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2012 Tours and Excursions of The Old Cemeteries Society of VictoriaTours given in daylight hours only. City by-laws prohibit entrance to the cemetery after dark. Sunday Cemetery History Tours: Tours start at 2:00 pm. Meet at 1:45 pm in front of Oregano’s, Fairfield Plaza, 1544 Fairfield Rd. Others start where noted. Charge: $5 for non-members; $2 for members. No reservations needed. Tours are held regardless of weather. Contact www.oldcem.bc.ca or 250.598.8870.
February 15 (Wednesday). 7:30 pm. OCS Annual General Meetingat James Bay New Horizons, 234 Menzies St. Speaker: Maureen Duffus, local historian and author, who will present new research about her revised book Craigflower Country, a history of View Royal. February 19. Black History. After 1858 Victoria was a haven for blacks escaping racism in California and many are buried at RBC. A Black poet of the 1860s, a man who was a slave during the time of George Washington, a Black city councillor and many other people will be discussed. A joint tour by the OCS and the BC Black History Awareness Society for Black History Month. February 26. A Powerful Past. This is Heritage Week and the theme across the province this year is “Energy in BC: a Powerful Past; a Sustainable Future.” Stories of Victoria’s first gas works, coal production on Vancouver Island, early electrical generation and even nuclear energy will be included in today’s tour. March 4. Surprise Endings. Popular storyteller Glenn Perlstrom has dug into his macabre files for more of the most amazing stories of sudden and unexpected deaths, bizarre mishaps and deadly epidemics that sent many of our forebears to an early grave at RBC. Not for the faint hearted or squeamish! March 11. Ross Family Heritage. Charles Ross built Fort Victoria in 1843 and his widow, Isabella, owned the land where RBC is now. Descendant Fern Perkins will visit family graves and recount family stories. She will discuss the new wooden headboard to be placed on one of the Ross family plots. March 18. Colwood Pioneer Cemetery. Retired English professor Bill Magee is back by popular demand to recount some of the stories he has collected about people buried in the Colwood Pioneer Cemetery and Hatley Memorial Gardens. Meet inside the main gate, 2050 Sooke Road, opposite Royal Roads. March 25. An Angler’s Paradise. From the 1880s to 1914 Vancouver Island was known throughout the British Empire as an “angler’s paradise,” its famous trout and salmon rivers attracting both settlers and wealthy tourists. Dr. Diana Pedersen will share her research on the social history of sport fishing and sporting tourism. April 1. St. Stephen’s Churchyard. This picturesque country churchyard is the final resting place for many pioneer families of the area, including A. C. Anderson of the Hudson’s Bay Company. His great-granddaughter, Nancy Anderson, author of The Pathfinder, leads today’s tour to her ancestor’s grave and those of many of his interesting contemporaries. Meet at the churchyard, 7921 St. Stephen’s Rd., off Mt. Newton Cross Rd. in Central Saanich. April 8. RBC. Vimy Ridge 95th Anniversary. World War I historian Yvonne Van Ruskenveld will commemorate one of the war’s most famous battles in which Canadian forces played a major role by visiting the graves of veterans and families linked to those who were there. April 22. Built by Parfitt Brothers. Parfitt Bros. were one of Victoria’s foremost contractors in the 1900s, building George Jay School, Pemberton Memorial Chapel and the James Bay Inn. Three family members will relate family stories and discuss their significant building projects. April 29. Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary’s). Military historian John Azar has prepared a new tour about people connected to this regiment which is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2012. The regiment has a long history in Victoria. It has won many battle honours in World War I and World War II and has more recently served with distinction in numerous places overseas. May is Asian Heritage Month and three tours are planned on this theme. May 6. Chinese Cemetery. The first tour of Asian Heritage Month will be conducted by Victoria City Councillor Charlayne Thornton-Joe who will lead a tour at the Chinese Cemetery, a National Historic Site, including her grandfather’s grave. Meet at the cemetery, foot of Crescent Road, off King George Terrace. May 13. Japanese at Ross Bay. The second tour of Asian Heritage Month will be conducted by Gordon and Ann-Lee Switzer who are writing a book about Japanese in Victoria. RBC includes graves of about 150 Japanese, including the wife of Canada’s first Japanese immigrant. May 16 (Wednesday). 7:30 pm OCS Spring Meeting at James Bay New Horizons, 234 Menzies Street. May 20. In Honour of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. The Queen is celebrating her 60th anniversary on the throne and OCS member Leona Taylor has created a tour of notable people buried at RBC whose stories will help mark the Jubilee in a memorable way. You won’t want to miss this special tour. May 27. Chinese at Ross Bay. Chinese were buried at RBC before the Chinese Cemetery was created. Many were exhumed and sent back to China; some were moved to the cemetery at Harling Point; others were washed out to sea in a violent storm in 1909. Historian John Adams will talk about this amazing part of RBC’s history. June 3. “Awake and Dreaming” is the name of Kit Pearson’s award-winning juvenile fiction novel that features a ghost at RBC. The author has been leading this very popular tour for many years. She will visit the graves that inspired her writing, read excerpts from her book and finish the tour with a surprise ending. June 24. Ships and Sailors of 1862. RBC’s oceanfront setting is a fitting place of final repose for seafarers. To help mark Victoria’s 150th anniversary, maritime historian Ron Armstrong will recount some of the stories linked to ships and their captains who were here in the period around 1862. 2012 SUMMER TOUR PROGRAMS RBC tours each Sunday at 2 p.m. starting outside Oregano’s at the Fairfield Plaza. Other tours and events as noted. Gossip in the Graveyard is a lively tour about many scoundrels, characters and eccentrics at RBC you won’t find in your history books! Glenn Perlstrom leads these lively tours which he fills with fascinating details. Gold Rush! is about some of the colourful men and women buried at RBC who made history in the Fraser River Gold Rush of 1858 and other gold rushes. Yvonne Van Ruskenveld leads these tours, with many new stories each year. July 1 Gossip in the Graveyard July 8 Gold Rush! July 15 Gossip in the Graveyard July 22 Gold Rush! July 29 Gossip in the Graveyard Aug. 5 Gold Rush! Aug. 12 Obon Ceremony at 2:00 p.m. at the Kakehashi Monument in the SW corner of the cemetery. (Traditional Japanese Buddhist ceremony for the dead.) A celebration of Japanese food and traditional dancing will follow the ceremony at Ross Bay Villa, 1490 Fairfield Road.. Aug. 19 Gold Rush! Aug. 26 Gossip in the GraveyardCheck here for our suggested topics - List of Guided Tours at Ross Bay Cemetery |
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