“The History of McGill University” - A historical walking tour

As part of the Cemetery’s 160th anniversary celebration, Mount Royal Cemetery is unveiling a plaque commemorating Sir Arthur Currie (Currie served as Principal of McGill from 1920 until 1933). In this context, they are organizing a historical Cemetery walking tour this Sunday, 1-3 pm, with a special focus on the history of McGill University. The free tour on Sunday starts at the Mount Royal Cemetery’s main entrance (1297 Chemin de la Forêt, Outremont). The last stop of the tour will be Sir Arthur Currie’s monument to informally unveil the plaque.

The upcoming tour, led by Myriam Cloutier Director of Heritage Programs at Mount Royal Cemetery, will highlight the memorable events that marked the 190 years of McGill University since many of the renowned principals, professors and benefactors who contributed to the development of this world-class Quebec institution are buried in Mount Royal Cemetery.

One of the grave sites which will be part of the tour on that day is that of Sir Arthur William Currie who was Principal and Vice-Chancellor of McGill University in the 1920s. Prior to his 13 year tenure at McGill University, General Currie was the Commander of Canadian Troops during World War 1. At his death in 1933, a gigantic funeral procession was organized for him. The crowd was estimated at 20,000 people: politicians, diplomats, military bands and hundreds of veterans attended. The funeral procession left the McGill Campus, walked up Park Avenue and entered the cemetery gates. A military monument, the Cross of Sacrifice, now marks his grave. Among the burial sites that will be part of the tour are those of Sir William Dawson, Sir John Abbott and Sir William Christopher Macdonald.

This tour begins at the main entrance and follows a leisurely two hour stroll through the cemetery concluding with refreshments in the Mount Royal Funeral Complex. (Please note that the same tour will be held in French at 1 p.m. on Saturday the 22nd.)