Cathedral Church of Saint James in Toronto, Ontario

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Get directions 65 Church Street
Toronto, Toronto Municipality, Ontario Canada

Coordinates: 43.65028, -79.37418
Cemetery ID:

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In 1832, the town of muddy York was little more than a large village, with a population of just over 9,000 souls. Almost all the population lived within a 10 minute walk of the shore of Lake Ontario - over those famous muddy roads. Within a dozen years, in 1844, the population had grown to over 18,000 and had incorporated as the City of Toronto. The original St. James cemetery, adjacent to the Cathedral at King and Church streets in downtown Toronto, originally granted in 1797, was becoming too crowded, and the decision was taken to open the ‘new' St. James Cemetery. During the 1840's the city of Toronto, forced the church to take down the headstones and create more green areas for downtown Toronto. Headstones of the Famous and influential now hang inside the church.

Contrary to popular belief the graves where not moved to the new St. James Cemetery. Ontario Genealogical Society [TRN-0167] Document and Church Staff Both have stated that no graves were moved. Also To raise money to help pay for rising costs of maintaining the church and grounds, part of the grounds were planned to be sold to a condominium developer. Part of the land was to been part of the original cemetery, and the developers planned to move the graves in order to clear the land. Public outcry ensued and a deal was made to sell off a parking lot to the north west of the church for the Spire condominium development. Today there are no markings or indications that there are over 1500 graves surrounding the church.