www.christianburialboardkolkata.com/ Christian Burial Board] now oversees this cemetery and will identify and show visitors to a relevant grave. Burial records are maintained on site and the Board is contactable by email for enquiries.
# '''Scottish Cemetery''' (3 Karaya Road) - "The Scotch & Dissenters Burial Ground - was purchased in 1820.
# '''Armenian Church & Cemetery''' - the [[Armenian]] Church of St Nazareth built 1724 has a burial ground attached to it.
# '''Greek Church & cemetery''' - the [[Greek]] Church of the Transfiguration of Our Blessed Redeemer on Mount Tabor was consecreted 6 August 1781, but demolished and a 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).
# '''Portuguese Church & burial grounds''' of which there seem to be several, the most notable may be the [[Portuguese]] Burial Ground at Boithakhana, opened on 8 February 1786.
# '''St Pauls Cathedral'''
3, 4 and 5 above adjoined opposite the South Park Street Cemetery which has been recently restored to a good standard. The sites of these cemeteries are now occupied by tall buildings.
*The [[Jewish]] Cemetery at 45 Narikeldanga Main Road
*5 [[Chinese]] Cemeteries
Burial grounds were also located at [[Dum Dum]], [[Barrackpore]], [[Serampore]], [[Chandernagore]], [[Chinsurah]], [[Bandel]] and [[Howrah]] (epitaphs from which are represented in ''The Bengal Obituary'' - see Notes below). Many maritime related burials took place at Howrah, where St Thomas' Church and Cemetery were established in 1833.
==RecordsFort William Burial Ground=====BACSA records at As a result of new construction in the British Library===The [[British Association for Cemeteries Fort in South Asia|BACSA Archive]] at the [[British Library]]1880s, shelfmark Mss Eur F370 includes the following entries ‘old’ burial ground is no longer in its catalogue under Cemetery Filesexistence, Nos 1-853Notes: The arrangement and some of this list and the names of provinces, places headstones were moved and cemeteries are based now mounted on the walls at South Park Cemetery. <ref>Evers, Maureen [https://web.archive.org/web/20200118055550/https://lists.rootsweb.com/hyperkitty/list which BACSA took over in 1976 /india.rootsweb.com/thread/2240541/ Kolkata research] ''Rootsweb India Mailing List'' 21 November 2009, archived. The original advice was from the British High Commission Dr John Roberts, co-author of ''Malabar Christian Memorials at Cannanore, Tellicherry and Mahe 1723-1990'' and ''Nilgiri Hills Christian Memorials 1822-2006'', who has researched in IndiaCalcutta. </ref> The cemetery status (i.e. whether open or closed) ‘new' burial ground is based on part of the information military base and is closed to handthe public.<ref>Murphy, and may since have changedSylvia [https://web.archive.org/web/20200118055402/https://lists.rootsweb. If a particular cemetery is not in the com/hyperkitty/list/india.rootsweb.com/thread/2240456/ Kolkata research] ''Rootsweb India Mailing List'' 18 November 2009, some details archived.</ref> These burial grounds are different burial grounds to those at Bhowanipore Cemetery, the old (separate) part of it may sometimes be found in the general file for the province or town in which it is situatedknown as the Military Burial Ground.
Calcutta (Kolkata)==Crematorium== 620 A crematorium was erected in Calcuttain 1903, General 621 St John's Churchyard, Calcutta 622 St John's Churchyard, Calcutta: “St John's Church, Calcutta” by Pauline Rohatgi (1979): “This hallowed spot” situated to the east of the Circular Road Cemetery. There was provision for the erection of a monument not exceeding 2 feet by Reginald C Adams (typescript, c1978): “St John's Church (1787-1987)” 623 South Park Street, Calcutta: History 624 South Park Street 2, Calcutta: BACSA Connection 625 South Park Street 3, Calcutta: photos 1 626 South Park Street 4, Calcutta: photos 2 627 South Park Street 5, Calcutta: Maps feet. It was intended mainly for the use of South Park Street 628 South Park Street 6Europeans, Calcutta: Photographs Anglo- Indians and Indians who had adopted a European style of Standing Tombs, Area 1 living. (North-East) Kept More details.<ref>[https://archive.org/details/in BACSA Cupboard 629 South Park Street 7.ernet.dli.2015.33547/page/n260 Page 222] ''Municipal Calcutta'' by SW Goode 1916. Archive.org, Calcutta: Photographs Public Library of Standing Tombs, Area 2 (South-EastIndia Collection.</ref>) Kept in BACSA Cupboard 630 South Park Street 8, Calcutta: Photographs of Standing Tombs, Area 3 (South-West) Kept The crematorium was built by a French company Toisoul Fradet & Co. based in BACSA Cupboard 631 South Park Street 9, Calcutta: Photographs of Standing TombsParis, Area 4 (Central) Kept which specialised in BACSA Cupboard 632 North Park Streetcrematoriums, Calcutta<ref>[https: 1799//indianvagabond.com/2015/11/21/a-french-1880, closed 1799crematorium-1880633 Lower Circular Road, Calcutta 1841for-: 1841the-, open 1841christians-634 Bhowanipur [or ‘Fort’], Calcutta: 1841and-, open 1841brahmos-635 Scottish Cemetery, Calcutta : 1826of-1945, closed; reopened : see also Mss Eur F370calcutta/1406 "A French Crematorium for burial the Christians and plot registers, 1817-1990s 1826-636 French Cemetery, Calcutta : 1796-1894, closed 1796-1894637 Catholic Cemeteries, Calcutta : Murghihatta: 1712-1869, closed: Dhuramtollah: 1833-1892, closed: Boitakhana: 1809-1879, closed: St John's Catholic Cemetery: 1808- 1712-Brahmos of 638 Minor Cemeteries, Calcutta: Armenian: pre-1707-: Entally: 1919-1945, closed: Greek: c1777-, open: Maniktalla: 1874-1912, closed: St Stephen’s, Kidderpore: Bowrah Cotton mill 1707-1945639 Jewish Cemeteries, Calcutta : 1840-1983, open 1840-1983640 "Bengal Past and Present" extracts: 1907-1940643 Bandel] by Subhadip Mukherjee November 21, W Bengal: Roman Catholic: 1756-1919, closed 1756-1919 2015 indianvagabond.com.</ref> 646 Barrackporeand continued operating until the early 1980s, W Bengalwhen erratic gas supply caused it to close.<ref>[https: Old: 1783//rangandatta.wordpress.com/2015/12/09/gas-1863, closed: New: 1862 crematorium-, open 1783crematorium-647 Berhampore, W Bengal: Kassim Bazar: 1759street-1802, closedkolkata/ Gas Crematorium: Soldiers: closed: Babulona: closed: Kalikapur (Dutch): 1721-1792Crematorium Street, closed: MotijheelBehind Lower Circular Road Cemetery, Murshidabad: 1785, closed 1721-1802651 Chinsura, W Bengal: Dutch cemetery: 1743-1846, open 1743-1846656 Dum Dum, W Bengal: No 1 (Old): consecrated 1823, closed: No 2 (New): consecrated 1859, closed: No 3 (New): consecrated 1911, open 1823-657 Howrah, W Bengal: consecrated 1833, 1846, 1866, closed 1833Kolkata] by Rangan Datta 674 SeramporeDecember 9, W Bengal: Popham Street: closed: [Missionary Cemetery]: 1807-1914, closed 1807-19142015 rangandatta.wordpress.com.</ref>
1406 Scottish The [http://www.christianburialboardkolkata.com/statistics.html Mini Cemetery, Calcutta: Plot Register, 1826-1990s : with a closed Gas Crematorium] (150 graves) is now under the control of the Christian Burial RegisterBoard, 1917-1989 : Plan of plots Kolkata
==Maps of Calcutta==
For location of the cemeteries see [[Calcutta#Maps|Calcutta - Maps]], where a number of maps produced at different dates are available.
==Records==
===BACSA records===
*[[British Association for Cemeteries in South Asia|BACSA (British Association for Cemeteries in South Asia)]] cemetery publications are
**''Calcutta: South Park Street: Register of Graves and Standing Tombs (from 1767)'' 1992 "128pp, 9 plans, also serves as index to tomb photos in BACSA archive"
**''Calcutta: South Park Street'' by Maurice Shellim, 1986 (2nd edition) "On progress in restoring 'The Great Cemetery'. 28pp, 8 illustrations, 2 plans"
**''Calcutta: French Cemetery'' by Basil La Bouchardiere, 1983 "Cemetery cleared in 1977 - a complete record. 28pp, 8 illustrations, 4 maps/plans"
:See [http://indian-cemeteries.org/bacsa/html/bacsa_books.html BACSA Books].
:[[British Association for Cemeteries in South Asia|BACSA]] have put the indexes to these cemetery books online and these indexes are free to browse. If an indexed name is of interest then application can be made to BACSA for details of the relevant burial inscription - charges apply for this service
====BACSA records at the British Library====
The [[British Association for Cemeteries in South Asia|'''BACSA Archive''']] at the '''[[British Library]]''', shelfmark '''Mss Eur F370''' includes entries in its catalogue under Cemetery Files . The Notes advise: The arrangement of this list and the names of provinces, places and cemeteries are based on the list which BACSA took over in 1976 from the British High Commission in India. The cemetery status (i.e. whether open or closed) is based on the information to hand, and may since have changed. If a particular cemetery is not in the list, some details of it may sometimes be found in the general file for the province or town in which it is situated.
The BACSA British Library archive catalogue is now available online at the BACSA website. Under [http://www.bacsa.org.uk/?page_id=697 BACSA Cemetery files] select Calcutta and West Bengal.
== External links ==
*[http://www.christianburialboardkolkata.com/home.html Christian Burial Board, Kolkata]
**[http://www.christianburialboardkolkata.com/burialrecords.html Burial Records]
**[http://www.christianburialboardkolkata.com/archaeology.html South Park Cemetery]
*[https://www.flickr.com/search/?text=%22South%20Park%20Street%20Cemetery%22 Photographs of South Park Street Cemetery] including a small group by [http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=35582639@N04&q=South%20Park%20Street%20Cemetery ron de lightbox] Flickr.com
the heading Publications *[https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/2319595/scottish- Calcutta. There may well be other relevant referencescemetery Images of over 2,000 graves in Scottish Cemetery, Kolkata] findagrave.com*1207 Illustrated handbook to St John's Church (Old Cathedral) Calcutta *[http://readinggamesplayingbooks.com/scots/node/194 The Scottish Cemetery Project] includes [by E W Madge http://readinggamesplayingbooks.com/scots/full-list-of-tombs Full list of tombs] and K N Dhar] (66 ppan advance search. Calcutta, 1909)*1208 It is stated on the Main Page that “The digitized versions of the burial records of St John's Church (1787-1987) by Nisith S Ray. (21 ppAndrew’s Kirk have been made available to us”.However, as far as can be established, 1987) 2 copies with copies of Parish Magazine 1973-74*1209 A visit to St John's Churchthis website does not include those digitised burial records, Calcutta [neither can an online source for the burial records be established. Perhaps they may be held by J A Gonsalves] (3 pp., 1971)*1210 St Andrew's Andrew’s Church of Scotland, Calcutta 1815-1965 with copies for the use of Church magazines, July 1974 and Jan 1977 (20 ppstaff., 1965)**[http: St Paul’s Cathedral Calcutta: see Mss Eur F370/1330*1211 South Park Street Cemetery, Calcutta/www.dhtcollections.com/item/Brand_GravesofJuteMillmanagersburiedinIndia_0_0_28576_1. Register html Graves of graves and standing tombs: from 1767 by Maurice Shellim and others (BACSA 1992)*1212 The South Park Street Jute Mill managers buried in India] Dundee Heritage Trust. Includes wives. Contains twenty five records at the Scottish Cemeteryin Calcutta, Calcutta by Aurelius Khan fourteen at Barrackpore Cemetery and others (BACSA 1978)*1213 The South Park Street one of Tollygunge Cemetery. Graves date from 1881 to 1951, Calcutta 1978covering workers at the four of the major Indian mills -1986 by Aurelius Khan Titaghur, Samnuggur, Angus and others (2nd ed, BACSA 1986)Victoria. *1214 *[http://scottishcemeterykolkata.wordpress.com/ Scottish Cemetery Kolkata] The South Park Street official blog for the team who went to Kolkata in 2008 to survey the Scottish Cemetery Calcutta 1978-1997 (3rd ed, APHCI, 1997)for The Kolkata Scottish Heritage Trust *1215 French *[http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/search/?keyword=Kolkata&submit=search Photographs] of Scottish Cemetery, Park StreetCemetery, Calcutta (BACSA 1983)*1216 "Préserver nos cimetiéresSt Andrew's Church BBD Bagh, lBishop'example de nos collègues anglais: le cimetière francais de Calcutta" par Xavier Guyot, La Vie Généalogique, n.s. 3, no 13, (1996), pp. 17-22.*: Therefore Forward ! The Story of Carey Church Calcutta: see Mss Eur F370/1388House
===Other records===*Mullickbazar grave of ''Economist''Bengal Past and Presentfounder James Wilson, died 11 August 1860. [https://web.archive.org/web/20171011181309/https: Journal //www.telegraphindia.com/1090811/jsp/calcutta/story_11343895.jsp "Taxman rediscovers father of taxation"] by Sumatra Das from the ''Telegraph'', Calcutta Historical Society'11 August 2009, now an archived webpage. ‘Father of Indian finance', available at he was finance member of the Viceroy of India Council, akin to the post of chancellor of the Indian Exchequer.*[https://web.archive.org/web/20180217175111/http://www.indian-cemeteries.org:80/ www.indian-cemeteries.org], now archived, has photographs and transcriptions from the following cemeteries. Although an archived website, the internal links appear to be still working.**Lower Circular Road Cemetery. **North Park Street Cemetery. **Scotts Cemetery. **South Park Street Cemetery. **St Johns Church. **St Johns Church Black Hole Memorial. **St Pauls Cathedral. *[http://www.academia.edu/5121162/The_Greek_Cemetery_of_Kolkata "The Greek Cemetery of Kolkata"] by Helen Abadzi. academia.edu.*[[Jewish]] records: [https://web.archive.org/web/20110704132728/http://www.americansephardifederation.org/PDF/genealogy/calcuttagraves.xls.pdf Calcutta Grave Records] from [British https://web.archive.org/web/20110219144254/http://sephardiclibrary.org/genealogy.html Genealogy] National Sephardic Library, now archived webpages. :[http://www.jewishcalcutta.in/exhibits/show/cemeteries Exhibit 09 Jewish Cemetery In Calcutta, Narkeldanga]] has , which in turn includes a list of burials based on the original graves. This data comes from handwritten cemetery registers which were digitised c 1999.<ref>[http://double-dolphin.blogspot.com/2014/10/jewish-cemetery-narkeldanga-main-road.html "Jewish Cemetery, Narkeldanga Main Road"] 16 October 2014. The Concrete Paparazzi.</ref> “Recalling Jewish Calcutta: Memories Of The Jewish Community In Calcutta”. jewishcalcutta.in :[http://www.sephardicgen.com/databases/CalcuttaCemeterySrchFrm.html CalcuttaCemetery Search] Index Search. SephardicGen. :The Jewish Cemetery was restored in 2017.<ref>[https://rangandatta.wordpress.com/2018/01/05/restoration-of-jewish-cemetery-kolkata/ "Jewish Cemetery, two articles written Kolkata"] by Rangan Datta January 5, 2018 by Rev Wrangandatta. Kwordpress. Firmingercom. They are probably mostly covered by </ref> :The Oseh Haised Board [Jewish Burial Board] also maintained the Ecclesiastical Returns Jewish cemetery in Darjeeling.<ref> From a page "A Historical Review of the BCalcutta Jewish Cemetery" www.indianjews.org/english, no longer available.Also mentioned in [http://shodhganga.inflibnet.Lac.in/jspui/bitstream/10603/164753/12/12_chapter%208.pdf "Chapter 8"], however there may be some additional entries which never made it ''The Jewish world of Calcutta 1798 to England (e1948'' by Kaustav Chakrabarti, 2010 thesis University of Calcutta. shodhganga.inflibnet.gac. the ship carrying the returns to England was lost)in </ref>*[https://indianvagabond.com/2022/11/07/portuguese-burial-ground-kolkata/ "Portuguese Burial Ground Kolkata"] by Subhadip Mukherjee November 7, 2022. There are also some biographical detailsindianvagabond.com *Burials 1713[http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-1755 Volume 10 cemetery/cemetery/92010/CALCUTTA%20(1915BHOWANIPORE) pages 257%20CEMETERY,%20KOLKATA Inscriptions from Bhowanipore Cemetery, Kolkata] Over 700 names from Commonwealth War Graves Commission. cwgc.org. The Commission also has responsibility for the care of 233 non-284 (author war burials in the cemetery, who are not known)named.*Burials 1759[http://www.business-standard.com/article/beyond-1761 Volume 5 (Janbusiness/buried-history-112060300010_1.html Buried history] by Shine Jacob Kolkata June 1910) pages 1363, 2012 business-142*Burials 1762standard.com. Calcutta cemeteries. Includes advice that the [http://www.eict.org.in/tiki-1774 Volume 6 index.php East India Charitable Trust] answers queries about Bhowanipore Cemetery in respect of the section they manage.(July-Dec 1910not War Graves) (Note: this function is not mentioned on the EICT website, although it is stated the Trust is actively associated with the [[BACSA|British Association for Cemeteries in South Asia (BACSA)]]. Select “Contact Us” in the EICT website for contact details). (In 2005 it was advised the Bhowanipore Cemetery was maintained by APHCI, the Association for the Preservation of Historical Cemeteries in India, the sister organisation of BACSA) pages 92-126, with contact details given.<ref>Kendall, John [https://web.archive.org/web/20181025102253/https://lists.rootsweb.com/hyperkitty/list/india.rootsweb.com/thread/6410770/ "preserving Fort William Cemetery record"] ''Rootsweb India Mailing List'', 22 October 2005, archived.</ref>)
==Notes=Historical books online===<references *''Asiaticus : In Two Parts. Part One, Ecclesiastical, Chronological and Historical Sketches. [http://books.google.com/>books?id=xHYIAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA61 Part Two, the Epitaphs in the Different Burial Grounds in and about Calcutta]'' by John Hawkesworth 1803. (80 pages) (Google Books)
== External links ==*''[http://wwwbooks.burialsinindiagoogle.netcom/ Christian Burial Board] books?id=3HYIAAAAQAAJ&pg=PP11 The Christian Complete Monumental Register: Containing All the Epitaphs in the Different Churches and Burial Boards online search facility for access to grave records Grounds in and pottahs about Calcutta]'' by M Derozario 1815 (230 pages) (Google Books). [http://books.google.com/books?id=3HYIAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA225 Index of burials dating back to the 1700snames].
*[http://wwwbooks.google.com/books?id=T-HwSiLns14C&printsec=frontcover ''The Bengal Obituary: or, a record to perpetuate the memory of departed worth, being a compilation of tablets and monumental inscriptions from various parts of the Bengal and Agra presidencies''] 1851 Google Books has many records for cemeteries in Calcutta. [http://books.christianburialboardkolkatagoogle.com/archaeologybooks?id=T-HwSiLns14C&pg=PA399 Index of Names]*[https://www.html familysearch.org/search/catalog/65995 '' List of inscriptions on tombs or monuments in Bengal possessing historical or archaeological interest''] by C R South Park CemeteryWilson, 1896 is available to read online, or download, at [[Online books#FamilySearch Digital Library|FamilySearch]]. You need to be registered and sign in first. Includes index. Part I contains the Calcutta inscriptions; part II (whose Contents precedes page 121) contains inscriptions from the Lower Provinces. (c 248+ additional pages).:Also available Archive.org, mirror from Central Secretariat Library (CSL) [Delhi] Digital Repository : [https://archive.org/details/dli.csl.6657/mode/2up 1896 edition] ([https://archive.org/details/dli.csl.6716/mode/2up 1895 edition] ). :Also available from [httphttps://wwwupload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/98/List_of_inscriptions_on_tombs_or_monuments_in_Bengal.pdf wikimedia.christianburialboardkolkataorg] as a pdf.com*[https://indexarchive.html Christian Burial Board Kolkataorg/details/thackeraysinind01huntgoog ''The Thackerays in India and some Calcutta Graves'']by Sir William Wilson Hunter 1897 archive.org
*This [http:== References ==<references //archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/INDIA/2009-07/1248700329 July 2009] post and this [http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/INDIA/2009-08/1249307371 Aug 2009] post from the [[Mailing lists|India List]] are about Lower Circular Road Cemetery.>
*[http{{#widget://scottishcemeterykolkata.wordpress.com/ Scottish Cemetery Kolkata] The official blog for the team who went to Kolkata in 2008 to survey the Scottish Cemetery for The Kolkata Scottish Heritage Trust Google PlusOne |size=small*[http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/search/?keyword|count=Kolkata&submit=search Photographs] of Scottish Cemetery, Park Street Cemetery, St Andrew's Church BBD Bagh, Bishop's Housetrue *Mullickbazar grave of ''Economist'' founder James Wilson, died 11 August 1860, in this [http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090811/jsp/calcutta/story_11343895.jsp link] from the ''Telegraph'', Calcutta}}
===Historical books online===
*''Asiaticus : In Two Parts. Part One, Ecclesiastical, Chronological and Historical Sketches. [http://books.google.com/books?id=xHYIAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA61 Part Two, the Epitaphs in the Different Burial Grounds in and about Calcutta]'' by John Hawkesworth 1803. (80 pages) (Google Books)
*''[http://books.google.com/books?id=3HYIAAAAQAAJ&pg=PP11 The Complete Monumental Register: Containing All the Epitaphs in the Different Churches and Burial Grounds in and about Calcutta]'' by M Derozario 1815 (230 pages) (Google Books). [http://books.google.com/books?id=3HYIAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA225 Index of names].
[[Category:Cemeteries]]
[[Category:Calcutta]]
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