A DETAILED SURVEY OF THE EUROPEAN FUNERARY MONUMENTS IN ST. FRANCIS C. S. I. CEMETERY, VELI, FORT KOCHI.

 

Unlike the Dutch cemetery, which most tourists tend to visit, there is another important burial ground in the outskirts of Fort Cochin, which no one pays much attention to. The Veli C. S. I. graveyard is less than 2 km from the Dutch cemetery. Those who have traveled to Fort Cochin from Ernakulam via road using the public transport system, would have noticed this cemetery on the way, but it will appear just like any other Christian graveyards of Kerala. However, very few would realize that the plot was once used as a British cemetery. What is more interesting is that several 19th century European grave monuments still remain preserved on its grounds. In a previous post (see here), I gave an introduction to this cemetery, but at that time I couldn't access the site, and therefore was not in a position to comment on the sepulchers.

An inventory for the Veli cemetery was prepared in the early 20th century by an anonymous individual or organization, made available to us by Roberts and Chekkutty in 2017. The title given is 'Old Protestant Cemetery-1790-1913' and according to them, the first documented burial in the cemetery was in 1790, and it became known as 'The New Church Burial Ground' after 1855. Unfortunately, the authors fail to give the original source on which the inventory is based on, instead they cite a survey of unmarked burials with plot locations derived from old church registers compiled by T W Venn. Strangely, none of Venn's works give such a report or specific survey on Veli cemetery. James Julian Cotton, who has meticulously recorded the burials in Fort Cochin and surroundings-at St Francis Church, Dutch Cemetery and the Streets of Cochin, also did not survey this ground. Same is the case with other well-known studies on the graveyards in Malabar.

The inventory is not perfect as it contains many factual errors, and some of the burials mentioned did not even happen there. The earliest burial noted, Jacob Wendelin Van der Sloot (d. 1739) is a typographical error. The inventory gives the burial details of 4 Van der Sloots and it must be noted that none of them have a gravestone as per the list.

1) Van der Sloot, Clement, died 3 November 1873.
2) Van der Sloot, Hester Amelia, died 17 February 1857, age 71.
3) Van der Sloot, Jacob Wendelen, died 1739, age 60.
4) Van der Sloot, John, died 27 November 1853, age 76.

The Doopboek/Baptismal Register (1751-1804) of St Francis church and the works of T W Venn (1947 and 1950), provide the baptismal records and the burial dates of these individuals, who we also learn are closely related. Thus, 2, 3 and 4 are siblings and 1 is the son of 2. As you can see, in the inventory, the date of death for all the Van der Sloots are given from mid to late 19th century, except for Jacob Wendelin. The Doopboek has Wendelin baptised on 1781, so his death at the age 60 years or precisely 60.5 years according to Venn, (1947, p. 65), should be somewhere around 1840, so the most probable date here is 1839 instead of 1739. This brings us to the second oldest burial recorded in the inventory, named after one David Scale, 1788, age 68. Venn (1947, p. 65) is helpful again in this regard, as he quotes David Scale died at the age of 68 some time between 1829-1842, based on  the Anglican Records (Registers) of St Francis Church which he had access. He gives the name of 12 men who passed away during this period (1829-1842), listed in the ascending chronological order ending with Pieter Winkler (died, 1841). Interestingly, David Scale is 3rd in the list, and Jacob Wendelin Van der Sloot is named 8th, so the former died most probably in the early 1830s. All the remaining burials in the list are from the 19th century onwards, and the earliest without a gravestone is Helena Elstendorp, wife of Pieter Elstendorp, died 4 October 1804; and with a gravestone is for A. Blane, died 6 December 1821-unfortunately both are untraceable today. Despite its shortcomings, the inventory it is still the only resource available to study the funerary monuments in the Veli cemetery.


Recently, on my way to Fort Cochin, I was surprised to find the gate of Veli cemetery opened, which is usually a rare event. I was very lucky to find Rev. Kurian Peter, the Vicar of C. S. I. St Francis Church, Fort Cochin on the site. Needless to say, without his encouragement and kind permission, I could not have accessed this historic venue. I had the freedom to explore the cemetery on my own for about an hour. The burial ground is more well-kept compared to the Dutch cemetery. Nevertheless, not all epitaphs are presentable, I had to put some extra effort to clean the thick layers of mud and leaf litter on a number of graves to read the inscriptions. Anyway, I could manage to conduct a proper survey of the graves without much difficulty. It must be noted that almost all the European tombs here are British, and there are no Portuguese or Dutch grave markers.

According to the Veli inventory, a total of 103 burials occurred in the cemetery, out of which only 66 are recorded having gravestones. I could confirm from other sources and by personal verification that 9 of the burials (7 with- and 2 without- gravestones) happened in the Dutch and not Veli cemetery, and they are:

1. Mary Evans (d. 1822)
2. James Charles Sayer (d. 1822)
3. James Tate (d. 1827)-without gravestone
4. Alexander Allardice (d. 1839)
5. Pieter Winckler (d. 1841)-without gravestone
6. Eliza Jane Allardice (d. 1844)
7. Sarah Georginia Lascelles (d. 1845)
8. Major William Hamilton (d. 1822, the date is 1882 in the headstone)
9. Joseph Ethelbert Winckler (d. 1913).

 

The tomb of Weetman, Thomas Harrison (d. 1897) is reported as a burial without gravestone in the inventory, but I have found the epitaph in the cemetery. Thus, there should be not more than 58 gravestones (66-9+1) in the Veli cemetery. Out of these 58 graves with an epitaph, I could trace 35 of them in the cemetery. This is significant considering the rate at which the heritage monuments are disappearing from graveyards in India with time. One reason why more graves survived could be because the cemetery remained functional also after the British period. I am informed that it’s an ecumenical cemetery today, used by different local Christian communities with an exception to the Catholics who have a different cemetery by the next wall. Two more burials from the late 19th century, but not listed in the inventory, that of, Mathew John Williamson, d. 1885 and George Fernandez, d. 1895 are also traced. In addition, I have confirmed that the cemetery has 29 more European funerary monuments from the early to mid-20th century, but none of them appear in the Veli inventory. Furthermore, there are around 21 old graves that cannot be identified due to the lack of epitaphs or obliterated inscriptions. Among them, some are quite impressive compared to the ordinary graves in the cemetery, but it is sad that we will not be able to know their identity. Altogether, there are at least 87 (i.e. 35+2+29+21) European graves, mostly British in the Veli cemetery.

According to Venn (1947, p. 22), Daniel Le Moine, is one of the first to be buried in the Veli cemetery, which we know occurred in 1855. Luckily, this grave still survives with the full epitaph intact, and it is the oldest identifiable tomb in the cemetery followed by Joseph Ballard (d. 1856), Fanny (Frances) Agnes Bittler (d. 1858, 11 days old, she is the youngest to be buried in the cemetery), Annie Playfair Drury (d. 02/1859) and Capt. John Joseph Freywer (d. 1859). The inventory also lists several family names such as the Bruntons (2 nos); D'Albedhylls (6 nos); Lunels (7 nos); Sparrows (3 nos); Verduijns (2 nos); Vernedes (5 nos) etc. However, only 2 Bruntons, 3 Sparrows, 2 Vernedes and 1 Verduijn are recorded with a gravestone in the list. Two other important names from the inventory are that of Henry Bidewell Grigg (d. 1895) of Madras Civil Service and Rev. Alfred Forbes Sealy (d. 1894), Principal of Maharajas College of Ernakulam. Both graves have survived and still can be traced in the cemetery-the names also appear in the St Francis church as memorial plaques. A non-British burial identified is that of Wilhelm Klein (d. 1889), who is a Basel born Swiss agent for Volkarts and Brothers. Another interesting grave identified is that of Hall Melville Walker (d. 1886), who was the Editor of Western Star for 20 years, the first English News Paper from Cochin.

There are also familiar names that can be traced in the cemetery which have not appeared in the inventory, such as: Duncan Mearns Cruickshank (d. 1908, former Principal of Maharajas College of Ernakulam); Samuel Archibald Locke (d. 1912, Barrister and Judge of the Chief Court of British Cochin for 30 years); Hal Harrison Jones (d. 1923, Managing Director of Aspinwall & Co Ltd.). The latter 2 are commemorated in the St Francis church as well. 

 

Some more notable burials discovered under the same category are:

1) Two members from the Sparrow family, C. B. Sparrow and Ralph Sparrow, both died on 1906;
2) A very Jewish sounding name, Esther Rebecca Levi Kregel, d. 1908, age 80;
3) A German epitaph after C. A. Schier, d. 1935;
4) A Tennessee born U. S. A. native, Jerome Grindstafe, d. 1923;
5) John Frederick Repington Collis, d. 1938, a young Royal Navy pilot who died in a plane crash at Cochin. There is a memorial plaque for him in the St Francis Church, Fort Kochi;

6) Captain William Burns Wilson (d. 1918), only his infant daughter is recorded in the inventory;
7) Three names from Scotland: a) Frank MacDougall (d. 1923); b) J. J. Riddoch (d. 1950); and c) Hamish Watt MacKinlay (d. 1964). The latter is the latest European grave identified from the Veli cemetery

Venn (1950, pp. 132, 238-239) mentions about a particular spot in the Veli cemetery where seafarers and their family members were interred known as the Sailor's Corner". He lists at least 8 burials in the corner and they are:
1) Wife of John Tyson of Magna Bona (d. 1868)
2) Richard Hughes (d. 1869)
3) John Graham Dalbie (d. 1879)
4) Capt. Summerfield (d. 1870)
5) Mathew James Roe (d. 1872)
6) Captain Smith
7) A Second Officer
8)  A Cabin Steward

(2, 3, 4 and 5 were Ship Masters; 6, 7 and 8 were of the ship, Lulworth Hill). I have been able to trace the tomb of John Tyson's wife, which is at a spot facing the present western wall of the cemetery near the south-west corner. Roberts and Chekkutty (2017, p. 143) has her name and age, but the date of death is different from Venn's records: "Tyson, Mary Anne, wife of John Tyson, died 9 November 1862, age 46". None of the other tombs are traceable, they are not listed in the inventory as well, maybe they were simple burials without grave monuments.

I will not go through biographic details of the deceased as it is beyond the scope of this blog post. However, the list of all the identified names and their corresponding date of death and age are given. The inscriptions on the gravestones are provided as a separate text as well. Except a few incomplete gravestones all the epitaphs are fully deciphered. I hope these details would be a starting point for the descendants of those buried in this remote and rather unexplored cemetery, especially to those who do not know where their early ancestors were interred. I have photographed 87 tombs (i.e. 35 listed in the inventory +31 not listed in the inventory + 21 unidentified old graves), and have uploaded all of them here for future reference. The following are the list of burials identified in the Veli cemetery:

I) Graves listed in the Veli inventory and identified in the cemetery (35 nos)

No.	Name	Date of death	Age
1	Le Moine (Lemoine), Joseph Daniel	06/1855	62 (67)/2/18
2	Ballard, Joseph	02/1856	40/4
3	Bittler, Fanny (Frances) Agnes	05/1858	11 d
4	Drury, Annie Playfair	02/1859	27
5	Freywer, John Joseph	08/1859	32
6	Owen, Lucy	06/1861	43 (44)
7	Tyson, Mary Anne	11/1862	46
8	Rodgers, Julia (Juliana)	01/1863	73/8
9	Day, Emma Louise (Louisa) Susan	12/1863	5
10	Sparrow, Ethel Maude (Mauda)	04/1875	0/3
11	Stone, Arthur William	03/1876	60
12	Sibson, Valentine B	03/1877	32
13	Mitchell, Andrew	02/1879	32
14	Brunton, Mabel Rita	06/1880	0/6
15	Benson, Mary Frederica	12/1880	59/2/21
16	Symonds, Frederick John	04/1881	32
17	Gahan, Sophia (Sophie) Mary (Marie) Magdalene	09/1884 (1882)	53
18	Walker, Hall Melville	03/1886	41
19	Bastels (Bartels), Johann (John)	04/1886	50
20	Winckler, David Theobald Strauss	01/1887	6
21	Newell, Robert	04/1889	19
22	Klein, Wilhelm	12/1889	34 (36)
23	Sparrow, Isabel	09/1890	43
24	Black, Harold Neil	06/1891	01/5
25	Sealy, Alfred Forbes	10/1894	63
26	Stubner (Stuber), Christian Frederick	12/1894	66 (85)
27	Pemberton, Muriel Rita	03/1895	2/6/7
28	Grigg, Henry Bidewell	04/1895	52
29	Tanke (Tauxe), Louise Marie	04/1895
30	Brooks, Maria Louisa Elizabeth	04/1896	75
31	Vernede, Charles W E	12/1896	23 (19)
32	Vernede, Pauline Jane	01/1897	75
33	Weetman, Thomas Harrison	08/1897	22
34	Sparrow, Conrad Cecil Brunton	11/1901	30
35	Baby daughter of William Burns Wilson	08/1904 (1902)

Names and dates of the deceased as they appear in the inventory. If the names or dates in the epitaph differ from the inventory, they are separately noted in the brackets.

1) Le Moine (Lemoine), Joseph Daniel (d. 06/1855)-the oldest identifiable grave in the cemetery.

SACRED
TO THE MEMORY
OF
JOSEPH DANIEL LEMOINE
WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE
ON THE 3-JUNE 1855
AGED 67 YEARS 2 MONTHS & 18 DAYS
DEEPLY REGRETTED BY HIS WIFE
GRAND DAUGHTER & RELATIVES

2) Ballard, Joseph (d. 02/1856)

SACRED
TO THE MEMORY OF
JOSEPH BALLARD ESQR/
MANY YEARS A MERCHANT COCHIN
WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE
ON THE 20TH FEBRUARY 1856
AGED 40 YEARS & 4 MONTHS
DEEPLY REGRETTED BY A LARGE
CIRCLE OF RELATIVES & FRIENDS

THE SORROW NOT AS THOSE WHO
HAVE NO HOPE
FOR BLESSED ARE THE DEAD WHICH
DIE IN THE LORD

THIS MONUMENT IS ERECTED BY HIS
DEEPLY AFFLICTED WIDOW
AS A TOKEN OF HER LOVE & AFFECTION

3) Bittler, Fanny (Frances) Agnes (d. 05/1858)

IN MEMORY OF
FANNY (FRANCES) AGNES
THE INFANT DAUGHTER-
---

4) Drury, Annie Playfair (d. 02/1859)

SACRED TO THE MEMORY
OF
ANNIE PLAYFAIR
THE BELOVED AND
AFFECTIONATE WIFE OF
MAJOR HEBER DRURY
OF THE
25TH REGIMENT
SHE DIED AT BALGHATTY
ON THE 28TH OF FEBRUARY 1859
AGED 27 YEARS

5)  Freywer, John Joseph (d. 08/1859)

IN MEMORY OF
CAPT JOHN JOSEPH FREYWER
SON OF
CAPT M FREYWER
BORN AT COLOMBO
---

6) Owen, Lucy (d. 06/1861)

SACRED
TO THE MEMORY OF
LUCY
THE BELOVED WIFE OF
H F OWEN
BORN 12TH DECEMBER 1816
DIED AT COCHIN
28TH JUNE 1861

7) Tyson, Mary Anne (d. 11/1862)

IN MEMORY OF
MARY ANN
THE BELOVED WIFE OF
JOHN TYSON
---

8) Rodgers, Julia (Juliana) (d. 01/1863)

SACRED
TO THE MEMORY OF
JULIANA RODGERS
WIDOW OF THE LATE
JOSEPH RODGERS
OF MADRAS
WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE
ON THE 6TH OF JANUARY 1863
AGED 73 YEARS & 8 MONTHS

 

The Lord is my light and my salvation whom
shall I fear. The Lord is the strength of my
life, of whom shall I be afraid. Psalm.  XXVII. I

ERECTED TO THE MEMORY OF
THE MOST DEVOTED AND RELI(GIOUS)

9) Day, Emma Louise Susan (d. 12/1863)

SACRED
TO THE MEMORY OF
EMMA LOUISA SUSAN
ELDEST DAUGHTER OF
ASST. SURGEON AND MRS. DAY
BORN AT AURUNGABAD
JULY 22ND 1858
DIED AT COCHIN
DECEMBER 11TH 1863

10) Sparrow, Ethel Maude (Mauda) (d. 04/1875)

IN MEMORY OF
ETHEL MAUDE
BELOVED DAUGHTER OF
CONRAD BRYANT
& ISABEL SPARROW
BORN-JANUARY 1875
DIED 28TH APRIL 1875

11) Stone, Arthur William (d. 03/1876)

IN MEMORY OF
THE REVEREND
ARTHUR WILLIAM STONE
FOR FIVE YEARS
MINISTER OF COCHIN
AND A FAITHFUL SERVANT OF
JESUS CHRIST
DIED MARCH 26 1876
AGED 60

12) Sibson, Valentine B (d. 03/1877)

SACRED
TO THE MEMORY OF
VALENTINE B SIBSON
CHIEF OFFICER
B-S. N. CO'S S. S.-ALVORAHS
WHO DIED AT SEA
1ST MARCH 1877
THIS STONE IS ERECTED
BY HIS BROTHER OFFICERS
AS A TOKEN
OF THEIR ESTEEM

13) Mitchell, Andrew (d. 02/1879)

IN
LOVING MEMORY
OF
ANDREW MITCHELL
DIED ON BOARD THE SOUTHESK
COCHIN
6TH FEB 1879 AGED 32
I AM THE RESURRECTION
AND THE LIFE

14) Brunton, Mabel Rita (d. 06/1880)

(IN LOVING MEMORY OF)
MABEL RITA
DAUGHTER OF GEORGE & MARIA DE LA CARIDAD BRUNTON
---DIED--
---

15) Benson, Mary Frederica (d. 12/1880)

SACRED
TO THE MEMORY
OF
MARY FREDERICA
BENSON
WHO DEPARTED THIS
LIFE ON THE
(20) DECEMBER 1880
AGED 59 YEARS
2 MONTHS AND 21 DAYS

16) Symonds, Frederick John    (d. 04/1881)

1881
APRIL
2
FREDERICK JOHN SYMONDS
AGED
32
YEARS

17) Gahan, Sophia (Sophie) Mary (Marie) Magdalene [d. 09/1884 (1882)]

IN MEMORY OF
SOPHIE MARIE MAGDALENE
THE BELOVED WIFE OF
CAPTAIN RICHARD K GAHAN
WHO DIED
ON THE 11TH SEPTEMBER 1882

18) Walker, Hall Melville (d. 03/1886)

SACRED
TO THE MEMORY OF
HALL MELVILLE WALKER
PLEADER IN THE
BRITISH COURTS OF MALABAR
ADVOCATE OF THE COURTS
OF TRAVANCORE COCHIN
TINNEVELLY & CANARA
AND FOR OVER 20 YEARS
EDITOR OF THE WESTERN STAR
WHO DIED AT COCHIN
ON THE 6TH MARCH 1886
IN THE 41ST YEAR OF HIS AGE

TO COMMEMORATE HIS NAME AND THE
AFFECTION IT UNFAILINGLY INSPIRED THIS
TABLET IS ERECTED BY HIS WIDOW 

REQUIESCAT IN PACE

IN MAY FATHERS HOUSE ARE MANY MANSIONS
IF IT WERE NOT SO I WOULD HAVE TOLD YOU
FOR I GO TO PREPARE A PLACE FOR YOU

19) Bastels (Bartels), Johann (d. 04/1886)

HERE LIES IN GOD
SHIP CAPT. JOHN BARTELS
OF ELSFLED
COMMANDER OF THE BARQUE ARCO
DIED IN COCHIN 4TH APRIL 1886
AGED 50 YEARS
MAY HE REST IN PEACE

20) Winckler, David Theobald Strauss (d. 01/1887)

IN LOVING MEMORY
OF
DAVID THEOBOLD
STRAUSS
SON OF
JOSEPH & ELIZA
WINCKLER
BORN 18 FEBRY 188(1)
DIED 29 JANRY 18(87)
JESUS WILL FIND
HIM
 

21) Newell, Robert (d. 04/1889)

IN MEMORY OF
ROBERT NEWELL
SEAMAN OF SHIP LOCH ETIVE
DIED 24TH APRIL 1889

ERECTED BY OFFICERS & CREW

22) Klein, Wilhelm (d. 12/1889)

SACRED
TO THE MEMORY OF
WILHELM KLEIN
OF BASEL SWITZERLAND
AGENT FOR MESSrs. VOLKARTS BROS
COCHIN
CAPTAIN OF THE MALABAR
VOLUNTEER RIFLE CORPS
BORN 2nd JUNE 1853
DIED AT COCHIN 2nd DECEMBER 188(9)

RUHE IM FRIEDEN

23) Sparrow, Isabel (d. 09/1890)

IN MEMORY OF
ISABEL
THE BELOVED WIFE OF
CONRAD BRYANT SPARROW
OF PLYMOUTH DEVON
BORN JANUARY 22ND 1847
DIED SEPTEMBER 6TH 1890

24) Black, Harold Neil (d. 06/1891)

HAROLD NEILL
HE EVER DEAPLY LOVED SON OF
ERNEST & AMY BLACK
WHO FELL ASLEEP 6TH JUNE 1891
AGED 1 YEAR & 5 MONTHS

"IF THOU SHOULD'ST CALL ME TO RESIGN,
WHAT MOST I PRIZE IT NE'ER WAS MINE
I ONLY YIELD THEE WHAT IS THINE
THY WILL BE DONE."

25) Sealy, Alfred Forbes (d. 10/1894)

Epitaph

IN LOVING MEMORY

ALFRED FORBES SEALY
BORN OCT. 25TH 1831
DIED OCT. 28TH 1894

THE NIGHT IS FAR SPENT
THE DAY IS AT HAND
BE YE ALSO READY

SLEEP TILL THE END. TRUE SOUL AND SWEET 

Tablet in St Francis Church

To the Memory of
THE REV. ALFRED FORBES SEALY M. A.
OF CAIUS COLLEGE CAMBRIDGE
LATE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTIONS
IN THE COCHIN STATE
AND PRINCIPAL OF ERNAKULAM COLLEGE
FOR 25 YEARS HE WAS A ZEALOUS LAY TRUSTEE
& FINALLY THE BELOVED MINISTER OF THIS CHURCH
ENDEARED TO ALL CLASSES OF SOCIETY BY HIS
LOVING SYMPATHY HE FELL ON SLEEP SUDDENLY
ON THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF HIS ORDINATION
SUNDAY 28TH OCTOBER 1894 AGED 63 YEARS

26) Stubner (Stuber), Christian Frederick (d. 12/1894)

IN LOVING MEMORY
CHRISTIAN STUBER
BORN 17TH FEBRUARY 1809
DIED 24TH DECEMBER 1894

I CAME TO JESUS AS I WAS,
WEARY AND WORN AND SAD
I FOUND IN HIM A RESTING PLACE
AND HE HAS MADE ME GLAD

27) Pemberton, Muriel Rita (d. 03/1895)

IN LOVING MEMORY OF
MURIEL RITA
DAUGHTER OF

SURGEON MAJOR R PEMBERTON
AND MABEL HIS WIFE
BORN 30TH AUGUST 1893
DIED 7TH MARCH 1895

AND JESUS CALLED A LITTLE CHILD UNTO HIM

28) Grigg, Henry Bidewell (d. 04/1895)

Epitaph

TO
the dear Memory of
HENRY BIDEWELL GRIGG

PRESIDENT IN TRAVANCORE AND COCHIN
BORN AT THEBERTON SUFFOLK
JUNE 17TH 1841
DIED AT BOLGHOTTY COCHIN
APRIL 5TH 1895

BLESSED ARE THE PURE IN HEART, FOR THEY SHALL SEE THE GOD
ST MATTHEW v. s.

Tablet in St Francis Church

TO THE GLORY OF GOD
AND
TO THE DEAR MEMORY OF
HENRY BIDEWELL GRIGG
C. I. E., M. A. OXON.
MADRAS CIVIL SERVICE
RESIDENT IN TRAVANCORE
AND COCHIN,
AND FOR TWELVE YEARS
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION
IN THE MADRAS PRESIDENCY
BORN AT THEBERTON, SUFFOLK
JUNE 17TH 1841
DIED AT BOLGHOTTY, COCHIN
APRIL 5TH 1895
 

29) Tanke (Tauxe), Louise Marie (d. 04/1895)

LOUISE MARIE TAUXE
DIED 18TH APRIL 1895

30) Brooks, Maria Louisa Elizabeth (d. 04/1896)

TO THE MEMORY
OF
MARIA LOUISA ELIZABETH BROOKS
DIED 16TH APRIL 1896
AGED 75

HE GIVETH UNTO HIS BELOVED PEACE

31 and 32) Vernede, Charles W E (d. 12/1896) & Vernede, Pauline Jane (d. 01/1897)

IN
LOVING MEMORY OF
PAULINE J VERNEDE
BORN 8TH MAY 1821
DIED 6TH JANUARY 189(7)
AND OF
CHARLES W E VERNEDE
NEPHEW OF THE ABOVE
BORN 13TH OCTOBER 187(3)
DIED 2(4)TH DECEMBER 1896

33) Weetman, Thomas Harrison (d. 08/1897)

IN LOVING MEMORY OF
THOMAS HARRISON WETMAN
LATE OF ATHERSTONE, ENGLAND
BORN OCTOBER 10TH 1874. DIED AUGUST 25TH 1897
"WITH CHRIST WHICH IS FAR BETTER"

34) Sparrow, Conrad Cecil Brunton (11/1901)

IN
MEMORY OF
CONRAD CECIL BRUNTON SPARROW
BORN 29TH DECEMBER 1870
DIED 17TH NOVEMBER 1901

35) Baby daughter of William Burns Wilson (d. 08/1904 or 1902)

BABY
INFANT DAUGHTER OF
LOTTIE AND WILLIAM BURNS WILSON
14TH AUGUST 1902

SUFFER THE LITTLE CHILDREN
TO COME UNTO ME

II) Graves not in the Veli Inventory, but identified in the cemetery (31 nos)

No.	Name	Date of death	Age
1	Mathew John Williamson	04/1885	60
2	George Fernandez	12/1894	70
3	C B Sparrow	01/1906	50
4	Ralph B Sparrow	02/1906	24
5	Maria Victoria	08/1906	60
6	Duncan Mearns Cruickshank	06/1908	65
7	Esther Rebecca Levi Kregel	07/1908	80
8	Welhelmina Elizabeth	12/1908	24/8/22
9	Victor North Upton	12/1909	22
10	Samuel Archbald Locke	02/1912	60
11	William Burns Wilson	09/1918	42
12	Charles William Hadwen	01/1922	25
13	Maria Louisa	07/1922	76
14	Jerome Grindstafe	07/1923	46
15	Albert Cecil Morrel	08/1923	43
16	Hal Harrison Jones	11/1923	40?
17	R. Horn (Capt.)	10/1928	49
18	Frank MacDougall	10/1928	23
19	Edmund Francis Fernandez	09/1931	56
20	Alexander Farringdon Campbell	01/1932
21	Norman Cranston Bell	09/1934	19
22	Florence Fernandez	10/1934	49
23	Schier, C A	06/1935	31
24	John Frederick Repington Collis	12/1938	22
25	Geoffrey Edmund Hutton	1938?
26	Eric Kappeler	02/1942	14?
27	Derrick Edmond Fernandez	02/1942	19
28	Walter Victor Smith (Capt.)	05/1942	42
29	J J Riddoch	10/1950	21
30	Robert Chalmers Krerhe-(?)	07/1955	25
31	Hamish Watt MacKinlay	05/1964	40

 

EPITAPHS

1 and 5) MATTHEW JOHN WILLIAMSON & MARY VICTORIA
SACRED
TO THE MEMORY OF MATTHEW JOHN WILLIAMSON
BORN 11TH AUG 1824
DIED 18TH APRIL 1885
MARY VICTORIA
RELICT OF ABOVE
BORN 17TH NOVE 1845
DIED 9TH AUG 1906
WE LOVED THEM, UES NO TONGUE CAN TELL
HOW DEEP HOW DEARLY AND HOW WELL
GOD LOVED THEM TOO. HE THOUGHT IT BEST
TO TAKE THEM HOME FROM PAIN TO REST
ERECTED BY THEIR SORROWING CHILDREN

2 and 13) GEORGE FERNANDEZ & MARIA LOUISA
GEORGE FERNANDEZ
BORN 16TH AUGUST 1824
FELL ASLEEP 17TH DECEMBER 1894
AND HIS RELICT
MARIA LOUISA
BORN 10TH OCTOBER 1845
FELL ASLEEP 17TH JULY 1922
"I CAME TO JESUS AS I WAS
WEARY, AND WORN AND SAD
I FOUND IN HIM A RESTING PLACE
AND HE HAS MADE ME GLAD
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN

3) RALPH B. SPARROW
IN
LOVING MEMORY OF
RALPH B. SPARROW,
BORN 5TH FEBRUARY 1876
DIED 6TH FEBRUARY 1906
What I do thou knowest not now,
but thou shall know hereafter
St John 15:6

4) C. B. SPARROW
IN
LOVING MEMORY OF
C. B. SPARROW,
BORN 13TH FEBRUARY 1876
DIED 8TH JANUARY 1906
Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord

6) DUNCAN MEARNS CRUICKSHANK
DUNCAN MEARNS CRUICKSHANK
WHO FELL ASLEEP AT ERNAKULAM
ON SUNDAY 28TH JUNE 1908
AGE 65 YEARS
OH WE MISS HIM AND HOW SADLY
OUR BLEEDING HEART ALONE CAN TELL
EARTH HAS LOST HIM. HEAVEN HAS WON HIM
JESUS HATH DONE ALL THINGS WELL
NOT LOST BUT GONE BEFORE

7) ESTHER REBECCA LEVI KREGEL
To The
MEMORY OF
ESTHER REBECCA LEVI KREGEL
BORN 5TH FEBRUARY 1828
DIED 6TH JULY 1908
R. I. P

8) WILHELMINA ELIZABETH
In Loving Memory of
WILHELMINA ELIZABETH
THE DEARLY BELOVED WIFE OF
CHRISTIE PEDRO
AND
DAUGHTER OF JOHN & JULIA D'CRUZ
WHO FELL ASLEEP IN JESUS
ON 10TH DECR: 1908
AGED 24 YEARS 8 MONTHS & 22 DAYS
gone but not forgotten

9) VICTOR NORTH UPTON
THIS STONE
IS ERECTED
BY FRIENDS
IN MEMORY
OF
VICTOR NORTH UPTON
BORN JAN 23RD 1887
DIED DEC 26TH 1909
OUR LIFE IS BUT A FADING DAWN
ITS GLORIOUS NOON HOW QUICKLY PAST
LEAD US O CHRIST WHEN ALL IS GONE
SAFE HOME AT LAST

EPITAPHS

10) SAMUEL ARCHBALD LOCKE
SAMUEL ARCHBALD LOCKE
BARRISTER-AT-LAW
BORN 12TH OCTOBER 1851
DIED 26TH FEBRUARY 1912
FOR 30 YEARS JUDGE OF THE
CHIEF COURT IN COCHIN STATE AND
FOR 25 YEARS CONNECTED WITH
THE MUNICIPALITY IN BRITISH COCHIN

TABLET-St Francis Church
IN AFFECTIONATE MEMORY OF
SAMUEL ARCHBALD LOCKE
BARRISTER-AT-LAW
BORN OCTOBER 12TH 1851
DIED FEBRUARY 26TH 1912
FOR 30 YEARS JUDGE OF THE CHIEF COURT IN COCHIN STATE
25 YEARS CONNECTED WITH THE MUNICIPALITY IN BRITISH COCHIN
FOR MANY YEARS A ZEALOUS WORKER AND LAY TRUSTEE OF THIS CHURCH
BELOVED BY ALL WHO KNEW HIM
THIS MEMORIAL IS ERECTED BY HIS FRIENDS

11) WILLIAM BURNS WILSON
WILLIAM BURNS WILSON
BORN JUNE 14TH 1876
DIED SEPTEMBER 19TH 1918
IN LOVING MEMORY OF
WILLIAM BURNS WILSON
BELOVED HUSBAND OF LOTTIE WILSON
AND MANAGER OF
MESSRS SHAW WALLACE & CO COCHIN

12) CHARLES WILLIAM HADWEN
IN LOVING MEMORY OF
CHARLES WILLIAM HADWEN
OF YATELEY HAMPSHIRE
LATE 4TH ARCYLL & SUTHERLAND HIGHLANDERS
BORN JULY 9TH 1896. DIED JANUARY 30TH 1922
REST IN THE LORD

14) JEROME GRINDSTAFE
IN LOVING MEMORY
OF
MY BELOVED HUSBAND
JEROME GRINDSTAFE
BORN IN TENNESSEE, U. S. A. 16TH OCT, 1876
DIED IN ERNAKULAM 27TH JULY 1923
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN

15) ALBERT CECIL MORRELL
In Loving Memory
of
ALBERT CECIL MORRELL
WHO DIED AUG. 7TH 1923
AGED 43 YEARS
DEARLY LOVED BY ALL HIS BROTHERS & SISTER
"IN LIFE IN DEATH O LORD ABIDE WITH ME"

16) HAL HARRISON JONES
IN LOVING MEMORY
OF
HAL HARRISON JONES
DEARLY BELOVED HUSBAND
OF
CLAIRE PAULINE
BORN 9TH MARCH 18(83)
CALLED HOME
13TH NOVEMBER 1923
GOD IS LOVE

TABLET-St Francis Church
THE CLOCK ON THIS CHURCH WAS ERECTED
BY HIS MANY FRIENDS IN MALABAR
TO THE MEMORY OF HAL HARRISON JONES
MANAGING DIRECTOR OF ASPINWALL & Co Ltd
WHO DIED AT COCHIN ON 13TH NOVEMBER 1923

EPITAPHS

17) R. HORN
CAPTAIN R. HORN
DIED OCTOBER 14TH 1928
AGED 49 YEARS
THY WILL BE DONE

18) FRANK MACDOUGALL
IN MEMORY OF
FRANK MACDOUGALL
APPRENTICE "CLAN MURDOCH"
BORN STRATHPEFFER SCOTLAND. MARCH 13TH  1905
DIED COCHIN OCTOBER 27TH 1923
MY SUNSHINE

19) EDMUND FRANCIS FERNANDEZ
peace perfect peace
IN LOVING MEMORY
OF
MY BELOVED HUSBAND
EDMUND FRANCIS FERNANDEZ
BORN 18TH FEBRUARY 1875
FELL ASLEEP 23RD SEPTEMBER 1931
I CAME TO JESUS AS I WAS
WEAR, AND WORN, AND SAD
I FOUND IN HIM A RESTING PLACE
AND HE HAS MADE ME GLAD
ERECTED BY HIS SORROWING WIFE

20) ALEXANDER FARRINGDON CAMPBELL
IN LOVING MEMORY
OF
ALEXANDER FARRINGDON CAMPBELL
WHO PASSED AWAY
JANUARY 27TH 1932
REST IN PEACE

21) NORMAN CRANSTON BELL
IN LOVING MEMORY
OF
NORMAN CRANSTON BELL
THE BELOVED SON OF
NORMAN AND MARY BELL
OF COMBHILL FARM HALTWHISTLE
NORTHUMBERLAND, ENGLAND
WHO DIED ON THE 8TH SEP 1934 AGED 19
ON THE S S CLAN MAGNELL

OUT OF THE STRESS OF THE DOING
INTO THE PEACE OF THE DONE

22) FLORENCE FERNANDEZ
IN LOVING MEMORY
OF
FLORENCE FERNANDEZ
BORN 2ND DECEMBER 1884
FELL ASLEEP 5TH OCTOBER 1934
OH WE MISS HER AND HOW SADLY,
NONE BUT ACHING HEARTS CAN TELL
WE HAVE LOST HER, HEAVEN HAS FOUND HER
JESUS DOETH ALL THINGS WELL
ERECTED BY HER LOVING SISTER

23) C. A. SCHIER
HIER RUHT (Here rests)
C. A. SCHIER
OFFZ. D. LIEBENFELS
+14-10-1903 (born)
W. RHAUDERFEHN
+29-3-1935 (died)
RUHE SANFT (Rest gently)

24) JOHN FREDERICK REPINGTON COLLIS
IN HONOURED MEMORY
OF
JOHN FREDERICK REPINGTON COLLIS
SUB LIEUTENANT (A.) ROYAL NAVY
H. M. S. MANCHESTER
BORN AT (TEIGN)NMOUTH
DEVON ENGLAND
KILLED WHILE FLYING AT COCHIN
DECEMBER 23 1938
AGED 22 YEARS

25) GEOFFREY EDMUND HUTTON
IN MEMORY OF
GEOFFREY EDMUND HUTTON
--(38?)

26) ERIC KAPPELER
ERIC KAPPELER
8TH FEBRUARY 1942
14 YEARS

27) DERRICK EDMOND FERNANDEZ
TO THE MEMORY OF
PTE (PRIVATE)- DERRICK EDMOND FERNANDEZ
NILGIRI MALABAR BATTALION
WHO LOST HIS LIFE AT SEA WHILST
ON MILITARY DUTY 12TH FEBRUARY 1942
AGED 19 YEARS
HE DIED IN THE SERVICE OF HIS KING AND
COUNTRY. THE LORD HATH NEED OF HIM
THIS STONE WAS ERECTED BY
HIS MANY FRIENDS IN THE ARMY

28) WALTER VICTOR SMITH
CAPT WALTER VICTOR SMITH
OF S S LULWORTH HILL
BORN 14-11-1890 LAID TO REST 11-5-1942
CHERISHED HUSBAND OF ETHEL
AND DARLING DADDY OF BILLY
BARRY SOUTH WALES ENGLAND
LOVE KNOWETH NO END, PEACE

29) J. J. RIDDOCH
IN LOVING MEMORY OF
RADIO OFFICER J. J. RIDDOCH
ONLY SON OF MR. & MRS. J.
RIDDOCH, DUFFTOWN
SCOTLAND DIED AT COCHIN
25TH OCTOBER 1950
AGED 21 YEARS

30) ROBERT CHALMERS
IN LOVING MEMORY OF OUR BELOVED SON
ROBERT CHALMERS (KBERHE)-
BORN STENHOUSEMUIR 31-12-1929
DIED COCHIN 13-7-1955
IN THE SERVICE OF
THE CHARTERED BANK

31) HAMISH WATT MACKINLAY
In
Loving Memory of
HAMISH WATT MACKINLAY
EDINBURGH SCOTLAND
CHIEF OFFICER MERCHANT NAVY
DIED 3RD MAY 1964
AGED 40 YEARS

The last European burial identified in the cemetery-Hamish Watt MacKinlay (d. 1964)

Tablet in St Francis Church, Fort Kochi for John Repington Collis, d. 1938 (See Epitaph-24 in the 'List of Graves outside Veli inventory').

III) Unidentified graves in the Veli Cemetery. 

There are around 21 structures of old masonry which cannot be identified due to the lack of an epitaph or damaged inscriptions. Out of the 58 gravestones listed in the Veli inventory, 23 are yet to be traced, so many of the unidentified tombs may fit in this category, Unfortunately, they will remain anonymous due to the absence of inscriptions.

The need to conserve the existing epitaphs should be of prime importance, otherwise, permanent and irrecoverable loss of these surviving precious heritage of Cochin is not very far. If proper measures are not taken, it's only a matter of time before they are all gone.

REFERENCES

Roberts, John Cantwell and Chekkutty, N P (2017)-Malabar II: Christian Memorials Wynad to Travancore 1498-2014
Venn, T W (1947)-St Francis Church Cochin-Rotated
Venn, T W (1950)-Cochin Malabar Palms and Pageants

STATISTICS-VELI CEMETERY (European Monuments)

Total number of burials - 87

Number of identified epitaphs- 63 (this include 66 burials)

Number of unidentified graves- 21

Number of Memorial Tablets in St Francis Church- 5

Number of photographs uploaded- 114

(All photographs uploaded in this post were taken on June, 2023).