1826–1826
Toronto Necropolis
Section L Lot 108
Mary Carfrae’s brief life left a lasting imprint on Toronto’s public memory. Mary was the first interment in the York General Burying Ground (also known as Potter’s Field) on July 18, 1826. This date marked the moment when an inclusive, non-denominational civic cemetery opened its gates. Her resting place embodied the promise behind the community’s petition for a dignified burial ground for all, regardless of creed or social status, and translated compassion into policy. That promise was secured when a parliamentary act authorized trustees to establish a general cemetery and acquire six acres for the purpose, which was led by merchant Thomas Carfrae and his colleagues. In this light, Mary’s grave is not only a place of family sorrow; it is the first chapter of a city’s democratic remembrance, where private grief catalyzed public good, and an infant child became the quiet herald of a future Toronto. Mary was reinterred to Toronto Necropolis on 27 May 1856, as Toronto continued to grow beyond its borders.
Sources:
• Toronto Necropolis – Wikipedia
• Connexions – Toronto Necropolis Cemetery History
