St. Michael's Cemetery (Toronto)
Encyclopedia
St. Michael's Cemetery is a historic Roman Catholic cemetery
in Toronto
, Ontario
, Canada
. It is located just southwest of Yonge Street
and St. Clair Avenue. The 10 acres (40,468.6 m²) cemetery is invisible from the street, being located in the middle of a city block and ringed by homes and stores. It is accessible only through a small alleyway between two stores on Yonge Street. The gates to the cemetery are also usually kept locked.
at Queen and Parliament, which had been filled to capacity by the recent influx of Irish Catholic settlers. Some 29,000 people are buried at St. Michael's. It is the final resting place mostly for working class Irish Canadians. St. Michael's remained the only Catholic cemetery in Toronto until 1900 when it was near capacity, and the Mount Hope Cemetery
was opened.
One of the most notable features of the cemetery is the octagonal mortuary vault designed by Joseph Sheard
, who later became mayor of Toronto.
and Victoria Cross
recipient Denis Dempsey
.
Cemetery
A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. The term "cemetery" implies that the land is specifically designated as a burying ground. Cemeteries in the Western world are where the final ceremonies of death are observed...
in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It is located just southwest of Yonge Street
Yonge Street
Yonge Street is a major arterial route connecting the shores of Lake Ontario in Toronto to Lake Simcoe, a gateway to the Upper Great Lakes. It was formerly listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest street in the world at , and the construction of Yonge Street is designated an "Event of...
and St. Clair Avenue. The 10 acres (40,468.6 m²) cemetery is invisible from the street, being located in the middle of a city block and ringed by homes and stores. It is accessible only through a small alleyway between two stores on Yonge Street. The gates to the cemetery are also usually kept locked.
History
The city's oldest surviving Catholic cemetery, it opened in 1855. It replaced St. Paul's CemeterySt. Paul's Basilica
St. Paul's Basilica is the oldest Roman Catholic congregation in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located in the Corktown neighbourhood just east of downtown near the intersection of Queen and Parliament streets at 83 Power Street....
at Queen and Parliament, which had been filled to capacity by the recent influx of Irish Catholic settlers. Some 29,000 people are buried at St. Michael's. It is the final resting place mostly for working class Irish Canadians. St. Michael's remained the only Catholic cemetery in Toronto until 1900 when it was near capacity, and the Mount Hope Cemetery
Mount Hope Catholic Cemetery
Mount Hope Catholic Cemetery at 305 Erskine Avenue in Toronto, Ontario, Canada was consecrated on July 9, 1898 by Roman Catholic Archbishop John Walsh. The first burial occurred on March 27, 1900. By the end of the 20th Century, the cemetery was full, holding the remains of more than 76,000 persons...
was opened.
One of the most notable features of the cemetery is the octagonal mortuary vault designed by Joseph Sheard
Joseph Sheard
Joseph Sheard was a Canadian architect and politician. He was Mayor of Toronto from 1871 to 1872.Born in Hornsea, near Hull, Yorkshire, England, his father died when he was only 6 weeks old, leaving 4 young children to be raised by his mother...
, who later became mayor of Toronto.
Notable interments
Some notable figures are interred there including brewer Eugene O'KeefeEugene O'Keefe
Eugene O'Keefe , baptized Owen Keeffe, was a Canadian businessman and philanthropist. He founded the O'Keefe Brewery Company of Toronto Limited in 1891....
and Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
recipient Denis Dempsey
Denis Dempsey
Denis Dempsey VC born Rathmichael, Bray, County Wicklow and was an Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Details:He was approximately 31 years old, and a private...
.