Tales of the Dead

Step through the gates of St. James Cemetery and discover monuments, memorials, and gravestones that reveal surprising stories of the people who helped build the city. Among the cemetery’s winding paths lie politicians, artists, business leaders, architects, scientists, and other prominent Torontonians. On this walk, we’ll uncover tales of murder, suicide, scandal, disease, duels, body snatching, and sacrifice that reveal the darker and more unexpected sides of life, and death, in Toronto. Along the way, we’ll visit the graves of Alice and Nellie Pitezel, two young sisters whose murders became part of the infamous crimes of serial killer H. H. Holmes; John J. McLaughlin, the Toronto pharmacist and chemist who created Canada Dry Ginger Ale; and William and Samuel Jarvis, influential figures in early Toronto whose legacies include political power, allegations of corruption, and the naming of Jarvis Street. Join us among the tombstones and discover what the dead can tell us about the city of the living. This emerging historian and volunteer tour will be led by Selma Elkhazin and Gilles Huot. Selma Elkhazin is an urban planner and historian who uses heritage as a tool to work towards unity between humans and within Black community. She is currently a Strategist for Monumental Projects, working to build more equitable cities through policies, frameworks, and programs. Prior to this role, Selma was the Program Coordinator and Manager of Public Programs at Heritage Toronto. Gilles Huot is a long-time Cabbagetown resident started his long civil service career in communications, transitioned to policy work, and worked in planning and funding postgraduate medical education before retiring. One of Gilles’ passions is the history of his adopted city, Toronto. Gilles chairs the CPA Walking Tour and Cabbagetown People committees and volunteers with other organizations such as the Royal Ontario Museum, la Société d’histoire de Toronto, and Heritage Toronto. Mausoleum of James Austin, founder of The Dominion Bank, St. James Cemetery, August 31, 2017. Image by Jeff Hitchcock. Licensed under CC BY 2.0. Chapel of St. James-the-Less, St. James Cemetery. December 12 2021. Tour of the Toronto Necropolis, May 30, 2019. Image by Kristen McLaughlin. Registration This tour is provided for $8.00/person. The total cost is $10.05 (includes a $2.05 transaction fee). Please note that space is limited on our tours. You may not be able to join a tour group if you have not registered ahead of time through our website. Map heading – change value in settings Accessibility This tour is approximately 1 kilometre, mostly on unpaved paths and grass lawns. FAQs What should I do if I can’t find the group at the start location?+ Our staff and volunteers will be at the tour’s starting location 30 minutes prior to each tour. Please arrive at least 10-15 minutes prior to the start of the tour to allow time for check-in. Feel free to call us at (647) 542-3450 if you are having trouble finding the start location. Sponsors More Like This Article Black History Unburied: Toronto Necropolis Beyond the Grave The Necropolis Cemetery is home to some of Toronto's most notable and somewhat notorious changemakers, and some of the most important Black figures from the 19th century who laid their mark in building the city through their own contributions. What does the Necropolis tell us about their stories and their impact in the making of modern Toronto? Article City Kids to Farm Hands: The Home Children Between 1869 and 1948, over 100,000 children were brought to Canada from Britain through a juvenile emigration program. Dr. Barnardo arranged for many children to be sent to Toronto, where they were sent to work on farms or serve as domestic help. Known as the "Home Children," their story is one of survival and perseverance. Event Plaque City Trace the origins of one of North America's oldest and most active plaque programs through the plaques themselves.