Our Stories

Snow‑covered cemetery landscape with a low, curved stone grave marker partially buried in snow beneath spreading tree branches. Additional headstones and leafless trees are visible in the background, creating a quiet winter scene.

Roscoe Reid Graham: A Pioneer of Canadian Surgery

1890–1948 Mount Pleasant Cemetery Plot 3 Lot 23 Roscoe Reid Graham was a trailblazer in Canadian surgical history. Born in Lobo, Ont., Graham
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A black and white photos of Gus Harris during his time as a reeve in Scarborough. He is wearing a plaid suit jacket, white-coloured shirt, and dark-coloured tie. His hair is cropped short and slightly wavy and his expression is neutral but pleasant.

Gus Harris: A Lasting Mark in Scarborough

grave peeking out of the ground

Andrew Porteous: The First Burial at Toronto Necropolis

A large early‑20th‑century ocean liner with a black hull and white superstructure steams across calm water, emitting dark smoke from multiple funnels, viewed broadside against a pale sky and distant shoreline.

Empress of Ireland Memorial: A Silent Tribute 

A black‑and‑white exterior view of the Addictions Research Foundation where Eleanor worked as a therapist. It is a mid‑century institutional building with a concrete façade and rows of rectangular windows, set back from a city street with bare trees and low shrubs in the foreground. The photo was taken in the 1990s.

Dr. Eleanor “Anne” Barrington: A Pioneer in Medicine

Tall stone war memorial monument standing in a snow‑covered park, surrounded by trees in winter. The monument rises vertically from a landscaped base, with wreaths placed at the foot and bare branches and evergreens in the background.

The 48th Highlanders’ Memorial: Faithful Forever

Snow‑covered cemetery scene at dusk featuring a tall stone grave marker in the foreground commemorating James Aikins. The monument is topped with a rounded cap and surrounded by evergreen trees and bare branches, with additional headstones visible along a snow‑covered path in winter light.

James C. Aikins: Statesman, Visionary and Guardian of Toronto’s Cemeteries

grass, trees and boulders

Natural Burial: A Greener Way to Say Goodbye

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Richard John Lucas: The Man Behind Canada’s Sugared Ham

Weathered gray stone grave marker with an arched top, partially obscured by pine tree branches, standing in a snowy cemetery; the engraved inscription is faint and difficult to read.

Following the Robinson Family History from Potter’s Field to Mount Pleasant

The staged picture entitled “Public health nurse Janet Neilson (right) on a home visit” shows the uniform she had to wear: it includes a black bonnet with white streamers. She carried supplies in a market basket.

Janet Neilson: Canada’s First Public Health Nurse

Colour portrait of a person shown from the shoulders up, with light, curly hair against a softly textured, warm‑toned background. The image has a grainy, archival appearance.

Annie “Nance” Horwood: Brampton’s First Female Mayor and Tireless Community Advocate

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Norman Ernest Brickell: A Lifetime of Service in Law Enforcement

pond with trees surrounding it

The Koi Pond: Harmony by the Water

houses and trees with brown grass

Benefit Society Oshchima: A Lifeline for Early Immigrants

very old car in black and white

William James “Bill” Neal: Richmond Hill’s First Mayor and Automotive Visionary

Black‑and‑white portrait of Alice Eastwood wearing a dark coat and a wide‑brimmed hat adorned with flowers, with a light scarf tied at the neck, photographed against a dark background.

Alice Eastwood: A Life Rooted in Discovery and Conservation

A black and white aerial image of Brampton, taken in 1954. A railroad line can be seen stretching from the middle left edge of the frame to the bottom left corner. In the middle of the frame, there is a concentration of houses and buildings, the landscape dotted with clusters of trees.

Frank Kovalsky: The Commander

Snow‑covered cemetery landscape featuring the Lount and Matthews monument, a tall stone memorial with a column rising from a stepped base. The monument stands among surrounding headstones and leafless trees in a winter setting, with an interpretive plaque placed in front.

Samuel Lount and Peter Matthews: Patriots of 1837

William Lyon Mackenzie King

William Lyon Mackenzie King: Canada’s Longest-Serving Prime Minister

A vintage black‑and‑white portrait of Jennie Smilie Robertson shown from the waist up, wearing a high‑collared lace blouse and a dark jacket, framed within an oval border against a plain background.

Jennie Smillie Robertson: Canada’s First Woman Surgeon