Epitaph from the church in Chinsura, second half 18th century. Chinsura in Bengal (Northeast India) was one of the key trading posts of the VOC. Under its director, George Louis Vernet, a church was built at Chinsura in 1767. As was traditional in European churches, memorials were placed on the walls to commemorate high-ranking officials who had died in Asia in the service of the Company. Far right: Vernet's epitaph - the director died in Batavia in 1775. The second from the left is the epitaph of Theodora Hendrica Piekenbroek. She was the daughter of a Dutch preacher from Batavia. After marrying Boudewijn Versewel Faure - whose memorial is also shown here - she moved to Chinsura, where they both died within a short space of time. Theodora was only 23: the death rate among Europeans in Bengal was high.