St. James Cemetery (Toronto)

St. James Cemetery is a cemetery in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is the oldest cemetery in Toronto still in operation, having opened in 1844. It was originally the burial ground for the Cathedral Church of St. James, but became non-denominational. The main entrance to the cemetery is located on the east side of Parliament Street, north of the intersection at Wellesley Street East. Just to the west is the St. James Town neighbourhood, which is named after the cemetery.

St. James Cemetery

Chapel of St. James-the-Less in St. James cemetery
Details
Established	1844
Location	Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Country	Canada
Coordinates	43°40′13.9″N 79°22′5.29″W
Type	non-denominational Cemetery
Owned by	Cathedral Church of St. James in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
No. of interments	89,000 interments and 75,000 cremations
Website	http://www.stjamescemetery.ca/

History

Funeral for Canadian militiamen who fought at the Battle of Ridgeway at St. James Cemetery, 1866.

The cemetery opened in July 1844 for the burial of people professing the Anglican faith. At that time most of the city’s population of 18,000 lived south of Queen Street West and the cemetery's present location during that era must have been regarded as being outside city limits. The cemetery was necessary as the burial ground around the cathedral itself, in use since 1797, was out of room.

Recognizing the growing trend towards cremation throughout the world, a crematorium was added in 1948. To date over 89,000 interments and 75,000 cremations have taken place at the cemetery.

The cemetery itself is home to the Chapel of St. James-the-Less which sites atop a knoll at the highest point in the cemetery. In its vigorous, harmonious composition, this small funeral chapel is a splendid example of Victorian Gothic design. Its sense of strength and spirituality is derived from the subtle contrast of its stone walls, enveloping roofs, and soaring spire. Erected in 1860 and opened in 1861, the chapel was designed by Frederick William Cumberland and Storm, one of Toronto's leading 19th-century architectural firms. The cemetery's chapel, the Chapel of St. James-the-Less, was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1990.[1][2]

Notable interments

Mausoleum of James Austin, founder of The Dominion Bank (predecessor of the Toronto-Dominion Bank).

Grave of William Pearce Howland, the second Lieutenant Governor of Ontario.

• Graeme Mercer Adam, author, editor, and publisher[3]
• James Austin, founder of The Dominion Bank (predecessor of the Toronto Dominion Bank)[4]
• Maurice Baldwin, Anglican Bishop[5]
• Robert Baldwin, Joint Premier of the Province of Canada
• George Anthony Barber, Toronto's first school superintendent[6]
• William Henry Beatty, lawyer and businessman[7]
• Charles Albert Berczy, postmaster for Toronto[8]
• Edward Blake, second premier of Ontario[9]
• Samuel Hume Blake, lawyer and judge. Brother of Edward Blake[10]
• Hampden Zane Churchill Cockburn, Victoria Cross recipient in the Second Boer War
• James Cockburn, Father of Confederation
• Hannah Grier Coome, founder of Sisterhood of St. John the Divine; Anglican Church of Canada saint
• Sophia Dalton, newspaper publisher[11]
• Francis Collier Draper, Chief Constable of Toronto[12]
• Alfred Hutchinson Dymond, writer and politician[13]
• William Glenholme Falconbridge, lawyer and judge[14]
• George Gooderham and William Gooderham, Sr., whiskey magnates (see Gooderham and Worts)[4]
• George Goulding, Olympic athlete
• James Grand, businessman and co-founder of Grand & Toy office supply chain
• H. J. Grasett, Toronto police chief from 1886 to 1920
• Casimir Gzowski, engineer and railway builder[4]
• Peter Gzowski, broadcaster[15]
• John Hawkins Hagarty, lawyer, teacher, and judge[16]
• Esther Frances How, educator[17]
• William Pearce Howland, Father of Confederation[4]
• Edward James Gibson Holland, recipient of the Victoria Cross; cremated at St. James Cemetery[18]
• Aemilius Irving, lawyer[19]
• Andrew Scott Irving, bookseller and publisher[20]
• Robert Sympson Jameson, lawyer and politician[21]
• Winnifred Kingsford, sculptor and teacher[22][23]
• E. J. Lennox, architect of Casa Loma and Old City Hall
• Alexander Manning, contractor, businessman, and the 20th Mayor of Toronto[24]
• Clara Brett Martin, lawyer[25]
• John J. McLaughlin, founder of Canada Dry[26]
• Francis Henry Medcalf, millwright, iron founder, and Mayor of Toronto[27]
• William Ralph Meredith, politician[28]
• Wallace Nesbitt, lawyer and puisne justice of the Supreme Court of Canada[29]
• Abe Orpen, owner of racetracks, casino operator, businessman[30]
• Marjorie Pickthall, writer[31]
• James Henry Plummer, financier and businessperson[32]
• Franklin Bates Polson, machinist, engineer and shipbuilder[33]
• Jackie Rae, singer, songwriter and television performer; uncle of Bob Rae and brother of diplomat Saul Rae
• David Breakenridge Read, lawyer, educator, author, and Mayor of Toronto[34]
• John P. Robarts, 17th Premier of Ontario[15]
• John Robinson, lawyer, judge and political
• Henry Scadding, historian
• John Scarlett, developer
• Goldwin Smith, historian and journalist[35]
• William Thomas, architect[36]
• Christopher Widmer, physician and surgeon[37]

• Daniel Wilson (academic)

War graves

The cemetery contains the war graves of 42 Commonwealth service personnel, 16 from each of the two World Wars.[38]

References

1. Chapel of St. James-the-Less Anglican Church, Directory of Designations of National Historic Significance of Canada
2. Chapel of St. James-the-Less Anglican Church, National Register of Historic Places
3. McDougall, Robert L. "Adam, Graeme Mercer". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Retrieved June 9, 2018.
4. Maga, Carly (October 29, 2011). "Toronto Cemetery Sojourns: St. James Cemetery". Torontoist.
5. Hayes, Alan L. "Baldwin, Maurice Scollard". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Retrieved June 9, 2018.
6. Armstrong, Frederick H. "Barber, George Anthony". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Retrieved June 9, 2018.
7. Kyer, C. Ian. "Beatty, William Henry". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Retrieved June 9, 2018.
8. "Biography – BERCZY, CHARLES ALBERT – Volume VIII (1851-1860) – Dictionary of Canadian Biography".
9. "Premiers honoured". Ontario Heritage Trust. Retrieved June 9, 2018.
10. Blackwell, John D. "Blake, Samuel Hume". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Retrieved June 9, 2018.
11. Dalton, I. R. "Simms, Sophia". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Retrieved June 9, 2018.
12. Rogers, Nicholas. "Draper, Francis Collier". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Retrieved June 9, 2018.
13. Kiefer, Nancy. "Dymond, Alfred Hutchinson". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Retrieved June 9, 2018.
14. Benidickson, Jamie. "Falconbridge, William Glenholme". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Retrieved June 9, 2018.
15. "St. James Cemetery". Heritage Toronto. Retrieved June 9, 2018.
16. Parker, Graham. "Hagarty, John Hawkins". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Retrieved June 9, 2018.
17. Houston, Susan E. "How, Frances Esther". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Retrieved June 9, 2018.
18. "Edward James Gibson Holland VC". The Comprehensive Guide to the Victoria & George Cross. Retrieved June 9, 2018.
19. Benidickson, Jamie. "Irving, Aemilius". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Retrieved June 9, 2018.
20. Hulse, Elizabeth. "Irving, Andrew Scott". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Retrieved June 9, 2018.
21. Blackwell, John D. "Jameson, Robert Sympson". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Retrieved June 9, 2018.
22. "Obituaries". The Globe and Mail. 5 February 1947.
23. "Prominent Sculptress Dies in Toronto". The Ottawa Journal. 5 February 1947. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
24. Reford, Alexander. "Manning, Alexander Henderson". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Retrieved June 9, 2018.
25. Backhouse, Constance. "Martin, Clara Brett". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Retrieved June 9, 2018.
26. Bishop, M. Patricia. "McLaughlin, John James". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Retrieved June 9, 2018.
27. Dyster, Barrie. "Medcalf, Francis Henry". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Retrieved June 9, 2018.
28. Dembski, Peter E. Paul. "Meredith, Sir William Ralph". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Retrieved June 9, 2018.
29. Kyer, C. Ian. "Nesbitt, Wallace". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Retrieved June 9, 2018.
30. "Death Notice: Orpen, A.M.". Toronto Star. September 23, 1937. p. 40.
31. Godard, Barbara. "Pickthall, Marjorie Lowry Christie". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Retrieved June 9, 2018.
32. Roberts, David; Marchildon, Gregory P. "Plummer, James Henry". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Retrieved June 9, 2018.
33. Moir, Michael B. "Polson, Franklin Bates". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Retrieved June 9, 2018.
34. Blackwell, John D. "Read, David Breakenridge". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Retrieved June 9, 2018.
35. Cook, Ramsay. "Smith, Goldwin". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Retrieved June 9, 2018.
36. Einarson, Neil. "Thomas, William". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Retrieved June 9, 2018.
37. Romney, Paul. "Widmer, Christopher". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Retrieved June 9, 2018.
38. CWGC Cemetery Report. Breakdown obtained from casualty record.

Bibliography

• Jones, Donald. "Tombs of Toronto's first families A walk in St. James' Cemetery recalls the pageantry in our past." Toronto Star. Toronto, Ont.: Oct 02, 1993. Sec. C. pg. G.8

External links

Media related to St. James Cemetery (Toronto) at Wikimedia Commons

• Official site
• St. James Cemetery on Find A Grave