With the colder months approaching and the leaves beginning to fall, many are preparing themselves for Halloween. However, while death is generally an avoided topic in modern society and its more frightening aspects over emphasized for the spooky season, concepts of the afterlife were not so distant during the Villa’s early days.

For the Victorian settler, death was interwoven into society. When one immigrated to Canada, the threat of illness such as scarlet fever or smallpox was not uncommon and literature from this time may highlight the focus on founding a home as marking one’s final place of rest. This is not surprising as early settlers often were buried near or upon their own property. However, as Victoria grew so did the number of burials and soon communal sites were established. This only increased the visibility of death as cemeteries were now becoming part of the city’s urban landscape.

Ross Bay Cemetery has been in use since 1873, and from the beginning it was designed to be a place of tranquility and reflection. The winding pathways and botanical ornamentation were meant to entice visitors not to shut them out. Cemeteries were designed for the community to engage with and contemplate the concept of the afterlife.

Our neighboring cemetery not only shares geographical history with the Villa but also preserves the final resting place of our founding owner Frank Roscoe, who passed away at the age of 48 in 1878.

We share our space with The Old Cemeteries Society which has worked to preserve Victoria’s rich genealogical history and to maintain the city’s integral burial grounds for decades. The Society keeps an office in one of two original children’s bedrooms within the Villa where much of their hard work is conducted, but they also offer many wonderful historical tours (including Ross Bay Cemetery) which can be found here: https://oldcem.bc.ca/tours/tours-schedule/

So, this autumn, consider taking a stroll through the cemetery as a Victorian would. To engage with the concept of death, not with trepidation but as an act of remembrance to those that came before you. And don’t forget to visit Mr. Roscoe while you’re at it (Located just near the main entrance in plot B.)