Shimla: An American woman on a visit to Himachal Pradesh capital Shimla made an emotional and historic discovery when she walked into the Municipal Corporation office to find death records of her ancestors who lived in the city during the British rule.
Her visit turned out to be fruitful as she successfully retrieved official certificates confirming the deaths of her great-grandfather and his son dating back nearly 130 years.
The woman, currently touring Shimla with a companion, arrived at the municipal health records branch on Monday afternoon. She shared details of her ancestors, who were originally from England but later settled in the United States.
Shimla MC provides certified copies of 1895 death
According to her, her great-grandfather, James D Veen, died in Shimla in September 1895, along with his 16-year-old son, who passed away in the same month.
To her surprise and delight, officials were able to locate the exact records in the city’s archives. The Municipal Corporation then issued certified copies of the death records, which left the woman both overjoyed and visibly emotional.
“I never imagined I would find documents so old and so meaningful,” she said.
According to the woman, her ancestors once lived in Franklin Cottage, a residence located near the Church in Shimla. After retrieving the records, she even visited the site of the historic cottage to complete her journey of remembrance.
Records digitised, but not available to international users
Shimla’s municipal archives hold birth and death records of over 3 lakh individuals from 1870 to 2015, including numerous British citizens who lived in the region during colonial times.
Officials say that every year, foreign nationals visit the city to trace family history, and such documents serve as cherished memorabilia for descendants.
Although the Municipal Corporation has recently digitised these records, the online access feature is not yet available to international users.
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