The Old Cemeteries Society of Victoria is dedicated to researching, preserving and encouraging the appreciation of Victoria’s heritage cemeteries.
Our members are involved in many volunteer activities which include cataloging, cleaning and restoring monuments, computerizing burial records, combating vandalism, conducting historical research and giving walking history tours. These activities are conducted mainly at Ross Bay Cemetery.
Stone Cuttings, the newsletter of the Old Cemeteries Society of Victoria, is published six times a year. It highlights the work of our volunteers, with reports on the Sunday tours, grave cleaning and preservation, and other activities at Ross Bay Cemetery and other local heritage cemeteries. Our newsletter also showcases interesting articles about cemeteries and the people buried in them. You can find the latest issue and back issues here: Newsletter Archive.
Old cemeteries are fascinating places to visit. In Victoria you’re welcome to explore some of the most interesting ones in British Columbia. Come on your own, or on a guided walking history tour. Learn what it was like to live here long ago.
You’ll find quiet, parklike settings, monuments and sculpture, beautiful views towards the sea and mountains, and a sense of history unsurpassed anywhere else in the capital city.
Walk through history in Victoria’s old cemeteries. Learn about the famous, the infamous, the cruel, the gentle, the rich and the poor. The characters of Victoria’s past come alive when their stories are retold by the guides of The Old Cemeteries Society of Victoria.
- History walking tours every Sunday afternoon at 2 PM (mid-February to mid-December). Click here for current schedule.
- Ghost tour in October
- Cleaning bees in Ross Bay Cemetery and restoration projects
Our members are sometimes known as “taphophiles” (cemetery enthusiasts)
Old Cemeteries Society of Victoria 