Down memory lane

The main reason for the trip was to visit places and see where Heathers family lived and see what we could trave back.

Heather had a distant uncle still in kolkata called Cedric who celebrated his 80th Birthday last month,  and he was keen to help us.

We had a list of places that started with Travis Charles who was born in Ranigunj and moved to kolkata in about 1930. He lived in theatre Lane,  which the name had changed many years ago,  but with help from Cedric and am English speaking driver we managed to track it down.

There was pretty much nothing left apart from a sign showing the number which is in the picture below.

After this we went to Marquis Street, where Heathers mum lived when she got married and before they came to the UK.

The basic structure of the building is the same but over the years it had been built on and outside what was the verandah is now a series of little shops.  In the picture below you can see the tops of the windows but the rest is now all changed.

As we stood looking we started to attract a crowd who were inquisitive as to what we were looking at.  Before long we had a dozen people with us,  and those that spoke English asked questions.  As soon as they realised why we are there,  more people joined us,  and they knocked on the door of the house,  and we were invited into the house and made very welcome.  We had some pictures and notes and everyone wanted to read and see what we had, as well as being shown all the family rooms.

Each room now housed a complete family,  maybe 4 or 8 to a room.  The bed dominated the corner of the room,  then there was a small kitchen area,  with a cooking stove,  some cupboards,  a small area of worship and a TV in the corner.

The rooms are kept immaculate and tidy,  and a house that once had 2 adults and 2 children now housed around 200 people,  but everything was so clean and tidy.

The final part of the trail was the house that belonged to Heathers grand parents,  this was located in a courtyard, and we managed to Park locally and could get in to have a look.  

The bones of the original house could still be seen,  but as before over 50 years additions had been made and more families had moved in.  We managed to get some pictures but were unable to get to see inside.