Christie's Methodist Cemetery-Scarborough

 I have visited many cemeteries in my day, and while most have been lovely, some very interesting, and some even a little bit creepy, none have even been located in a malls parking lot.

I had no idea this place (the cemetery) existed, which is amazing since I have been coming to this area, and this mall, for the last few years. My husband's mother lives just down the street from this mall.

Christie's Cemetery is located in the parking lot of Bridlewood Mall, just outside the front doors of the Price Chopper. The mall is located on the corner of Warden and Finch, in Scarborough. The cemetery is very well kept, and amazingly hidden away in a tiny group of trees and bushes. The majority of the monuments have been erected into a cairn, but there are a few larger monuments still standing.

Christie’s Methodist Cemetery was founded in the 1840s in the township of Scarborough. The area had once been a densely forested land, but it was cleared and prepared for farming by Josue L’Amoreaux and his sons, a French Huguenot loyalist family. This area is actually still known as L'Amoreaux.

Isaac Christie and his wife Isabella Graeme, both immigrants from Armagh, Ireland, bought the 100-acre lot in 1836 and allowed local Wesleyan Methodists to set up a small wooden church among their fields. They are buried on the property, and their monuments still stand today. The majority of the burials date from the 1880s, but apparently, this site was active until the 1930's. The latest date on any of the current standing stones is 1906.

The original Methodist congregation was absorbed into the United Church of Canada in 1925. At that point, the original church was closed and people attended mass at another church not far from the original, unfortunately, it had a fire and the original church was once again opened up for a few years while repairs were being done. Eventually, the original church building was moved piece by piece to Buttonville in 1938.

Developer Select Properties Ltd. acquired the land in 1974.Many of the graves had been vandalized, and the area neglected in the 40 years since the church had moved to Buttonville. Select Properties tried to have the graves exhumed and moved. Luckily the Board of Trustees and the relatives of those buried in the cemetery protested, and due to Provincial Law at the time the people could not be exhumed without the permission of the next of kin. The trustees suggested that the graves be renovated and maintained in exchange for permission to build and operate the mall. Scarborough Council agreed, and the rest is history.

There was a concern by the project designer that people would be out off by walking by a cemetery prior to doing their shopping, and never want to return. It was even suggested that the cemetery should be called the "Pioneer Memorial Park", but as you can see by the sign, that name didn't stick. Also, from what I've seen online, most people seem to be enthused about the cemetery being there than anything.

 Sarah Jane Jackson, 1856-1906.

 John L.

 John Fletcher, son of Geo and Eliza A. Ley. Died Sept 12. 1881.

 Mary Ann, wife of Nathaniel Battrick. Died April 17, 1861. Aged 49 years.

 Mary Emily, daughter of Geo and Eliza A. Ley. Died 1876.
Clara Henrietta, daughter of Geo and Eliza A Ley.

 John Thomas, son of Henry and Hannah Branton. Died July 19, 1860. Aged 3 months.

 Isabella, wife of Isaac Christie. Died Oct 2, 1871. Aged 74 years.

 John Dix.

 Ann, wife of John Dix. Died Jan 11, 1871. Aged 58 years.

 Isaac Christie.

 James Cleland, died Feb 21, 1855. Aged 33 years.
Thomas Henry, died Jan 11, 1851. Aged 9 days.
Mary Jane,  died May 21, 1855. Aged 1 years.

 Henry Coultas, died Jan 15, 1850. Aged 71 years. A native of England.

 Ann Jebman, wife of George Ley. Died Dec 4, 1881, Aged 81 years.

 George Ley, died Nov 21, 1875. Aged 65 years.

 Mary Cameron, wife of Edwin Snider. Died May 2, 1863. Aged 35 years.

 Permelia, wife of John Roy. Died Jan 10, 1849. Aged 36 years.

 Elizabeth, wife of Hulet Wright. Died March 27, 1856. Aged 55 years.

 Alexander, died Dec 29, 1864.

 Unknown.

Maria Ann, daughter of John and MariaLubbuck. Died April 13, 1861. Aged 8 months.

 Rachel, wife of Joseph Bales. Died May 16, 1867. Aged 35 years.

 Charlotte, the wife of George Simpson, died 1872.

 John M, son of John and Catherine Wright. Died Jan 10, 1876. Aged 3 months.

 Bone, 4 family members but I can't read them.

 Mary Sarah Wright, wife of James Ley. Died June 25, 1885. Aged 38 years.
Elizabeth Ley, died Jan 25, 1886. Aged 49 years.

 John C. Morgan, died Jan 22, 1916. Aged 36 years.

 George Morgan, died Nov 21, 1876. Aged 83 years. A native of Co. Mayo, Ireland.
Jane F, his wife, died Feb 11, 1867. Aged 76 years.

 Eliza, wife of G.R. Thompson. Died Jan 19, 1877. Aged 36 years.
Rachel Christie, wife of Joseph Bales. 1832-1867.
Lavinia, wife of C.P. Thompson. Died Dec 23, 1879. Aged 37 years.
Isaac Christie, 1784-1866.
Isabella, his wife, 1787-1871.

 David Wright, died June 9, 1882. Aged 14 years.
John M. Wright, died June 19, 1882. Aged 2 years.
Florence Wright, died June 26, 1893. Aged 26 days.
Infant Daughter, April 15, 1884.
Mary E. Wright, died June 22, 1882. Aged 5 years.
John M. Wright, died Jan 10. Aged 3 months.

In August 2010, Toronto city council approved the construction of 8 new high rise building, varying from 7 to 20 odd stories on the Bridlewood Mall property. The developers have agreed to maintain the cemetery, and build it into a larger neighbourhood park. As of this date, there has been nothing done on the land to show that these buildings are actually coming, and Bridlewood Mall still seems to be going somewhat strong (really, what mall is still going strong these days?). Apparently, there was a stall when Target came to Canada, as it was going to build in one of the malls vacant stores. However, as we all know, Target did not survive the harsh Canadian atmosphere, so who knows what's stalling it now?