Copyright 2008, QAHN,
400-257 Queen Street,
Sherbrooke (Lennoxville), Quebec J1M 1K7 

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:

The Quebec Anglophone Heritage Network gratefully acknowledges the financial contributions of both the Department of Canadian Heritage and Townshippers’ Research and Cultural Foundation towards the completion of this inventory.

The following persons and organizations have been instrumental in compiling information for this study. Without their diligent research, fieldwork, background information and directional assistance, this project would not have been possible: Judy Antle, Isabell MacArthur Beattie, Keith Bennett, Jeanie Boutin, Wells Coates, Nelson and Barbara Couvrette, Joan Cruickshank, Cathy Curtis, Heather Darch, Marilyn Davis, Sylvia Fendle, John Fowles, Elaine Fuller, Esther and Don Healy, Jim Kyle, Adelaide Lanktree, Janet Burns Laroche, Harold Linton, Milt and Bev Loomis, Peter Marshall, Megantic-Compton Cemetery and Church Association (MCCCA), Missisquoi Historical Society (MHS), Russell Nichols, Leslie Nutbrown, (the late) Phil Poaps, Potton Heritage Association (PHA), Kevin Pryce, Richmond County Historical Society (RCHS), Stuart Shea, Stanstead Historical Society (SHS), Sandra Stock, Margaret Vokey, Serge Wagner and Elaine Wilson. 

INTRODUCTION:

In October 2007, QAHN launched its Cemetery Heritage Inventory and Restoration Initiative ( CHIRI). A key component of this initiative was an inventory of cemeteries historically connected to English-speaking communities in four regions of Quebec and deemed to be “at risk.”

The following is a brief overview of the methodology used in conducting this inventory, the problems observed by researchers at the various cemeteries they visited, and QAHN’s recommendations for solving some of these problems. We then present a summary of our findings, by region, followed by the individual evaluations themselves. These are organized by region, with each region ordered alphabetically by MRC and by cemetery name.

METHODOLOGY

SCOPE:

EVALUATION FORM:

Before undertaking this inventory, we first had to develop a standardized evaluation form. We wanted something that could be applied to cemeteries of all types and sizes, publicly or privately owned, across Quebec. Researchers could then use this form as a template for entering data and rating cemeteries according to a common set of variables.

We wanted researchers to record as much information as possible for each cemetery. The evaluation form therefore had to include both descriptive detail, such as name and location of the cemetery, name of the proprietor and/or custodian, historical background, current status, date of first and last burial, and so on; and a grading system whereby everything from the legibility of inscriptions, to the quality of gravestone repairs, to the condition of fences could be recorded.

A key component of the evaluation form was the numerical grading system, whereby cemeteries could be graded on a scale of 1 to 100 points. Cemeteries with a grade of less than 50 points would be considered “at risk.” (See Appendices 1 & 2).

CEMETERY RESEARCHERS:

Because the geographic scope of this study was so broad, we needed to enlist the help of researchers in the different regions. Researchers would conduct fieldwork and report back to CHIRI project leader Matthew Farfan.

Heather Darch and Judy Antle (Missisquoi Historical Society) were recruited from Montérégie; Sandra Stock (Morin Heights Historical Association) conducted fieldwork in the Laurentians (with additional sites in the Outaouais); and Leslie Nutbrown and Matthew Farfan evaluated cemeteries in Estrie and Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean. Many other individuals and organizations provided additional leads, background, grading information and directions to “at risk” cemeteries. The names of researchers and their sources of information are included with each completed cemetery evaluation form. 

FIELDWORK:

Field research took place between October 2007 and March 2008, with the bulk of it carried out before the early snow curtailed cemetery visits in November. Researchers visited cemeteries in their areas, taking notes and photographs and collecting background information whenever possible. When visits proved impractical, findings were based on reliable first-hand information. Additional research on some cemeteries was conducted throughout the winter.

Once completed, cemetery evaluations, supplemented in many cases with comments from the researchers and photographs, were submitted to the project leader. They were then double-checked for accuracy and consistency (vis-à-vis other completed cemetery evaluations), with occasional minor adjustments being made to numerical grades when these seemed either too high or two low. In this way, consistency was maintained throughout the process, compensating for differences of approach among researchers and for the subjectivity that inevitably enters any personal evaluation. A WORK IN PROGRESS:

The scope of this project has been vast and the inventory is not exhaustive. For example, the Châteauguay Valley and surrounding areas of southwest Quebec – a region thought to contain no fewer than 200 cemeteries – have not yet been included. Snow also put an early halt to cemetery visits, so some areas (e.g., Missisquoi) have yet to be completed. In addition, people are still reporting the existence of burial grounds that they feel should be included in our inventory. So, this inventory should really be considered a work in progress.

It should also be remembered that conditions at any given cemetery may improve (or deteriorate) at a future date. Therefore, this inventory should be seen as a “snapshot” at this particular point in time. 

PROBLEMS OBSERVED BY FIELDWORKERS:

1) LACK OF PERSONNEL:

Probably the main problem facing the cemeteries we have classified as being at risk is an aging population and a dwindling pool of committed, local, able-bodied volunteers. In some cases, communities that were once vibrant are dying out or have already disappeared, leaving cemeteries with no one to look after them in the vicinity, and few people with family connections to people buried there.

Cemeteries that once had active associations managing them are now being overseen by a handful (at best) of senior citizens. In some cases, surviving trustees live outside the area, often at an extreme distance, limiting their involvement in the cemetery to almost nil. In cases where communities have died out, meetings and maintenance are sporadic, with cemeteries falling into neglect or abandonment. These problems are acute in the Laurentians and Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, as well as in parts of Estrie and Montérégie, where the English-speaking population is diminishing.

2) PUBLIC INDIFFERENCE / LACK OF RESPECT:

A problem noted by many of the people we spoke to is the sheer lack of interest in cemeteries among the general population, and among the younger generation especially. At some cemeteries, indifference has mutated into a more active disregard. In such cases, cemeteries are no longer seen as the sacred places they were meant to be; nor as oases of peace and contemplation; nor as heritage sites to be preserved. They are dark places at the fringes of society, places to avoid, places to vandalize, places to forget…

Contributing to this state of affairs are a number of factors: the marginalization of religion in society; a widespread unease with the subject of death and the rituals associated with it; urbanization (with the resulting decline in the rural population and a loss of connection to rural spaces among city dwellers); an increased mobility among the population (people are much less likely than before to live in one place all their lives); and the devotion of available free time to family, popular entertainment and other interests (as opposed to charitable pursuits).

An aggravating factor in areas where the English population has been replaced by a French one is the fact that people are much less likely to feel a connection to a cemetery to which they have no familial or historic ties.

Added to all of these things is the fact that history and heritage have traditionally appealed to the older generation. And cemetery management definitely tends to draw from this segment of the population.

3) ORGANIZATIONAL PROBLEMS:

Another problem that we have identified, and one that is connected to the above-mentioned issues, is the lack of, or poor, organization found in many traditionally Anglophone cemeteries in Quebec. Far too many cemeteries hold meetings only occasionally – such as when a major expense needs approval or when a board member quits or dies. Basic grass cutting (and little more) is the priority, and this at the expense of gravestone repair. Caretaking duties are contracted out or performed by volunteers, with no thought to long-term planning. The result is that many cemeteries simply muddle through, doing the minimum possible, with little or no effort to recruit new members, raise funds, or plan for the future. Indeed, we have even cemetery associations with sizeable endowments that are still reluctant to spend their money on long overdue repairs. The purse strings are kept tightly fastened, while all the while the gravestones are falling apart -- left where they fall or placed somewhere at the edge of the graveyard for someone else to deal with at some future date which, of course, never arrives.

In some cases, cemetery associations have become dormant, existing only on paper. The president and secretary may continue (in name) in their functions for years at a time without being replaced. Little if any business is conducted, however, and eventually the association lapses.

Surprisingly, organization is a problem even when a church (United or Anglican, for example) is the owner of the cemetery. We have found that there is a profound indifference among many church officials towards the cemeteries under their care, and an unwillingness to invest in the upkeep of cemetery properties and gravestones. Church attendance is diminishing, and with it, revenue. So, quite understandably, church officials are reluctant to part with the meager income they have, which they feel would be better spent on church (not cemetery) upkeep. Cemeteries are a much lower priority than church buildings.

This lack of interest is even more acute where congregations (and church buildings) have disappeared, leaving only the cemetery as a reminder of the church’s presence in the area. In some cases, church officials have no knowledge of the existence of cemeteries under their charge.

4) PRIVATE OWNERSHIP:

Many cemeteries, particularly in the older parts of Estrie and Montérégie, are situated on private property. Like other types of private property, these cemeteries – for the most part family or neighbourhood burial grounds that never had cadastral numbers, legal servitudes, or cemetery associations attached to them – belong to those who hold title to them.

Private ownership of cemeteries raises a host of questions. Is public access enshrined in the deeds? Is it at least tolerated by the landowners? Is anyone caring for the cemetery? If so, how are the gravestones and grounds being maintained? Is there a desire on the part of the owner to maintain the cemetery? Is the cemetery seen by the owner as a heritage site or as a place worthy of dignity? If not, what recourse, if any, do descendants of those buried there (or the general public) have?

5) POOR OR NON-EXISTENT CONSERVATION PRACTICES:

An almost universal problem (with a handful of exceptions) is the fact that there is very little – if any – conservation being done on old gravestones. What conservation is being carried out is usually of an amateur, slipshod nature. Commonly, cements or epoxies are applied badly and with no knowledge of the long-term effects such treatments will have on gravestones or on the aesthetic qualities of the cemetery as a whole.

There is a general lack of technical knowledge about how to repair broken gravestones so that repairs will last, so that they will not do more damage than good, and so that they will be aesthetically pleasing. Some of the repair methods popular a century ago have proven quite detrimental to gravestones over the long term; the same may be true of modern methods that are not properly applied. Simply put, cemetery caretakers are at a loss about what to do, and where to turn for guidance.

Another disturbing practice is the consolidation of stones into straight, easy-to-mow rows, or into cement cairns. Removal of stones from their gravesites destroys their historic context and does irreparable damage to the heritage value of the cemetery. We have observed this practice at a number of cemeteries in Estrie and Montérégie. No doubt, in some instances, it was done as a last resort, as a means of salvaging stones that had already become separated from their original gravesites. But it has also been done as a way of facilitating cemetery maintenance.

In general, cemeteries are seen more as simply repositories of the dead and not so much (as they should be) as heritage sites worthy of preservation. So the stones they contain are not given the respect, and are not as jealously conserved as they would be if these sites were appreciated more for their historic value.

6) VANDALISM AND THEFT:

Vandalism and theft are sporadic at some cemeteries; inexistent at others. And there seems to be no direct correlation between a cemetery’s isolation (or its proximity to human activity) and the likelihood (or not) of it becoming a target. A cemetery may be situated in the heart of a village and surrounded by homes on a well-lit street. Or it may be found on an isolated back road, kilometers from any house or light. In either case, it may be targeted. Paradoxically, each of these types of situations may help to protect it from attack.

Two observations may be noted here. First, vandalism is conducted at night and usually in the darker recesses of the cemetery. Second, it usually involves youths with too much time on their hands. Lights and houses are good deterrents. So are police. But of course, if no one knows a cemetery is there, it likely won’t be “hit” – meaning that privately owned cemeteries located far from the road are strangely the most immune – at least from vandalism (if not theft or encroachment).

7) THE NATURAL ELEMENTS:

Cemeteries that have become neglected for any period of time quickly fall prey to the natural elements. Trees and vegetation tend to encroach in just a few short years. Larger trees can do quite a bit of damage if their roots and trunks are permitted to grow too close to gravestones. It is not uncommon to see gravestones in long untended cemeteries embedded in the trunks of trees. Falling branches can do damage, as well, shattering a gravestone in an instant. And gravestones that are allowed to fall over without being righted are covered by grass and eventually by rotting vegetation. Over time, these stones become saturated with moisture and crumble.

8) POLLUTION:

Air pollution is most often a problem in cemeteries situated close to large urban or industrial centres or along major highways. Blackened or eroded stone is a symptom of this problem.

9) ENCROACHMENT / DEVELOPMENT:

Encroachment by neighbouring property owners is a problem that occurs most often when cemeteries appear untended for any length of time, and particularly when they are unfenced.

Encroachment, may not be immediately apparent. In some cases, it occurs in increments; in others, at a quicker pace. We have seen examples of farmers moving gravestones so that they could increase their acreage under cultivation. In at least one case, a farmer shifted inwards an entire fence surrounding a cemetery in the middle of his field so that the area enclosed was considerably smaller than it was at the start. Indeed, there are cases where entire cemeteries -- usually old family burial grounds -- have disappeared altogether, bulldozed and forgotten forever.

The problem is not restricted to graveyards on private property. A case in point is the enclaved Hill Top Cemetery in Fitch Bay, which dates back to the early 1800s. This cemetery, although it has been completely abandoned for years, nevertheless has its own distinct lot. This, however, has not stopped homeowners in a nearby sub-development from extending their lawns into the grounds and pilfering slate gravestones for use as front steps or as lawn ornaments. The theft of gravestones for use as paving stones, steps or garden art is a growing problem.

10) MONEY:

Money is a concern at cemeteries that have not been able to build endowments through bequests or donations. While some associations have been fortunate in this regard and are able to operate off of the interest from their investments, this is not the case everywhere. Many cemeteries, especially small rural cemeteries and those attached to a church, are continually strapped for cash. Efforts to raise money are minimal and usually cover only bare maintenance. There isn’t sufficient expertise or leadership to undertake any kind of major financial campaign. And rarely is a program in place to repair stones – and extremely rarely does it involve proper restoration. Cemeteries on private land, of course, usually have no funding whatsoever, unless they have been taken under the wing of an organization such as the Missisquoi Historical Society or the Barnston Heritage Cemeteries Association. 

RECOMMENDATIONS:

Based on the preceding, QAHN would like to make the following recommendations.

1) Ideally, a complete inventory of cemeteries across Quebec should be undertaken, including not just cemeteries currently at risk, but all cemeteries. This inventory should incorporate a grading system, along the lines of the one developed by QAHN. QAHN’s own Inventory gives an excellent indication of the scope of the problems facing cemeteries in the province, but a complete study is essential. Before any further steps are taken on a provincial level, we must know what we have. A similar recommendation was made by the Commission de la culture sur l’avenir du patrimoine religieux in 2006.

2) There needs to be a concerted effort among interested parties across Quebec to educate the general public (especially the younger generation) and cemetery custodians in particular about the place that cemeteries hold in our society – not merely as repositories of the dead, but as important heritage sites worthy of preservation. Local historical societies, heritage groups, heritage activists, and community organizations can all play a role in this process. Publications, a media campaign and educational programs can help foster greater awareness in our society of cemeteries and the problems they face. Municipal and provincial governments should play a leading role, since it is quite possible that many cemeteries will survive only through legislative protection and government funding.

3) The Government of Quebec should set up a fund for cemetery restoration and maintenance, preferably one that is completely independent of existing funding programs for churches and other religious heritage sites. The fund could be similar in nature to the one administered by the Conseil du patrimoine religieux du Québec. However, given the magnitude of the problem, the number of cemeteries privately owned or owned by an association or company with no religious affiliation, and the priority that has traditionally been placed on religious architecture (as opposed to cemeteries), a fund should be devoted strictly to cemeteries -- and to cemeteries of all types. A rating system could be developed to determine the heritage value of each cemetery.

4) The Government of Quebec should set up a program, with appropriate funding, for training specialists in the proper restoration and care of gravestones and cemeteries. Presently there are few people working in this field in Quebec. This could be organized through the Centre de conservation du Québec, or as part of a university degree or cegep program. A directory of specialists could then be created so that cemeteries in need would have somewhere to turn for help. A similar recommendation was made in 2006 by the Commission de la culture – at least in terms of training and technical support for proprietors of “religious heritage.”

5) The Government of Quebec should set up a program whereby students could get meaningful summer work experience as part of a “cemetery youth corps.” The mandate of this corps would be to help volunteer cemetery trustees or landowners conduct basic clean up operations (grass cutting, fence mending, brush cutting, etc.) at neglected cemeteries. The program would include training, followed by hands-on fieldwork. It could be administered by Emploi-Quebec, possibly as a pilot project in the Eastern Townships or some other region where many cemeteries can be found within a small geographic area. It could take place in partnership with heritage groups (such as QAHN) and local cemetery associations. The program would not only help cemetery associations that are struggling and contribute towards the preservation of our heritage, but it would also help spread awareness among youth about the importance of cemeteries as heritage sites. An added bonus would be that it would foster team spirit, leadership and organizational skills among participants, tools that would serve them throughout their lives.

6) The Government of Quebec should amend its cemeteries laws -- both Catholic and non-Catholic -- to reflect a greater respect for cemeteries as spiritual grounds and as final resting places (in every sense of the word) for those interred there. Laws need to protect from disinterment or desecration not only the bodies beneath the ground, but also the gravestones that mark these burials. Cemeteries as ensembles also need to be protected. Catholic cemetery law needs to be re-written so that cemetery companies are no longer free to do as they please with “abandoned” plots. Cemeteries situated on private property need to be protected, as well. Perhaps a province-wide moratorium on the destruction of cemeteries and gravestones should be considered. Laws, such as the Cemetery Companies Act, should be clarified, so that the rights and responsibilities of all concerned (i.e., caretakers, landowners and visitors) are understood by all and no longer the subject of speculation. Rights of access to cemeteries on private property should be enshrined for caretakers and visitors alike.

7) Municipalities should be encouraged to cite cemeteries of local historical significance as heritage sites. Citation at the municipal level offers heritage sites both protection and potentially funding at the municipal level. It also renders them eligible for funding from the Fonds du patrimoine culturel québécois, and places them in the Répertoire du patrimoine culturel du Québec. Municipal citation is a useful tool for safeguarding privately owned burial grounds from destruction by landowners.

8) Grave desecration -- of both bodies and gravestones -- should be recognized and punished as a crime in Canada. The Criminal Code should be amended to reflect this. All too often cemetery vandalism and theft are treated as pranks or as minor offences barely worthy of prosecution. The dead should be accorded the respect they deserve. And their final resting place should remain just that -- final.

9) Laws should be enacted forbidding the re-sale of old gravestones. Such legislation has already been passed in some jurisdictions in the United States (Massachusetts, for example), and serves as a deterrent to gravestones theft.

10) Custodians of established cemeteries should be encouraged to take on the management of nearby orphaned cemeteries, to at least ensure a basic level of upkeep, proper signage, and so on. Associated legal and administrative costs could be funded through the new provincial cemetery fund.

11) Cemetery custodians should be encouraged to reach out to a broader segment of the population. They need to expand their demographic base. For example, traditionally English cemetery associations should involve French-speaking volunteers interested in heritage; they should endeavor to make the cemetery a historic site for the area, not just for local English speakers.

12) Cemetery custodians need to think creatively in terms of fundraising. Fundraising and other cemetery activities need to be kept in the public eye through constant media publicity. The cemetery should be turned into a “cause” – and efforts should be aimed not just at a certain segment of the population but at everyone. Cemeteries can also be marketed as local tourist attractions, with guided tours offered for a fee. A tour of local cemeteries can even be published, the profits from sales going towards upkeep.

13) Heritage tourism, an ever-growing sector of the overall tourism industry in Quebec, should better reflect the importance of cemeteries as heritage sites. Cemeteries can be fascinating places to visit, tranquil enclaves within towns and villages, offering respite from the noise and traffic of the world around them, or pleasant stops along quiet country roads. They can be incorporated into tours of regional heritage sites or they can be the attractions themselves. In either case, cemeteries and the history they contain represent potentially important assets in the heritage tourism sector. 

FINDINGS:

SUMMARY:

Researchers have examined 311 cemeteries to date -- a considerable sample by any definition. Out of that number, we have classified 130, or 41.8 %, as being at risk. Many of these may be considered severely at risk. A further 27 cemeteries, or 8.7 %, have disappeared altogether. When combined, these figures total over half of all the cemeteries considered for this study. This is alarming, to say the least. And these numbers will almost certainly rise if the trends we have observed continue.

FINDINGS (BY ADMINISTRATIVE REGION):

FINDINGS ( CEMETERIES AT RISK):

TABLE ONE:

TABLE TWO:

TABLE THREE:

TABLE FOUR:

FINDINGS ( OTHER CEMETERIES REVIEWED BUT NOT AT RISK):

TABLE FIVE: