St Stephen's Church,
Church of South India,
Formerly Anglican Church,
Ootacamund (Ooty),
State of Tamil Nadu,
India


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St Stephen's Church, Ooty

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View our slide show of 71 photos.

St Stephen's Church was open and in use when we visited it in June 2007. We met the man responsible for polishing all the brass plaques which were in beautiful condition.
We photographed the monuments on the interior walls of the church but did not visit the cemetery. Below is an index to the names referred to on these church monuments. By searching the names in the above search box, a photograph of the monument, its transcription and notes on the individuals can be seen.

THE INDEX TO THE MONUMENTS IN ST STEPHEN'S CHURCH.

To see photos and transcriptions of the monuments, enter the name in the above search box.

Allfrey, E.M. Lieut. 60th King's Royal Rifle Corp died 1923.
Armytage, Edward, Lieutenant, 6th Light Cavalry, died 1830.

Barnard, N.A.S., WWI Memorial (1914 - 1919).
Barton, David William, 1930. Goschen Memorial in St Mary's chapel.
Barton, Margaret Vidal, 1930. Goschen Memorial in St Mary's chapel.
Bliss, Charles Ernest, died 1895. Father Hy Wm Bliss.
Browne, G.B., WWI Memorial (1914 - 1919).
Bush, C., WWI Memorial (1914 - 1919).
Bwye, Jane., 1930. Goschen Memorial in St Mary's chapel.
Byng, Clara Frances, died 1898, husband John.

Carson Parker, G.R.R., WWI Memorial (1914 - 1919).
Chalmers, H.H., WWI Memorial (1914 - 1919).
Church, G.W., WWI Memorial (1914 - 1919).
Cook, J.E.H., WWI Memorial (1914 - 1919).
Copeland, Frederick. 1930. Goschen Memorial in St Mary's chapel.
Cree, A.V., WWI Memorial (1914 - 1919).
Curtois, Atwell., Colonel Madras Army.

Davison, Henry, Sir, Chief Justice of Madras, died 1860.
Dawson, Henry Royal, died 1874.
Doder, Esther Mary Dound, died 1899.

Etienne, Virginie died 1861, husband Julien.

Flanagan, Annie, died 1936.
Fraser, P.P., WWI Memorial (1914 - 1919).
Freeman-Thomas, Baron Willingdon 1923.

Gall, Bobbie 1930 stained glass window.
Garrett, W.C., WWI Memorial (1914 - 1919).
Gilbert, C.C., WWI Memorial (1914 - 1919).
Goschen, George Viscount 1930 Goschen Memorial in St Mary's chapel.
Goschen, Evelyn Viscountess 1930 Goschen Memorial in St Mary's chapel.
Goschen, George 1930. Goschen Memorial in St Mary's chapel.
Graham, J.A., WWI Memorial (1914 - 1919).
Grigg, Henry Bidelwell died 1895.
Gudgeon, E.R., WWI Memorial (1914 - 1919).

Hallett, Annie. died 1857, husband Wyndham Hughes Hallett.
Hammick, E.L., WWI Memorial (1914 - 1919).
Havelock, Caroline Eliz died 1866, husband Wm.
Havelock, Acton, Arthur, Caroline, Ethel & Charles, children of Caroline& Wm.
Havelock, Sir Arthur Elibank. Died 25 June 1908.
Havelock, William. Lt Colonel. Died 22 November 1848.
Henderson, J.Y.M., WWI Memorial (1914 - 1919).
Heseltine, Godfrey, Major, The Carabiniers. died 1932.
Higgins, Thos, Joseph, Geo, Ellen and Alexander 1893.
Higgins, Wm & Ann 1893, stained glass window.
Hoder, Esther Maud Brurn, died 1899. Parents Christian & Mary.
Houstoun, William Adam, Cornet 4th Light Calvalry 1846.

James, A.I., WWI Memorial (1914 - 1919).
Jameison, J.H.S., WWI Memorial (1914 - 1919).
Johnson, W., Sculpture 1830.

Knight, M.M., WWI Memorial (1914 - 1919).

Landcaster, Amelia Grace died 1948.
Lane, C., WWI Memorial (1914 - 1919).
Lawley, Arthur, Sir, Governor of Madras.
Lechler, F.G., WWI Memorial (1914 - 1919).
Leggatt, Fanny, Isabella & Mary Grace.
Leishman-Moorhead, Edna 1930. Goschen Memorial in St Mary's chapel.
Le Meur, John Russell 1930 Goschen Memorial in St Mary's chapel.
Leonard, George Russell & Elizabeth.
Longhurst, Lilian, died 1898.
Lovett, R.D., WWI Memorial (1914 - 1919).
Lowden, F.M., WWI Memorial (1914 - 1919).
Lushington, Stephen Rumbold, 23 April 1829.

Mackinnon, T.D., WWI Memorial (1914 - 1919).
Malan, Charles Huntingford, Postmaster-General, born 1883, died 1930.
Mathias, John, Rt Reverend, Lord Bishop of Calcutta 1829 (Foundation Stone)
McIvor, Anne, died 1903, husband William Graham McIvor.
Michaelson, R.L., WWI Memorial (1914 - 1919).
Middleton, W.B., WWI Memorial (1914 - 1919).
Milbank, R.C., WWI Memorial (1914 - 1919).
Morgan, G.H., WWI Memorial (1914 - 1919).
Mortimer, C.O., WWI Memorial (1914 - 1919).

Newbury, G.L., WWI Memorial (1914 - 1919).
Norman, Ranulph Conrad deRoos 1930 Goschen Memorial St Mary's chapel.

O'Beirne, A.J.L., WWI Memorial (1914 - 1919).
Ouchterlony, John, Lieutenant Colonel, Royal Madras Engineers, died 1863.

Parker, G.R.R. Carson, WWI Memorial (1914 - 1919).
Parkinson, J.H., WWI Memorial (1914 - 1919).
Pearson, Nellie died 1892, husband Hugh.
Pechell, G.D., WWI Memorial (1914 - 1919).
Peel, R.l., WWI Memorial (1914 - 1919).
Pringle, Arthur Torrens, died 1904.

Reid, K.R., WWI Memorial (1914 - 1919).
Reilly, Robert Lushington, Captain, died 1853.
Robinson, H.L., WWI Memorial (1914 - 1919).
Rumbold-Lushington, Stephen, Right Hon, Governor. 1829 (Foundation Stone).

Sawyer, William Reverend died 1832.
Scarborough, R.J., WWI Memorial (1914 - 1919).
Searancke, C, WWI Memorial (1914 - 1919).
Smith, Georgiana Julia Sidney 1930 Goschen Memorial in St Mary's chapel.
Stewart, J.C., WWI Memorial (1914 - 1919).
Stewart, H., WWI Memorial (1914 - 1919).
Sullivan, Henrietta Cecilia died 1838; husband John Sullivan.
Sullivan, Harriet Anne died 1838, father John.

Theobald, E.J. & A.E.
Thompson, James, MD, died 1854.
Thompson, M., WWI Memorial (1914 - 1919).
Thompson, R., WWI Memorial (1914 - 1919).
Trelawney, L.S., WWI Memorial (1914 - 1919).
Turner, John Mathias (Lord Bishop of Calcutta) 1831.

Underwood, John James, Cpt, Madras Engineers, architect. 1829 (Foundation Stone)

Walford, H.S., WWI Memorial (1914 - 1919).
Wapshare, William Henry, magistrate, died 1864.
Watson, Mrs Wentworth, died 1893. (Stained glass window)
Willingdon, Baron, George Freeman. 1923.
Willis, R.D., WWI Memorial (1914 - 1919).
Wilson, A.J., WWI Memorial (1914 - 1919).
Wroughton, Georgiana Grace, died 1847.

REFERENCES:
  • "Ootacamund. A History." By Sir Frederick Price. Government Press, Madras 1908.

  • "The Magic Mountains: Hill Stations and the British Raj." By Dane Kennedy. University of California Press 1996.

  • "The Great Hill Stations Of Asia." By Barbara Crossette. Basic Books 1999.

  • "Ooty Preserved. A Victorian Hill Station in India." By Mollie Panter-Downes. Farrar, Straus and Giroux NY 1967.

  • "The Nilgiris" by W. Francis. Asian Educational Services, 1994 and originally in the Madras District Gazetteers 1908.


LINKS:



Notes:
Several people have commented to me during this research that they thought their family lived in Madras or Bangalore or Bombay so what are they doing dying in Ootacamund? Or having their children baptised at St Stephen's in Ootacamund? By the time these researchers have read the above links, I think they will realise that Ootacamund was a holiday spot, a resort, a recuperation spa and a refuge from the hot, dry, dusty and crowded plains below. Temperatures on the plains can reach over 40 degrees C in the summer (March to June) and then it starts to rain. Recently near Bangalore, there were 30 inches of rain in one day! It was hard on the young children, the sick and the weak and the old. The temperatures at Ootacamund, even in summer, are as cool as in England, and although it rains buckets during the moonsoon, it is a cool rain without the unhealthy mugginess of the plains. The hills of Ootacamund reminded them of England with "good English rain and good English mud" Children thrived on the hills of Ootacamund while they weakened and died like flies on the plains. The British built boarding schools, Army hospitals, Gentlemen's Clubs and stately homes at Ootycamund. And then there was the Ootacamund Hunt! The entire government of Madras, including the Governor himself, would decamp in the summer and move to Ootacamund. Then, it was often difficult to make them go back to their jobs of governing India.
See The climate of India.


Ootacamund Hunt with the hounds (1896) and at Government House, Ootacamund (1903)
From Ooty Preserved by Mollie Panter- Downes. Farrar, Straus and Giroux 1967.





THE FOUNDATION STONE FROM THE ENTRANCE HALL OF ST STEPHEN"S CHURCH, OOTACAMUND.

Photo. See the caption below.

THE FOUNDATION STONE of this CHURCH was laid on the 23rd APRIL 1829 by

THE RIGHT HONBLE STEPHEN RUMBOLD LUSHINGTON, GOVERNOR &C&C.

THE BUILDING was commenced on the 25th JANUARY 1830 and was

consecrated to ALMIGHTY GOD on the 5 DECEMBER 1830 by

THE RIGHT REVD JOHN MATHIAS, LORD BISHOP of CALCUTTA.

THE CHURCH was finished and opened for DIVINE SERVICE on

EASTER SUNDAY the 3rd of APRIL 1831.

JOHN JAMES UNDERWOOD CAPTN MADRAS ENGINEERS

ARCHITECT.

Stephen Rumbold Lushington was born in May 1776 at Rodmersham, Kent, England, the son of Reverend James Stephen Lushington and Mary Christian. He married twice, firstly to Mary Anne Hearne and secondly to Annie Elizabeth Harris, daughter of Lord Harris on 9 Dec 1797. He was a Member of Parliament (1807 - 1837) and Joint Secretary of the Treasury (1823 - 1827). He was Governor of Madras from 18th October 1827 until 25 October 1832 and died 5th Oct 1868, aged 92. He felt strongly that there was a need for a church exclusively for the British in Ooty. He laid the foundation stone for the church on 23rd April 1829 to coincide with the birthday of King George IV.

John Mathias may have been The Right Rev. John Mathias Turner, Lord Bishop of Calcutta who died in Calcutta on 7th July 1831, aged 45. He arrived in India on 10 December 1829 and was Bishop of Calcutta until his death in 1831, just six months after the consecration of St Stephens in Ootacamund. He was the last Bishop to be responsible for the whole of India (and Asia) and thereafter the Bishops of Madras and Bombay were also appointed.

John James Underwood was born in 1797 and married Augusta. He retired from the Madras Army 1st Jan 1845 and died 15th March 1845.