Remembering Foy

Nearly two years after his passing, a new tombstone has been erected at Sewri cemetery in memory of Foy Nissen, renowned city historian and Bombaywallah. Of Danish descent, he was one of the first members of the Bombay Local History Society (BLHS). He made the city his home and had a deep interest in its history and architecture. He was also well-regarded for his intimate knowledge of the design and sculptural details of the city’s colonial past, recalled Rajan Jayakar, curator of BLHS. “Foy was an ardent lover of the city. I personally interacted with him and was taken aback by his humility. He was the go-to person for all things Bombay. Many architects sought him out for his nuanced understanding of the cityscape. His photography was marked by his eye for detail — he would capture minute elements that most others would miss,” Jayakar told this diarist.