Registered users can upload pictures of headstones, create new entries or suggest corrections to existing entries. The site is owned by Ancestry.com, but it is free to use.
Although it has been running since 1995, interest in Darjeeling is taking off. A number of entries have been made which makes it easy for the historically minded to take pictures of graves or add new information. You might find a virtual look-see interesting.
Entries exist for the following cemeteries;
If you live in the area, you may wish to take your camera for a peaceful look through a local historic graveyard. When taking pictures of graves please make sure inscriptions can be read - or make a note of them to submit with the picture. Sometimes a bit of water on the grave can make things easier to read. In some cases, you may need to pull out some weeds. Gently rubbing the headstone with dirt will often highlight the inscription and not cause any harm.
General George W. Aylmer Lloyd obtained the deed of Darjeeling for the British from the King of Sikkim in 1835. He was in charge of the triangulation of the Himalayas for the Trigonometric Survey of India. His tomb is registered by the Archaeological Survey of India as monument number N-WB-60.
While many graves date from the Raj it doesn’t mean all the people buried there are English. There are many Scots, Irish and Welsh and there are some locals and a number of non-British Europeans. Possibly the most famous non-Brit is Alexander Csoma De Koros the Romanian born author of the first Tibetan-English dictionary. He’s one of General Lloyd’s neighbours at the Darjeeling Old Cemetery.
- Darjeeling Old Cemetery,
- Jalapahar New Cemetery,
- Jalapahar Old Cemetery,
- Lebong Cemetery,
- Loreto Convent Cemetery,
- Singtom Cemetery,
- Hope Town Cemetery, Sonada,
- St Colomba's Cemetery,
- St Joseph's College Cemetery, as well as
- Kurseong Cemetery.
If you live in the area, you may wish to take your camera for a peaceful look through a local historic graveyard. When taking pictures of graves please make sure inscriptions can be read - or make a note of them to submit with the picture. Sometimes a bit of water on the grave can make things easier to read. In some cases, you may need to pull out some weeds. Gently rubbing the headstone with dirt will often highlight the inscription and not cause any harm.
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| The tomb of General George W. Aylmer Lloyd overlooking Darjeeling. |
General George W. Aylmer Lloyd obtained the deed of Darjeeling for the British from the King of Sikkim in 1835. He was in charge of the triangulation of the Himalayas for the Trigonometric Survey of India. His tomb is registered by the Archaeological Survey of India as monument number N-WB-60.
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| A screenshot of the page for General Lloyd. |
While many graves date from the Raj it doesn’t mean all the people buried there are English. There are many Scots, Irish and Welsh and there are some locals and a number of non-British Europeans. Possibly the most famous non-Brit is Alexander Csoma De Koros the Romanian born author of the first Tibetan-English dictionary. He’s one of General Lloyd’s neighbours at the Darjeeling Old Cemetery.
Also in the Old Cemetery is the grave of the not-so-well known Louis Mandelli an Italian tea planter and amateur zoologist and ornithologist - and possibly a political refugee.
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| Mandelli's memorial as seen from the road looking downwards. |
The inscription on Mandelli's grave tells us something about the man and how well he was regarded.
SACRED
to the
memory of
LOUIS MANDELLI
FOR 17 YEARS
THE RESPECTED MANAGER OF
LEBONG AND MINCHEE TEA ESTATE
DARJEELING,
WHO DURING HIS RESIDENCE
IN THIS DISTRICT
GAINED FOR HIMSELF AN EUROPEAN
REPUTATION AS AN ORNITHOLOGIST.
HE DIED
ON THE 22ND FEBRUARY 1880,
AGED 48 YEARS.
--------------------------------
THIS MONUMENT IS ERECTED
BY SOME OF HIS NUMEROUS FRIENDS
IN INDIA
But what if you’re not in Darjeeling?
You can still take part in the effort if you have some pictures or if you’ve been searching for your Darjeeling connections and have information to add to the current listings. There are still many unknowns...
You can still take part in the effort if you have some pictures or if you’ve been searching for your Darjeeling connections and have information to add to the current listings. There are still many unknowns...
Let me know how you go!