Tulips at the front of Friends Church, Pelham, Ontario. Those of you who follow the Canadian Cemetery History account on Twitter will know I often post pictures of flora and fauna from old cemeteries. And there’s a reason why. The spring and summer are the best seasons for getting out for a walk and visiting old cemeteries. During the months of April to August you get a chance to see nature literally spring up from the ground. Suddenly, a cemetery that was beautiful but somewhat lacking in colour (just the colours of the stones themselves and a few bare trees) explodes with colour and diffe ..read more

This summer I decided that it would be fun to produce an “Old Cemeteries of Niagara” wall calendar for 2021, showcasing some of the interesting old stones and sites in Niagara, which is *full* of old cemeteries. I printed a limited number. If you’re interested, the cost is $20, which includes shipping anywhere in Canada. Orders can be requested HERE ..read more

Recently I've been working on some YouTube videos, and the goal is to produce many on a range of themes over the coming months. I'm still trying to improve my camera work and video editing skills, so the "official" launch of the channel will be coming later, but for now, those who want to get a taste of what the first videos look like can find them on my channel HERE.  Below is a video I recently made of St. Andrew's Churchyard in Grimsby, Ontario. There are British Empire Loyalists and numerous other settlers buried here. In this video, we'll explore some of the interesting ep ..read more

An article about some of my current projects and thoughts on the historic (and historical) importance of old cemeteries was featured on the front page of The St. Catharines Standard and Niagara Falls Review. click the link below to read the story, and let me know your thoughts!  Niagara Historian Finds Life in the Stories of the Dead Photograph courtesy of Bob Tymczyszyn / Torstar ..read more

On July 2nd and July 9th, my videos produced with the Niagara Falls Museum about historic Drummond Hill Cemetery were released on the Museum's YouTube channel. Both videos examine some of the common symbols seen at the cemetery and some interpretations of what they mean. I tried to keep the explanations free of any jargon (e.g. "Woman leaning on a gravestone with an urn on top" instead of "Pedestaled urn". I hope you enjoy them! Please be sure to "like" them if you enjoyed the content. Click below to watch ..read more

On Monday, June 22nd an interview with Canadian History Ehx podcast host Craig Baird was released. On the show I discussed my thoughts on the importance of cemetery history, my inspirations, and the case of John Leighton, a sailmaker who died in Quebec City in July 1834, possibly of Cholera. I enjoyed the interview and Craig really made me feel comfortable. Those who want to listen to the interview can do so HERE. Gravestone for John Leighton in Saint Matthew's Cemetery, Quebec City. Leighton died in 1834, possibly of Cholera ..read more

In collaboration with the Grimsby and St. Catharines Libraries (Niagara Region), I gave my first ever Zoom talk. I have to admit, it was strange not seeing faces in the audience, and being able to gauge reactions to particular stories or stones, but I enjoyed it and am happy that libraries and museums have taken to online methods of keeping art/culture/history talks going during COVID-19. Since this might be the way things are done for the foreseeable future or beyond, I'm looking forward to doing more and figuring out how to maximize audience enjoyment. Regarding COVID-19, the elephant in ev ..read more

Great news! This week a few of my thoughts on body snatching in Canada in the nineteenth century were featured in a long and informative article by Katie Daubs of the Toronto Star newspaper. We spoke for about an hour about the subject, and I tried to provide as much insight as I could into cases I've read about in Ontario newspapers, as well as analysis of the subject from a history of medicine standpoint. Katie did a great job on this piece, which was thoroughly researched and written in an accessible manner. If you're interested you can find the piece by clicking below, or by going to the t ..read more

Last Saturday, October 5th, 2019, Stephanie (who runs Canadian Heritage Matters) and I gave tours of the Vineland Mennonite Burial Ground as part of Doors Open Lincoln. Established in 1798 on the Moyer Farm, it was the earliest major burial ground of Mennonite settlers from Pennsylvania who came north from Bucks County after the American Revolution. Given its age and the survival of many of the oldest stones, it's an excellent site for reading stories in stone of early Upper Canadian history. The Mennonites often came for two reasons. One was that land in Pennsylvania had already become scarc ..read more

Great news! I was recently asked by Julia Wright of CBC Saint John to give an interview based on my visit to Saint John, New Brunswick, and several of the cemeteries in and around the city. I managed - in a short, three day trip unrelated to cemeteries - to visit the Black Settlement Burial Ground in Willow Grove, just outside of Saint John, Fernhill Cemetery in Saint John proper, and the Old Loyalist Burial Grounds in the city centre. Every site was amazing in its own way, and each spoke to the unique and diverse history of the province. Click HERE to listen to the full ten minute interview ..read more