J A Shurman ~ Time line
Death of J A Shurman
1 October 1852, 12:15am, India
For Shurman's death because of acute dysentery, see letters by Rev. William Buyers, Benares and Rev. R. C. Mather, of Mirzapore to Board of Directors LMS, 2 October 1852.[ 1 ] Jan Schürmann, a great-great nephew of Schürmann missionary brothers still living near the old farmstead in Germany, found the grave of John Adam Shurman in 2008 with the help of an Indian friend and colleague. JAS is buried on the St Mary's Cemetery in the old city centre (Cantonment) of Benares/Vanaris (see Google map below). Shurman is buried there beside his one-year old daughter Juliana, who had already passed away in 1835.[ 2 ]
The Benares cantonment, established in 1811, is one of over two hundred settlements the Portuguese, Dutch, British and French built throughout pre-Independence India. While places like Bangalore, Madras and Kanpur have become large and important cities, many of the settlements and stations they built were near towns or in remote areas that have seen little growth over the centuries. But regardless of the size or importance of the station; whether it was manned by a few thousand or a half a dozen, each had its oft-used burial ground filled with the graves of those who died within "two monsoons" or a few years after their arrival, or birth in India."[ 3 ]
St. Mary's Church- Cantt.
This Church is located near JHV mall in Cantt. area of Varanasi, U.P. St. Mary's Church, the 200 year old church, is locally known as 'Church of England' (Englishia Church). It is the oldest church in the city & oldest standing garrison church in South Asia. It has a glorious history and a rich heritage. Queen Elizabeth II of England visited the church in 1960. Annie Besant also visited the church before she became an atheist.
St. Mary's church was established by Rev George Weatly, an English Officer, in 1810. It was a garrison church used as a place of worship by British Army and other members of European Community at that time. Presently the church is in bad shape and has not been used for offering prayers for over two decades now. However this state of affairs would soon change. The Indian National Trust for Art, Culture & Heritage (INTACH) has taken over the charge of restoration & will initiate the work of restoration soon.[ 4 ]
The Kennedy Road (commemorating the LMS missionary, Rev James Kennedy) near the St Mary's cmetery is indicative of the proximity of the former LMS Mission Station in the area.[ 5 ] -- In her blog, Iris sans frontières, Iris Kapil writes about Benares/Vanaris in more recent times and describes the St Mary's Church, its cemetery and surroundings here and here (with images and maps).
Google Map
Footnotes:
- Evangelical Magazine and Missionary Chronicle, Volume 30 - New Series, December 1852. London: Ward & Co.. Page: 739. [Google Books]; also the message here, with a wrong date (30.9.1852): Urban, Sylvanus. 1853. The Gentlemen's Magazine, New Series, Vol. 193 January - June 1853. London. Page 327 (Clergy Deceased). [Google Books]. [ ▲ ]
- Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung Online, 31.3.2008. In German. [ ▲ ]
- Ali Jan, The old English Cemeteries in Murree, Pakistan (formerly British India before 1947), Website, 2005 [ ▲ ]
- Easter Uttar Pradesh Tourism [ ▲ ]
- Iris sans frontiers [ ▲ ]
For reference:
Administrator. J A Shurman ~ Time line :: 1 October 1852 - Death of JAS, in: Pirltawardli Research Website. Adelaide 2024.
(Created: 06.02.2015. Last updated: 19.02.2015.)
Direct URL: <grweb.org/cpo-pirltawardli/en/detail.php?nr=1110&rubric=34>. Viewed 19.05.2024.
(Created: 06.02.2015. Last updated: 19.02.2015.)
Direct URL: <grweb.org/cpo-pirltawardli/en/detail.php?nr=1110&rubric=34>. Viewed 19.05.2024.
