St. Patrick's Cemetery - Chennai

Perhaps everyone in Chennai city knows the Central Railway Station. Almost 50% of the population would have visited or heard about the Body Guard Muneeswaran temple, 1.5 km from the Railway Station. Less than 5% of people who visit this roadside temple would have taken the pain to enter the historic St. Mary's Cemetery next door. Even those brave hearts completely ignore the Roman Catholic St. Patrick's Cemetery that is located next. There are graves of a few prominent people of Madras found here. Sadly, no one has recorded or written about this so far.

It is said that there was Presbyterian Cemetery located near St. Mary's Cemetery. I believe the lost cemetery was found at the same site where St. Patrick's Cemetery is now. There are a few graves dating 1800s and the early 1900s. They all belong to the original Presbyterian Cemetery, I presume. The modern-day graves dating 1980s and 1990s are found in large numbers. They outnumber the historic burials. The church, the idol of Jesus, atop a tall pillar and the open platform for prayer are all modern-day structures.

Diwan Bahadur Louis Dominic Swaminathan, the first elected President of the Madras Legislative Council, was laid out in this graveyard. He died on 10th September 1925 CE.

The grave of Amelia Marcaret is a notable one. It has a tall memory stone and a statue atop it. She died on 26th April 1890 CE.

Similarly, another one has a tall statue and memory stone. Edward John died on 5th June 1893, and his mother Margaret, who died on 8th September 1905, was buried here.

There is a single grave where three from the same family were buried. Clementina Theresa, the daughter, died on 6th January 1876 CE. Charlotte Elen, the mother, died on 5th December 1890. Sir Basil Lovery, the father, died on 30th December 1897.

Some of the old graves that are found here:

1) Dr. D. P. B. Batnam from Ceylon

2) John Hussam, Died on 16th June 1908, Aged 76 years

3) Henry Francis Adrien, Died on 10th October 1867. (He was the son of Major John Holroyd Doveton. This John Doveton was different from John Doveton of Doveton House and John Doveton of Doveton Corrie Schools)

4) Sophia Theresa - Died on 18th June 1898

5) Johanna, Wife of Conductor Thomas Baker - Died on 1st June 1883, Aged 25 years

6) Thomas Delany - Died on 26th July 1887 - Aged 65 years

7) John Peter Rodriguez - Died on 20th February 1906

8) Thomas William - Died on 7th August 1883 - Aged 7 months

9) Alfred Francis Elliot - Died on 13th March 1893

10) Catherine Vieyra - Died on 27th October 1907

Happy travelling.