A glimpse of the city’s old cemeteries
The city’s biggest cemetery, Notre-Dame-des-Neiges, opened in 1854. Where were the European people who died here between 1642 and 1854 buried? In a lot of places, it seems. Some burial places are known and, in some cases, have been displaced; many others are still under our feet.
Michael Black 01:55 on 2021-01-05 Permalink
Weren’t people buried in churchyards, though maybe they were later moved?
Old Kildonan Church still exists in Winnipeg, on John Black Avenue. A bunch of relatives are buried there, though Henrietta’s marker had to be repaired at some point. Andrew Bannatyne is buried there, so I assume his sister Laurenda and wife Annie are buried there. A bunch of “prominent Metis” are there.
But Red River is barely 200 years old, much younger than Montreal’s beginning.
Kate 10:05 on 2021-01-05 Permalink
Rural churches in Quebec still have churchyards with tombs, but in the city I think there was a growing fear of burying people too close to water sources and houses, after a point. There had been a lot of epidemics: cholera, typhoid, smallpox. So Montreal lost almost all its churchyard burials and everything was moved to Notre-Dame-des-Neiges after 1854.
I know of only one church in Montreal that still has a graveyard, although I don’t know how they arranged to keep it when all the others went away. I think people are still being buried there, too.
Montreal trivia: where is this church?
Bill Binns 12:17 on 2021-01-05 Permalink
Is it Notre Dame? I may have read something about VIP catholics or priests being buried under the floor?
Kate 14:20 on 2021-01-05 Permalink
Some of the big churches have crypts – Notre-Dame does, and so does Mary Queen of the World. And so do some of the big old convents, the nuns were buried in the basement!
But I meant an outdoor graveyard behind and/or beside the church building. There may be more than one in the City of Montreal proper but I know of only one.
CE 18:31 on 2021-01-05 Permalink
St. Patrick?
Max 03:15 on 2021-01-06 Permalink
Concordia’s Grey Nuns residence has one too.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grey_Nuns_Motherhouse
I lurked my way into the basement on time to check it you. Their security guards were not impressed.
Kate 17:58 on 2021-01-11 Permalink
I didn’t answer this and now nobody will see it.
The only church I know of inside the bounds of the city of Montreal that still has a graveyard is St-Léonard church on Jarry east of Lacordaire. I’d be curious to know if there are others.