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.
History
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.[citation needed]
A large, impressive specimen of Copper Beech grows next to the chapel, was planted by the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII) on his visit to Canada in 1919.[1]
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.[citation needed]
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.[2][3]
^Cook, Ramsay. "Smith, Goldwin". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Retrieved June 9, 2018.
^Einarson, Neil. "Thomas, William". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Retrieved June 9, 2018.
^Romney, Paul. "Widmer, Christopher". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Retrieved June 9, 2018.
^[1] 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