Mount Royal Cemetery ( French: Cimetière Mont-Royal) is a terraced cemetery on the north slope of

Mount Royal Mount Royal (, ) is a mountain in the city of Montreal, immediately west of Downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The city's name is derived from the mountain's name. The mountain is part of the Monteregian Hills situated between the Laurentian M ...

in the borough of Outremont in

Montreal Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...

Quebec Quebec is Canada's List of Canadian provinces and territories by area, largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, ...

, Canada. It opened in 1852. Temple Emanu-El Cemetery, a

Reform Judaism Reform Judaism, also known as Liberal Judaism or Progressive Judaism, is a major Jewish religious movements, Jewish denomination that emphasizes the evolving nature of Judaism, the superiority of its Jewish ethics, ethical aspects to its ceremo ...

burial ground, is within the Mount Royal grounds. The burial ground shares the mountain with the much larger adjacent

Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...

cemetery,

Notre Dame des Neiges Cemetery Notre Dame des Neiges Cemetery (, ) is a rural cemetery located in the borough of Côte-des-Neiges-Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, which was founded in 1854. The entrance and the grounds run along a part of Côte-des-Neiges Ro ...

, and the Shaar Hashomayim Cemetery, an

Ashkenazi Jewish Ashkenazi Jews ( ; also known as Ashkenazic Jews or Ashkenazim) form a distinct subgroup of the Jewish diaspora, that Ethnogenesis, emerged in the Holy Roman Empire around the end of the first millennium Common era, CE. They traditionally spe ...

cemetery. Mount Royal Cemetery is bordered on the southeast by Mount Royal Park, on the west by Notre-Dame-des-Neiges Cemetery, and on the north by Shaar Hashomayim Cemetery. It is known for its stunning views, birdwatching, cheery mix of old and new graves, meticulous upkeep, and diversity of trees. In the springtime, the Lilac Knoll section is flush with hydrangeas, and autumn leaf walking tours are frequent. Although the cemetery is

non-denominational A non-denominational person or organization is one that does not follow (or is not restricted to) any particular or specific religious denomination. The term has been used in the context of various faiths, including Jainism, Baháʼí Faith, Zoro ...

today, it continues to be governed by its original charter, with a board of trustees representing the founding

Protestant Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...

denominations. The cemetery is a private

non-profit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO), also known as a nonbusiness entity, nonprofit institution, not-for-profit organization, or simply a nonprofit, is a non-governmental (private) legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public, or so ...

. While most sections of the cemetery are mixed, there are ‘neighbourhoods’ suitable for different communities and their burial needs, with rich histories. Burial rights have always been offered in perpetuity, with the commitment that no graves would ever be reused or abandoned. The founding charter stipulates that all profits should be entirely devoted to the embellishment and improvement of the property. Mount Royal Cemetery is still in operation, and even the older portions of the cemetery have some burial sites available, although casket-sized graves are increasingly in short supply.

Design

Crematory

The first crematory in Canada was built by Sir Andrew Taylor in 1901 on the eastern side of the Mount Royal Cemetery property with funds donated by Sir William Christopher Macdonald, a well-known tobacco

tycoon A business magnate, also known as an industrialist or tycoon, is a person who is a powerful entrepreneur and investor who controls, through personal enterprise ownership or a dominant shareholding position, a firm or industry whose goods or ser ...

and great

philanthropist Philanthropy is a form of altruism that consists of "private initiatives for the public good, focusing on quality of life". Philanthropy contrasts with business initiatives, which are private initiatives for private good, focusing on material ...

. This building is the oldest of its kind in the country and it remained the only crematorium in

until 1975. The first cremation took place on April 18, 1902. Built with Montreal limestone, the original building had a

chapel A chapel (from , a diminutive of ''cappa'', meaning "little cape") is a Christianity, Christian place of prayer and worship that is usually relatively small. The term has several meanings. First, smaller spaces inside a church that have their o ...

, a room for the cremation chambers, a large winter storage vault and a conservatory filled with exotic plants. In the 1950s, for maintenance reasons, the conservatory was demolished but the original chapel, on the left of the building, is still intact with a handmade mosaic floor and casket-door that lowers to the crematorium and prep rooms beneath. The gatehouse to the left of the Chemin de la Forêt entrance, as well as the cemetery office, are some of the original structures — waiting attendants used to wait in the gatehouse for their carriages during the winter.

War Graves section

The cemetery contains 459 war graves of Commonwealth service personnel, 276 from World War I and 183 from World War II, most of which form two War Plots in Section G. A Cross of Sacrifice stands on the boundary with Notre-Dame-des-Neiges Cemetery. Military graves at Mount Royal did not take significance until World War I, when Canada lost over 60 000 soldiers. After this event, the population of the city started taking public memory more seriously, and gave an entire section of the cemetery to war veterans and fallen soldiers.Young, Brian with photographs by Geoffrey James. Respectable Burial: Montreal’s Mount Royal Cemetery. Montreal: McGill-Queen’s University Press, 2003.

Notable interments

Prominent people interred in the cemetery include the following: * Sir John Abbott (1821–1893), prime minister of Canada * Sir Hugh Allan (1810–1882), financier and shipping magnate * Sir Montagu Allan (1860–1951), businessman,

Hockey Hall of Fame The Hockey Hall of Fame () is a museum and hall of fame located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League (NHL) records, memorabilia and National Hockey Le ...

member * Richard Bladworth Angus (1831–1922), banker * Henry Birks (1840–1928), businessman * William Thomas Benson (1824–1885), businessman, politician * Frank Calder (1877–1943),

National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...

executive * William Cecil Christmas (1879–1941), businessman,

Canada's Sports Hall of Fame Canada's Sports Hall of Fame (; sometimes referred to as the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame) is a Canadian sports hall of fame and museum in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Dedicated to the history of sports in Canada, it serves as a hall of fame and mu ...

* William Clark-Kennedy (1879–1961), Scots-born

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious decoration of the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British decorations system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British ...

recipient * Sir Arthur Currie (1875–1933), First World War military commander, educator * Sir Mortimer Barnett Davis (1866–1928), businessman and philanthropist *

Norman Dawe Robert Norman Dawe (October 18, 1898January 4, 1948) was a Canadian sports executive. He originated as an Official (ice hockey), ice hockey referee for minor ice hockey games in Verdun, Quebec, before becoming involved in the administrative asp ...

(1898–1948), Canadian sports executive * J. William Dawson (1820–1899), scientist, educator *

George Mercer Dawson George Mercer Dawson (August 1, 1849 – March 2, 1901) was a Canadian geologist and surveyor. He performed many early explorations in western North America and compiled numerous records of the native peoples. Biography He was born in ...

(1849–1901), scientist * William Dow (1800–1868), brewer and businessman * Sir George Alexander Drummond (1829–1910), entrepreneur * William Henry Drummond (1854–1907), Irish-Canadian poet, doctor * Edith Maude Eaton (1865–1914), author, a.k.a. "Sui Sin Far" * Phil Edwards (1907–1971), athlete, physician * Henry Ekers (1855–1937), Mayor of Montreal 1906–1908. * Charles Edward Frosst (1867–1948), pharmaceuticals manufacturer * Henry Fry (1826–1896), ship-broker, ship owner and commission merchant based in Quebec City * Sir Alexander Galt (1817–1893), businessman, statesman,

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Horatio Gates Horatio Lloyd Gates (July 26, 1727April 10, 1806) was a British-born American army officer who served as a general in the Continental Army during the early years of the American Revolutionary War, Revolutionary War. He took credit for the Ameri ...

(1777–1834), businessman, statesman * Samuel Gerrard (1767–1857), businessman * Hugh Graham, 1st Baron Atholstan (1848–1938), newspaper publisher * Frank Greenleaf (1877–1953), Canadian sports administrator * Joseph Guibord, (1809–1869), printer, temporarily interred here six years pending

litigation A lawsuit is a proceeding by one or more parties (the plaintiff or claimant) against one or more parties (the defendant) in a civil court of law. The archaic term "suit in law" is found in only a small number of laws still in effect today. ...

about his disputed burial in

in 1875 * Charles Melville Hays (1856–1912),

Grand Trunk Railway The Grand Trunk Railway (; ) was a Rail transport, railway system that operated in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario and in the List of states and territories of the United States, American sta ...

executive and ''

Titanic RMS ''Titanic'' was a British ocean liner that sank in the early hours of 15 April 1912 as a result of striking an iceberg on her maiden voyage from Southampton, England, to New York City, United States. Of the estimated 2,224 passengers a ...

'' victim * Charles Heavysege (1816–1876), author, poet * Sir Herbert Holt (1856–1941), financier * C. D. Howe (1886–1960), American-born politician and engineer * Margaret Kempe Howell (1806–1867), mother of Varina Davis and mother-in-law of

Jefferson Davis Jefferson F. Davis (June 3, 1808December 6, 1889) was an American politician who served as the only President of the Confederate States of America, president of the Confederate States from 1861 to 1865. He represented Mississippi in the Unite ...

Anna Leonowens Anna Harriette Leonowens (born Ann Hariett Emma Edwards; 5 November 1831 – 19 January 1915) was an Anglo-Indian or Indian-born British travel writer, educator, and social activist. She became well known with the publication of her memoirs, ...

(1834–1915), governess (Anna of '' Anna and the King of Siam''), founder of Nova Scotia College of Art and Design * Hannah Lyman (1816–1871), educator, biographer * Robert Mackay (1840–1916), businessman, statesman * Sir William C. Macdonald (1831–1917), tobacco manufacturer, philanthropist * John Wilson McConnell (1877–1963), publisher, philanthropist * David Ross McCord (1844–1930), lawyer, philanthropic founder of the McCord Museum of Canadian History * Air Vice Marshall F.S. McGill (1894–1980), professional athlete, businessman, RCAF officer * John Jones McGill (1860–1942), industrialist, philanthropist *

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(1789–1860), businessman, municipal politician * Duncan McIntyre (1834–1894), businessman * Earle McLaughlin, (1915–1991) cresident & chairman,

Royal Bank of Canada Royal Bank of Canada (RBC; ) is a Canadian multinational Financial institution, financial services company and the Big Five (banks), largest bank in Canada by market capitalization. The bank serves over 20 million clients and has more than ...

* Charles Meredith (1854–1928), president of the

Montreal Stock Exchange The Montreal Exchange (MX; ), formerly the Montreal Stock Exchange (MSE), is a derivatives exchange, located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada that trades futures contracts and options on equities, indices, currencies, ETFs, energy and interest rates. ...

* Frederick Edmund Meredith (1862–1941), chancellor of Bishop's University * Sir Vincent Meredith (1850–1929), 1st Baronet of Montreal, president of the

Bank of Montreal The Bank of Montreal (, ), abbreviated as BMO (pronounced ), is a Canadian multinational Investment banking, investment bank and financial services company. The bank was founded in Montreal, Quebec, in 1817 as Montreal Bank, making it Canada ...

* William Campbell James Meredith (1904–1960), Dean of Law, McGill University * Shadrach Minkins (c. 1815–1875), American-born fugitive slave rescued from federal custody in Boston in 1851 * Hartland Molson (1907–2002), brewing magnate, World War II fighter pilot, statesman *

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(1763–1836), brewing tycoon * Colonel W. J. B. MacLeod Moore (born Kildare (Ireland), January 14, 1810, died Prescott (Ontario), September 10, 1890), founder of Masonic Knights Templar in Canada and Societas Roscruciana in Anglia (Canada) *

Howie Morenz Howard William Morenz (September 21, 1902 – March 8, 1937) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. Beginning in 1923, he played centre for three National Hockey League (NHL) teams: the Montreal Canadiens (in two stints), the Chicago Bla ...

(1902–1937), Hall of Fame ice hockey player *

Henry Morgan Sir Henry Morgan (; – 25 August 1688) was a Welsh privateer, plantation owner, and, later, the lieutenant governor of Jamaica. From his base in Port Royal, Jamaica, he and those under his command raided settlements and shipping ports o ...

(1819–1893), opened first department store in Canada * Frederick Cleveland Morgan (1881–1962), businessman, heir, philanthropist, and art collector *

Arthur Deane Nesbitt Group captain, Group Captain Arthur Deane Nesbitt (16 November 1910 – 22 February 1978) was a Canadian air force officer and businessman. Early life Nesbitt was born in Westmount, Quebec, the son of the very successful stockbroker and co-fo ...

(1910–1978), decorated soldier of World War II, stockbroker * Arthur J. Nesbitt (1880–1954), cofounder of Nesbitt Thomson & Co. and

Power Corporation of Canada Power Corporation of Canada is a management and holding company that focuses on financial services in North America, Europe and Asia. Its core holdings are insurance, retirement, wealth management and investment management, including a portfolio ...

* J. Aird Nesbitt (1907–1985), owner/operator of Ogilvy's department store in Montreal * Arno Niitov (1904–1989), Estonian singing teacher, and opera and concert baritone * William Notman (1826–1891), photographer and businessman * Alexander Walker Ogilvie (1829–1902), miller, statesman * William Watson Ogilvie (1835–1900) miller * Frank L. Packard (1877–1942), mystery writer * Thomas Kennedy Ramsay (1826–1886), jurist and judge * John Redpath (1796–1869), contractor, built the first sugar refinery in Canada * Elsie Reford (1872–1967), philanthropist and creator of the Jardins de Métis (Reford Gardens) in Grand-Métis * Robert Wilson Reford (1867–1951), shipping executive, artist, photographer *

Mordecai Richler Mordecai Richler (January 27, 1931 – July 3, 2001) was a Canadian writer. His best known works are ''The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz (novel), The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz'' (1959) and ''Barney's Version (novel), Barney's Versi ...

(1931–2001), author * Anne Savage (1896–1971), painter and art teacher * F. R. Scott (1899–1985), scholar * Francis Scrimger (1880–1937), physician,

recipient * Sir George Simpson (c1786–1860),

Hudson's Bay Company The Hudson's Bay Company (HBC), originally the Governor and Company of Adventurers of England Trading Into Hudson’s Bay, is a Canadian holding company of department stores, and the oldest corporation in North America. It was the owner of the ...

administrator, explorer, author * Denis Stairs (1889–1980), chairman, Montreal Engineering Co. * George Washington Stephens (1832–1904), businessman, lawyer, politician, philanthropist * David Thompson (1770–1857), mapmaker, astronomer and explorer * David Torrance (1805–1876), merchant, banker * John Torrance (1786–1870), merchant, shipper * Jocelyn Gordon Whitehead (1895–1954), delivered the fatal sucker punch to magician

Harry Houdini Erik Weisz (March 24, 1874 – October 31, 1926), known professionally as Harry Houdini ( ), was a Hungarian-American escapologist, illusionist, and stunt performer noted for his escape acts. Houdini first attracted notice in vaudeville in ...

Ernest Henry Wilson Ernest Henry "Chinese" Wilson (15 February 1876 – 15 October 1930), better known as E. H. Wilson, was a British plant collector and explorer who introduced a large range of about 2,000 Asian plant species to the Western culture, West; some si ...

(1876–1930), notable British plant collector and explorer * Thomas Workman (1813–1889), businessman, politician, philanthropist * William Workman (1807–1878), businessman and municipal politician * John Francis Young (1893–1929), Victoria Cross recipient * Walter P. Zeller (1890–1957), founder of

Zellers Zellers was a Canadian discount store chain founded by Walter P. Zeller in 1931. It was acquired by the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) in 1978, and after a series of acquisitions and expansions, peaked with 350 locations in 1999. However, fierce ...

References

External links