As a British colony, the British government made a variety of arrangements on behalf of its citizens in Upper Canada. Early in the settlement of York, the British government made a series of three land grants for English, Irish and Scottish burial grounds(1). The English cemetery was on the site of St. James’ Cathedral. The Irish burial grounds were on the corner of Lot (now Queen) and Power, site of St. Paul’s Church. Finally, the Scottish or Presbyterian burial grounds were situated on the north side of Duchess Street (now Richmond), near Sherbourne(2).
When Potter’s Field [site 2], and later the Necropolis, were established many of those buried at smaller graveyards were re-entered there. The Presbyterian burial ground was elevated and returned to a pasture lot. A carpenter was the first to own the newly available land, on which he built a large frame structure. It was later demolished. Next cottages were built, followed by the Duchess Street Mission.
In the years that followed the re-burials and construction, remains continued to be found which constantly pushed the perceived historical boundaries of the burial ground to a larger size. It would seem, that the graveyard was quite extensive in comparison to the Mission’s actually surveyed lot. |
