St. James Cemetery, Toronto, Canada

The Anglican St. James Cemetery is the eternal resting place of many of the prominent families of York and Toronto. Monuments and mausoleums are engraved with the names Jarvis, Ridout, Gooderham, Cawthra, Baldwin and Osler among others. Stories of success and scandal abound. 281 nameless victims of the Irish famine are also buried here.

The entrance to the cemetery is located at the intersection of Bloor and Parliament Streets, overlooking the Don River ravine.

The cemetery opened in July 1844 and is the oldest cemetery in Toronto still in operation. In 1844 most of the people in Toronto lived south of Queen Street West and the cemetery’s present location during that era must have been regarded as being outside city limits.

Chapel of St. James-the-Less in St. James 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. It and was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1990.

Gallery

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





St. James Cemetery, Toronto

Brock Mausoleum, St. James Cemetery, Toronto

St. James Cemetery, Toronto

Cowan Mausoleum, St. James Cemetery, Toronto

St. James Cemetery, Toronto

St. James Cemetery, Toronto

St. James Cemetery, Toronto

William Thomas, St. James Cemetery, Toronto
William Thomas was an Anglo-Canadian architect. His works include St. Michael’s Cathedral, St. Lawrence Hall, Don Jail in Toronto and many other public or religious buildings in Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia.

The St. George's Society of Toronto, St. James Cemetery, Toronto
The St. George’s Society of Toronto, the city’s oldest charity, was founded on St. George’s Day, April 23, in 1834, at a meeting in the British Coffee House at King and York Streets. Named after the patron saint of England, the society was founded as an immigrant aid organization and became famous for providing food, money and medical services for the city’s poor and unfortunate. Its membership today is open to men and women from all cultures with an interest in furthering the English traditions that helped Toronto become a great city. From its earliest days, the society assisted in the burial of the indigent, initially in the church yard of St. James’ Cathedral and, since 1859, in St. James’ Cemetery. This burial ground continues to be used by the society.

St. James Cemetery, Toronto

St. James Cemetery, Toronto

St. James Cemetery, Toronto

St. James Cemetery, Toronto

St. James Cemetery, Toronto