Christian Burial Board

Preserving a legacy since the birth of Calcutta City

Heritage


The SPSC, LCRC and the St. Stephen’s Cemetery at Kidderpore (earlier known as the Sailors’ Cemetery) contain historical and heritage tombs of various times in history. The historical tombs inseparably linked with the sentiment of Bengal Renaissance, have been dealt separately. As regards the heritage tombs of the earlier era, the tomb of Sir William Jones, Charles (Hindoo) Stuart both in South Park Street Cemetery (1767) and several others under the notification of the Archaeological survey both in the SPSC and in the Lower Circular Cemetery are being preserved by the Christian Burial Board under the advice of an eminent Archaeologist Advisor

“There are nearly two million European graves of the colonial period on the sub-continent.” (Philip Davies: Splendours of the Raj 1985).

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Tomb of Michael Madhusudan Dutt

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Tomb of William Jones

“Under what compulsion do we endeavour to restore and preserve historic monuments from the ravages of tropical weather, and the fell hand of time? Colonial funeral sites in particular evoke many ambivalent responses…” Mature minds and the newer generations who feel less oppressed by memories of subjugation take a more detached view of history. “Graveyard Tourism” as unfortunate as the term may sound can be an enchanting experience as hundreds of overseas visitors opine in the Visitors Book in the South Park Street Cemetery. In the year 1978 a massive restoration programme of the SPSC was undertaken by BACSA. (British Association for Cemeteries in South Asia) email : www.bacsa.org.uk. Today The Christian Burial Board, Kolkata is comprehensively restoring and maintaining this unique heritage cemetery in a green environment all with its own fund under the personal supervision of its Archaeologist Advisor/Archaeological Engineers and ASI approved contractors in a phased manner.

Viewers interested to establish contact with BACSA or to obtain a copy of their journal 'CHOWKIDAR' may visit https://www.bacsa.org.uk).

Tomb of Henry Louis Vivian Derozio


Tomb of Charles Stuart


Tomb of James Wilson


Tomb of Charles Freer Andrews


Tomb of John Elliot Drinkwater Bethune


Tomb of Leslie Walter Claudius