Victorian Cities of the Dead

Course description

Some of BC’s most impressive 19th century cemeteries are located in Victoria, and instructor John Adams knows them intimately. In this talk, we’ll explore the history, symbolism, architecture and cultural trends of cemeteries in Europe and North America since 1800. We’ll focus on the development of Victoria's cemeteries up until the First World War. Places such as Ross Bay Cemetery, undoubtedly the most famous Victorian-era cemetery in the province, were laid out according to popular ideals of the mid-1800s. We’ll also look at the Jewish Cemetery, Chinese Cemetery, Old Burying Ground (Pioneer Square), Veterans Cemetery and numerous churchyards in Metchosin and Saanich.