About

History

The history of St. Margaret’s Cemetery dates back to 1832 when Simon Washburn conveyed property to and for the use and benefit of the inhabitants of the Township of Scarborough then being members of the Church of England, as a churchyard and burying ground for the inhabitants of the township.

The historical chapel dates back to 1832 and sits proudly on the grounds of the cemetery. Our old cemetery has burials recorded since the 18^th century that tell a tale of the days gone by.

In 1928 an Act of the Legislature of the Province of Ontario vested responsibility for the Cemetery to a board of trustees.

The historic plaque in the cemetery yard was erected by the Scarborough Historical Society in 1973, and reads as follows:

“Scarborough’s first Anglican Church was built in 1833 on a two acre lot given for a church yard and burying ground by Simon E. Washburn, Clerk of the Home District and a Church Warden of St. James’ York. The church was named after his wife, Margaret Fitzgibbon, and the saintly eleventh century Queen of Scotland. Early services in the parish were conducted by Dr. John Strachan’s divinity students and masters of Upper Canada College until the appointment of the first resident clergyman, Rev. William H. Norris in 1840. A brick parsonage was built on six acres adjoining the churchyard in 1857, and provided a comfortable home for successive clergy for 100 years. The original wooden church, destroyed by fire in 1904, was replaced in 1905 by the small brick building still standing in the cemetery.”

Location & Maintenance

The cemetery, which is jointly maintained by St. Margaret’s-in-the-Pines Anglican Church and Christ Church, Scarborough, includes about 14 acres of usable cemetery space located just north and west of Kingston Road and Lawrence Avenues East, on the west side of St. Margaret in-the-Pines Anglican Church. The cemetery also encompasses a historical chapel.

The cemetery strives to provide a safe, respectful and caring haven for our community and at the same time maintain the integrity of the cemetery and its history. As a not for profit, the revenue generated by the cemetery is used for the upkeep of the grounds, maintenance, improvements and expansion, amongst other things.

The cemetery staff and the board of trustees meet regularly to ensure the smooth operation of the cemetery, to explore new ways of improving the cemetery and to provide a caring and empathetic experience for our clients.

Some of the projects for the cemetery in the pipeline include:
– Putting up signage for easy navigation around the cemetery grounds
– Further expansion of the cemetery
– Setting up Scattering Garden
– Setting up Columbarium

Keep an eye on our website for new updates as they happen.