Ross Bay Cemetery - Statuary

Most of the graves are marked with simple stone memorial markers with the name, dates of birth and death and perhaps a phrase or quotation or a bit of biographical information. Some grave markers are quite ornate with symbols of employment such as anchors for seamen or organizational symbols such as Masonic symbols. Other graves are marked by statuary such as above or other stone carvings in relief such as below. While I suspect much of the sculpture is generic it ages well and makes me wish we had more sculpture scattered around other parts of the city.

Ross Bay Cemetery - Religions

Originally the inhabitants of the graveyard were buried in different sections according to their religious affiliations - Anglican, Presbyterian, or Methodist, etc. There was also a section for non-Christian burials where "heathens" were interred. Above and below are two of the memorials in the Catholic section. The statue above overlooks a number of graves of the Sisters of St. Clare, an order of nuns.

Ross Bay Cemetery - Flowers in January

Our weather seems to have been unseasonably warm for the last few weeks but I was still surprised at how many flowering plants were already beginning to grow and even to bloom. Cut flowers on a grave are nice when they are fresh but I think I'd rather be remembered by the daffodils sprouting over the grave above. On a nearby grave there were even some crocuses blooming. I suspect the flowers in Ross Bay are a bit precocious because of being close to the seafront and its moderating influence. There were also lots of snowdrops which seem somehow particularly appropriate for a cemetery.

Ross Bay Cemetery - Sir James Douglas

I mentioned on Saturday that the Ross Bay Cemetery holds many Victoria citizens who were prominent in the early days of the city. Probably none is more significant than Sir James Douglas, who founded the city and governed the colony during its early days. He was a Hudson's Bay Company factor as was Alexander Ross, who gave his name to the bay and the cemetery that faces it. A number of the older graves such as Sir James' are surrounded by wrought iron fences. This ironwork is often quite ornate.

Saanich

I know pictures of quiet country back roads are so cliche. I like a good cliche, it's like hot chocolate on a drizzly day, completely unsurprising but delicious all the same.- Fern