Mount Pleasant Cemetery
Set quietly among the trees of Mount Pleasant Cemetery is a striking stone cairn topped with a Celtic cross, a tribute to Toronto’s Scottish pioneers. This monument was erected by the St. Andrew’s Society of Toronto, an organization founded in 1836, decades before Canada became a country. The Society’s mission was simple yet vital: to assist Scottish immigrants who had fallen on hard times, offering food, shelter and employment in a rapidly growing city.
By the late 19th century, many Scots who had arrived in Toronto faced poverty and isolation. To ensure that those without family or means would have a dignified resting place, the Society purchased a large burial plot in Mount Pleasant Cemetery in 1886. The cairn was official dedicated five years later, in 1891. Built from rugged fieldstone and crowned with a cross, it symbolizes endurance and faith, qualities that defined the Scottish settlers so integral to Toronto’s early identity.
Today the cairn remains a focal point for remembrance. Its plaques commemorate generations of Scots who contributed to the city’s development in business, politics and culture. For members of the Society, it represents “a small piece of Scotland” in the heart of Toronto, a place where heritage and history converge. Today, the St. Andrew’s Society continues its charitable work, preserving traditions through events like the annual St. Andrew’s Day celebration, ensuring that the legacy of these early Scottish settlers lives on.
Sources:
• History – St. Andrew’s Society of Toronto
• 185th Anniversary of the St. Andrew’s Society – Scottish Banner
• The Canadian Encyclopedia – St. Andrew’s Societies in Canada
• Mount Pleasant Group – St. Andrew’s Society Monument
Photo courtesy of Mount Pleasant Group
