On 17 October 2017, we were joined by Tom Addyman, a partner of Simpson and Brown architects since 1998. Tom heads up the Archaeology Division of the firm and, over the years, has been involved in a number of excavations at home and abroad, including the Scottish cemetery in Kolkata where he was member of a team assembled under the auspices of the Kolkata Scottish Heritage Trust.
The Scottish cemetery, which was established in 1820, is associated with the nearby St Andrews Church. Its graves and memorials provide an historical snap shot of the many Scots living and working in Kolkata during the 19th and 20th centuries. Many graves were constructed and designed by Scottish sculptors. By 2008, however, when the team began conservation work, the cemetery had become extremely overgrown.
Tom presented a fascinating overview of his archaeological involvement and the formidable practical challenges which he and other members of the team faced.
University of Edinburgh Diaspora Studies Graduate Workshop 