Old Cemeteries Society of Victoria: Cemetery Tours

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Sunday, November 25th, 2018
Tours begin at 2pm unless otherwise noted.

Oct. 7. RBC. Murder Most Foul. (Second of two tours) Back again by popular demand, Michael Halleran takes us to graves of murderers and their victims and tells the grisly tales he has found in coroners’ files and old newspapers and through interviews with family members. This tour will include different stories from Michael’s tour on March 18.

Oct. 14. RBC. Gold Rush Women. Beginning with the Fraser River in 1858, gold rushes shaped BC economically, socially and physically. While most gold-rush prospectors, miners and business people were men, many women were also drawn to BC during these lively times—and not just in ways you might think. This year, Yvonne Van Ruskenveld focuses her annual women’s history tour on women in gold rush BC.

Oct. 21. RBC. Psychic Tour. Clairvoyant medium Dawn Kirkham and members of her paranormal investigating team Beyond Belief Paranormal Events will lead a walk through the cemetery and share information they receive from the location or the spirits they encounter. They will also explain what clairvoyance is and demonstrate some basic techniques they use.

Oct. 20-30. Ghost Bus-tours®. Our 24th annual bus excursion past some of Victoria’s most haunted sites. New route and many new stories. Reserve your seat early. Check the website www.discoverthepast.com for details.

Oct. 28. RBC. Annual Ghost Tour. One of the OCS’s most popular annual tours is based on ghost stories linked to people buried at RBC. On some of the graves the occupants might even seem to come to life and tell their tales. Extra guides will be on hand for large numbers. Part of the Ghosts of Victoria Festival.

Nov. 4. RBC. Sinking of SS Princess Sophia. On October 25, 1918, the CPR steamer Princess Sophia sank after hitting a reef in Alaska. All on board (at least 343) perished. Some of the bodies were found and brought to Victoria where they arrived on November 12. Tom Pound, frequent OCS tour presenter, leads today’s tour.

Nov. 11. Veterans’ Cemetery. Remembrance Day Tour. This annual tour at the Esquimalt Veterans’ Cemetery (God's Acre) shares stories of the contributions and sacrifices made by people in the service of our country. Lest we forget. Access off Colville Road near the Base Hospital.

Nov. 18. Masonic Temple Tour. Today’s location will be inside the historic Masonic hall, built in 1878, designed by architect John Teague. It is home to Victoria-Columbia Lodge No. 1, the oldest on Canada’s Pacific coast. The tour will visit the main lodge room where its symbolism and Masonic funeral rites will be discussed. Meet outside the entrance at 650 Fisgard Street near the corner of Douglas Street.

Nov. 25. Royal Oak Burial Park Mausoleum. Today’s location is another indoor one. The mausoleum opened in 1996 and features elegant granite and marble corridors lined with crypts for coffins and niches for cremated remains. It is a light-filled space with beautiful stained glass windows. The visit will include a history of mausoleums and how this one is used. Meet at the mausoleum inside the grounds. Drive through the main gates at 4673 Falaise Dr. and keep to the left. Lots of parking near the mausoleum.

Dec. 2. Old Burying Ground Christmas Tour. Christmas and holiday stories from Victoria of old will delight and amaze you. New Christmas tales and old favourites, combined with the history of one of Victoria’s oldest cemeteries. Meet at the corner of Quadra St. and Rockland Ave.

Dec. 9. RBC. Ross Bay Christmas Tour. John Adams continues the yuletide theme with more warm-hearted and humorous stories, including many about Emily Carr. A holly wreath will be placed on Emily Carr’s family plot, an annual tradition of the OCS. (Emily’s birthday is December 13th.)