Armenian Graves in Bushire

C H A T E R
Researching Armenian Family History in India
1600 - 1950

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Armenian Graves in Bushire

Some graves and inscriptions at Armenian Church and Cemetery of St. George's, Bushire.

All photographs taken by Abdol Rasool Shadman and reproduced here with permission.
Photographs are copyright of Abdol Rasool Shadman. His full portfolio of photographs
can be found on www.panoramio.com


Research at the British Library in London indicates that this is St. George's Armenian Church, Bushire. The late Sir Denis Wright, former President of the British Institute of Persian Studies wrote a short paper in 1998: "Burials and Memorials of the British in Persia" he following this up in 1998 and 2000 respectively with additional notes and photographs to that paper. With meticulous detail in his own work I am confidently able to identify exactly the same graves from his photographs to some of those listed below.
The graves and inscriptions noted by Sir Denis St. George's Armenian Church are as follows:
John Arnott. Late Chief Engineer	[Photo] W.J. Bird of Sunderland, d.14.10.1890 at Borazjan in the service of the Persian Mining Corporation.	Matthew Coates of Belfast, d.9.8.1871, aged 35, at sea of apoplexy. Commander of S.S. Mula.	Newcombe J.C. Edwards, d.10.11.1893, aged 42.
John Ferguson of Greenock, d. 29.2.1869, aged 36. Chief Engineer, British India Steam Navigation Co.	[Photo] Victoria Goolzad, d.4.3.1916 aged 77.	Charles Arthur Grant, d.24.9.1877, aged 7 months. Son of Major Charles Grant, officiating Political Resident.	Joseph Gregory, d.17.4.1894.
Varkom Gregory, d.22.7.1894 aged 43.	[Photo] Caroline Hayward, d.19.10.1905, aged 64. Widow of Dr. William Hayward.	[Photo] A.M.J. Lucas, d.12.6.1906, aged 58.	[Photo] Ripsima Lucas, d.13.8.1898, aged 44. Wife of A.M.J. Lucas.
Lt. John MacLeod, d.11.9.1823, aged 29 East India Co., Resident.	Mesail S. Malcolm, d.17.7.1877, aged 32.	[Photo] Sarah Malcolm, d.29.11.1902.	Elizabeth Malcolm, born Bushire, d.27.2.1909, aged 74, relict of Arratoon Malcolm*
Seth Simon Nahapiet, d.21.5.1878, aged 8 months.	Mary Frances Prideaux, d.1.8.1877, aged 33. Wife of Lt. Col. W.F. Prideaux, Political Resident.	[Photo] George F. Simpson of Charmouth, Dorset, d. 11.8.1898, aged 40 on board SS Kilna at Bushire.	Lt. W.B. Warren and M.C. Utterson of the XXth. Regiment Bombay N.I., died of wounds received at the storming of Fort of Bushire 9.12.1856.
[Photo] Haick Goolzad, b.25.4.1875 d.6.3.1941	Tigran J. Malcolm b.1.3.1843 3.4.5.1920	[Photo] Commandant A. Th. Sterzel, b.25.6.1851 at Bautzen, Saxony, d.16.9.1896

*The Malcolm's (originally Malkomian) and the Goolzad's were Armenian families of Bushire long associated with the E.I.C. Naturalised British subjects or protected persons. See Wright: "The Persians Amongst the British" (London 1985) pp.145-6.

It should be remembered that these important graves of the Malcolm, Lucas and Goolzad families all had descendants who ended up migrating to India, which is why these are significant finds for anyone interested in their Indian Armenian genealogy.

Below: The Church and graves as they are today. Some graves with the above inscriptions are missing.
[click on the thumbnail, larger images will open]

St. George's Church, Bushire	The Altar
The Interior	According to Sir Denis Wright: "both the church and adjoining cemetery were badly damaged during the Iran-Iraq War of the 1980s." Comparing Sir Denis's photographs (due to copyright, I am not able to include them) and these newer ones, it can be clearly seen that the church is undergoing some repair work.

In loving memory of my dear husband George Frederick Simpson. Born 9th September 1858 at Charmouth, Dorsetshire. Died 11th August 1898 on board the S.S. Rilna at Bushire. "Where I am there shall also my servant be." "Christ will gather in His own to the place where He is gone, where their heart and treasure lie, where our life is hid on high."	According to Sir Denis Wright: "Commandant Sterzel was captain of the 600 ton 'Persepolis,' the Persian Navy's very first steamship, built at Bremerhaven in 1884; when Curzon inspected her at Lingeh in 1889 she had a crew of forty Persian and Arabs and four German officers."
Sarah Malcolm returned to the -------on the 20th November 1902 in the summer of her days. Deeply regretted. Proverbs ---------- True and righteous are Thy judgments Lord God Almighty, and into Thy hands I commit my soul, with the day break and the shadows flee, with Thee is the fountain of life and in Thy light we shall see light. Stone: A. Reginald & Co., Bombay.	In loving memory of Arsham J. Malcolm. Born 31st October 1839. Died 20th June 1906. Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord for they shall rest from their labours. [Sarah Malcolm and Arsham Malcolm were husband and wife.]
In loving memory of Mackertich Goolzad who departed this life 18th May 1915. He that believeth in Me thou he be dead yet shall he live.	Sacred to the memory of Haick Goolzad. Born 25 April 1875. Died 6 March 1941.
Sacred to the memory of A.M.J. Lucas. Born 11th March 1848. Died 12th August 1903. Blessed are those that die in the Lord for they shall rest from their labours. R.I.P. [his wife's grave here].	Unreadable grave.
General view of the cemetery.
	Sacred to the memory of Regina Hayward. Born 8th October 1858. Died __ December 1896. Thy Will Be Done.	Sacred to the memory of R.B. Pipon R.N. Commader H.M.S. Ranger. Died 29 July 1881, aged 35 years.
Caroline Hayward. Widow of Dr. William Hayward. Born 5th June 1841. Died 19th October 1905. Peace Perfect Peace.	Father in Thy gracious keeping leave we now Thy servant sleeping.
To the memory of John Floyd Esqr., of Londonderry in Ireland formerly a surgeon in the service of the Honorable East India company who departed this life in Shiraz XXIV of July MDCCCXLV. Aged XXX.	Unreadable grave.
this is the tombstone of YEUAPIRIT,(Aphrodite?) daughter of Mariam and Abraham Karapet, who was 8 months and one day old when she was transferred to the Lord on the 27th of August 1843. Between the words Mariam and Abraham there appears to be the phrase " in memory of". Not quite sure if this tombstone is also in memory of Abraham Karapet?*	In loving memory of Naima Dunha. born 22nd August 1894. Died 12th August 1895.
Erected by the officers of the ship in token of their esteem. [It is not known which ship this refers to].	To the memory of W.J. Bird M.E., of Sunderland. Died at Borasjoon 14th Oct. 1890 while in the service of the Persian Mining Corporation.
In loving memory of Ripsima the beloved wife of A.M.J. Lucas. Born 28th October 1853 died 13th August 1898. The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord. [Her husband's grave here].	THIS IS THE ARK (TOMBSTONE) IN MEMORY OF HOVSEP H MELKUMIAN BORN IN BUSHIRE ON THE 20 TH. JUNE 188? AND DIED IN BANGALORE ON THE 28 TH. JUNE 1919 BLESSED IS THE WILL OF THE LORD*
In loving memory of Victoria Goolzad. Born 6th December 1839. Died 4th March 1916. Am the door by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved. [Armenian text]. R.I.P.	Tigran J. Malcolm. Born 1 March 1843. Died May 4 1920. Note on photograph: Photograph acknowledgement: Miss Joan Masters originally took this picture in February 2000. Subsequently it was used by Sir Denis Wright in his third article 'Burials and memorials in Persia: Further Notes and Photographs'.

* Grave kindly translated by my Facebook friends, Mario Stepanian and Ruzan Nvart

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