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Archiver > LONDON > 1999-01 > 0916296655


From: Ted Burkmar <>
Subject: Londoners buried in Victoria, B.C...
Date: Wed, 13 Jan 1999 22:50:55 -0800


I live in Victoria, B.C., long considered the most English of Canadian
cities. During the last century many people born in Britain settled here
along with other nationalities following the discovery of gold up north.
Many are buried at historic Ross Bay Cemetery, just a short distance from
where I live.
While visiting the local LDS centre, I noticed a reference book on Ross
Bay Cemetery; a compilation of tombstone enscriptions, which included a
lot of English entries. I immediately wondered how many of these people,
buried far from their birthplace, long forgotton, represent gaps or un-
known entries in family histories? Over the next little while whenever
visiting the LDS centre, I will try to make note of those entries that
list city of birth & post them to the appropriate mailing lists. Here
are a few people who listed 'London' as origin:

PYE, Alice Rebecca, born 1845 died 1914
WICKEN, Ward, born 1858, died 1915
EVANS, Sarah A., born 1843

These are just the bare details. More data is available such as exact
birth date, spouses, etc. If you wish further info on any name just let
me know & I will forward all notations from the book, in due course.
Also, the majority of entries do not list city of birth. If you suspect
an ancestor may have lived in western Canada, let me know the surname &
I can check the index.
I suspect that many such records will never be fully documented; each
year a few more are too weathered to read. Check your own libraries to
see if there are such books listing who is buried in historic cemeteries.
If not, take a few hours next spring or summer with a notebook to docu-
ment English burials in your local cemetary & share them with the world.
Regards
Ted Burkmar

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