By Stephen Harrison

In a previous issue of the Beacon I wrote about the numerous personal stories linked to the Ross Bay Cemetery. With some 15,000 plots and 28,000 burials, there's a vast amount of history tied to the cemetery grounds, but what about the property itself? A recent Times Colonist article on the cemetery next to Christ Church Cathedral (Pioneer Square) got me wondering about how Ross Bay Cemetery became the final resting place for some of British Columbia's most prominent residents.

According to John Adams, author of The Historic Guide to Ross Bay Cemetery, the area to the east of the cemetery was once home to a seasonal First Nations' encampment. After settlers established a presence in the region, the westernmost portion of the property became part of a tract of land belonging to James Douglas, British Columbia's first governor. The land to the east of Douglas's holdings belonged to Isabella Ross. Ross's ownership is significant because, when she purchased the property in 1853, she became the first female landowner in British Columbia. Her farmhouse was located on the easternmost portion of what is now Ross Bay Cemetery, and her property extended east to Gonzales Bay and Harling Point. The Ross farm, or Fowl Bay Farm, as it was known, was home to straw, cattle, and four of Ross's children.

Over time Ross subdivided and sold pieces of her property, which included a portion that went to Robert Burnaby in 1859. Burnaby further subdivided this land, says Adams, selling a portion to the Cemetery Trustees in 1872, much to the chagrin of his neighbours. The city purchased an adjacent lot in 1892 to allow the cemetery to expand, repeating this process in 1894 and 1906. The city debated further expansion in the twentieth century, choosing to create the Royal Oak Burial Park instead to provide a more permanent solution.

Putting the changing landowners aside, the terrain itself has also undergone a significant transformation. The cemetery property used to extend to the water, but severe winter storms in 1909 washed away the bank and destroyed multiple graves, primarily belonging to Japanese and Chinese families. As a result of this devastation, the city built a seawall to protect the site while simultaneously extending Dallas Road, which had previously stopped at Memorial Crescent. Many Chinese burials were moved to the Chinese Cemetery at Harling point during this process.

The cemetery's aesthetics were also altered by tree planting in the 1930s and 1940s, which turned the site into the picturesque park it is today. It's worth noting that the trees along the shore weren't for beauty alone. According to Adams, they were planted "to soften the view of the cemetery from passing passenger ships." Seeing a cemetery break up the shoreline wouldn't put off everyone, and for those who frequent Ross Bay Cemetery, Adams's book is worth a read. It provides a detailed history of the property as well as directions for multiple self-guided tours. The Old Cemeteries Society also puts on regular Sunday walking tours at Ross Bay Cemetery, and it's actively involved in the preservation and restoration of the property and its monuments.

Cemeteries evoke a strong connection to the past, but even places so firmly rooted in history had to come into being. The business dealings of early landowners had a significant impact on shaping the city we see every day. Isabella Ross died in 1885. She is buried in the cemetery, which bears her name.