past horizons36 The plight of such European cemeteries came to the public's attention in 1976 with the publication of Two Monsoons; The Life and Death of Europeans in India by Theon Wilkinson MBE, who went on to found the British Association for Cemeteries ( BACSA) in South Asia. Over the last 30 years BACSA has effectively spearheaded the conservation of this important element of cultural heritage, working closely with Indian NGOs and local communities in the restoration and maintenance of cemetery sites. For more information see: http:// www. bacsa. org. uk ? Two monsoons Drawing the monuments

37past horizons The data gathered in November 2008 will enable the production of a condition survey and conservation plan for the Scottish Cemetery. A detailed programme of required works and a business plan for the setting up of a traditional crafts training facility will follow. The project cannot hope to be successful without the support and partnership of authorities and groups in Kolkata and, very importantly, the people of the surrounding neighbourhood. Local contacts are being strengthened and community involvement developed. It is hoped that the training in the use of traditional materials will provide career opportunities for local teenagers and increase the skill base for those working on the repair of traditionally- built structures that can be applied throughout the city. It is intended that the recording data from the 2008 site assessment be made publicly available through the Trust's and the RCAHMS websites, with the project archive to be lodged in the National Monument Record of Scotland in Edinburgh, part of the RCAHMS. It is the intention that the general recording exercise should be extended to take in the remainder of the cemetery in 2009- 10. Detailed recording of individual monuments will continue as the repair programme progresses, and the general database successively upgraded. It is hoped that, over the duration of a decade or so, this extraordinarily evocative site can be restored for the benefit of the local population and for those wishing to explore the fascinating legacy of generations of Scots who died on Indian soil. ? the future The Kolkata Scottish Heritage Trust The KSHT was established in 2008 to commemorate and to build on the historic links between Scotland and India, with the setting up of the Kolkata Scottish Cemetery Project as its first task. This ambitious conservation project has the following aims: 1. To maintain the Scottish Cemetery as a managed green space which can be a ' lung' for the surrounding population. 2. To research and record the cemetery and thereby improve the understanding of the site, its history and its genealogical importance. To make this information readily available. 3. To restore the cemetery buildings and as many of the monuments as possible. 4. To establish a centre for training traditional building skills necessary for the repair and restoration of the monuments as well as of the traditional buildings of Kolkata. how can you help? To date, the Kolkata Scottish Cemetery Project has been entirely supported by charitable contributions, and further progressed by the donation of professional time. The support of individuals and sponsoring bodies must clearly continue if the aims of the project are to be successfully achieved. If you wish to help or are interested in being kept informed of future progress please contact The Kolkata Scottish Heritage Trust, c/ o Simpson and Brown, St Ninian's Manse, Quayside Street, Edinburgh EH6 6EJ, United Kingdom. The trust is a charity registered in Scotland ( Charity No. SC0039917). Some weblinks http:// scottishcemeterykolkata. wordpress. com ? - the blog for the 2008 expedition http:// www. simpsonandbrown. co. uk ? - Simpson and Brown Architects' website http:// www. rcahms. gov. uk ? - RCAHMS website Tom Addyman is the field director of the survey team that forms part of the KSHT, conceived by James Simpson at the request of GM Kapur, director of the Calcutta Chapter of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage ( INTACH). It is a joint venture developed with and undertaken on behalf of the KSHT by Simpson and Brown Architects of Edinburgh, in partnership with the RCAHMS and Kolkata- based Continuity Architects.