Insane paralysis was the term used to describe the final stage of neurosyphilis, a common reason for a person to be housed in a mental hospital at the time
I have a picture of my grandparents and another lady on it which has Blair's Photographs shown on the back of it. I am assuming the picture may have been taken in Edmonton around the 1908 time period.
Hi Mark, I am the site administrator. This site has been receiving more and more messages asking for information as to where and how one goes about placing/replacing a marker in the ground at a grave in the former Woodlands Cemetery. If you can you share with me who to contact about this I will be happy to pass the information along to interested parties. Thank you Michael de Courcy
My uncle died when he was about 5 or 6 here. His name was Gordon R. Scarlett. It looks like there is a hedge where he is buried and a monument with many old gravestones attached to it. My cousin went to visit the garden a few years ago and did not find his gravestone. We would like to put a plaque or gravestone where he was buried. I feel like the children who died of abuse here are not getting the respect they deserve.
The gov't removed his stone and did who knows what with it. They should replace it at their cost. Since I know they won't do this, I am willing to pay to have this done myself. Gordon died in 1937, but all his sisters are still alive and tell stories about him. My grandmother never got over the loss of her son. She died 70 years after he died and still spoke about him. She called him her little "Ralphie".
He is very much marginalized in that there is no gravestone or plaque for him there.
Mark, my 2011 survey of the former Woodlands Cemetery does accurately place Alfred McNeil's head stone on top of his actual grave site. That said, you are correct in that when the long term care facility was built the elevation of the cemetery land was reconfigured to accommodate the new parking lot. So Alfred's grave stone as pictured with the family, currently sits in the correct spot 15 -20 feet above the original cemetery grade.
So far as I know apart from messing with the elevation and unceremoniously dispensing with the stones, during the hospital construction project and the final transformation of the cemetery to a park-like setting the integrity of the Cemetery boundaries were respected.
Using the GPS coordinates for your grandfathers grave you could accurately locate his resting place also.
i have a question regarding the picture of your family standing around Alfreds headstone. Is that the actual site? My grandfather is buried in plot #12 and i was under the assumption that he was under a berm pushed over and built when they excavated for the hospital. But looking at that photo he would not be under the berm as he would be under some of your family that are posing for the picture. I have been very upset that they just pushed dirt over top of him along with everything else they did regarding the cemetery. I fought to have him removed from the cemetery and placed with our family at forest lawn to which the government finally agreed but that decision was over ruled by the BC ombudsman. My lawyer then informed me that to go further i would have to take the matter to the Supreme Court and he figured at a cost of a minimum of $50,000.00. I find the whole matter a total disgrace as to how they were treated. Some clarity on this would be greatly appreciated.
please contact me through my email and i will give you the contact information i used to get a proper headstone for my grandfather placed at the cemetery.
My name is Jim Knox and I came upon Alexander Vance several times when I was researching my grear great grandfather Alfred McNeill. As Mr. Vance kept popping up I greated a file folder on him to save information and documents on Mr. Vance and wrote a brief summary on these findings.
if you are interested in seeing this information you can email me at eknox@telus.net and I will freely send it to you.
I would be interested in seeing any records or information you have on Alfred McNeil and his family. I post what information I have in my ancestors on the Family Search website in the memories section for future generations.
Insane paralysis was the term used to describe the final stage of neurosyphilis, a common reason for a person to be housed in a mental hospital at the time
I have a picture of my grandparents and another lady on it which has Blair's Photographs shown on the back of it. I am assuming the picture may have been taken in Edmonton around the 1908 time period.
I am curious of the 2 photos you have.
Thanks!
Hi Mark, I am the site administrator. This site has been receiving more and more messages asking for information as to where and how one goes about placing/replacing a marker in the ground at a grave in the former Woodlands Cemetery. If you can you share with me who to contact about this I will be happy to pass the information along to interested parties. Thank you Michael de Courcy
Hello there Mark,
My family wants a proper marker for my mom's brother as well. How do we go about this?
My uncle died when he was about 5 or 6 here. His name was Gordon R. Scarlett. It looks like there is a hedge where he is buried and a monument with many old gravestones attached to it. My cousin went to visit the garden a few years ago and did not find his gravestone. We would like to put a plaque or gravestone where he was buried. I feel like the children who died of abuse here are not getting the respect they deserve.
The gov't removed his stone and did who knows what with it. They should replace it at their cost. Since I know they won't do this, I am willing to pay to have this done myself. Gordon died in 1937, but all his sisters are still alive and tell stories about him. My grandmother never got over the loss of her son. She died 70 years after he died and still spoke about him. She called him her little "Ralphie".
He is very much marginalized in that there is no gravestone or plaque for him there.
thank you for the information, my son who lives in coquitlam will check out the coordinates.
mark clark
Mark, my 2011 survey of the former Woodlands Cemetery does accurately place Alfred McNeil's head stone on top of his actual grave site. That said, you are correct in that when the long term care facility was built the elevation of the cemetery land was reconfigured to accommodate the new parking lot. So Alfred's grave stone as pictured with the family, currently sits in the correct spot 15 -20 feet above the original cemetery grade.
So far as I know apart from messing with the elevation and unceremoniously dispensing with the stones, during the hospital construction project and the final transformation of the cemetery to a park-like setting the integrity of the Cemetery boundaries were respected.
Using the GPS coordinates for your grandfathers grave you could accurately locate his resting place also.
Thank you for your comments.
sincerely
Michael de Courcy
hello Liza
i have a question regarding the picture of your family standing around Alfreds headstone. Is that the actual site? My grandfather is buried in plot #12 and i was under the assumption that he was under a berm pushed over and built when they excavated for the hospital. But looking at that photo he would not be under the berm as he would be under some of your family that are posing for the picture. I have been very upset that they just pushed dirt over top of him along with everything else they did regarding the cemetery. I fought to have him removed from the cemetery and placed with our family at forest lawn to which the government finally agreed but that decision was over ruled by the BC ombudsman. My lawyer then informed me that to go further i would have to take the matter to the Supreme Court and he figured at a cost of a minimum of $50,000.00. I find the whole matter a total disgrace as to how they were treated. Some clarity on this would be greatly appreciated.
Sincerely
Mark Clark
hello john
please contact me through my email and i will give you the contact information i used to get a proper headstone for my grandfather placed at the cemetery.
mark clark
Linda,
My name is Jim Knox and I came upon Alexander Vance several times when I was researching my grear great grandfather Alfred McNeill. As Mr. Vance kept popping up I greated a file folder on him to save information and documents on Mr. Vance and wrote a brief summary on these findings.
if you are interested in seeing this information you can email me at eknox@telus.net and I will freely send it to you.
I would be interested in seeing any records or information you have on Alfred McNeil and his family. I post what information I have in my ancestors on the Family Search website in the memories section for future generations.
Jim
Pages