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.
I came across Alexander Vance while researching my great great grandfather Alfred McNeil. Mr.Vance's name kept coming up so I kept a folder with this data and some documents I found on Alexander Vance and wrote a brief summary on him. My stomach of info on the McNeil'semail address is eknox@telus.net which you can contact me if you are interested in having I will freely email to them to you.
Also I would be very interested on the information you have on Alfred McNeil and his family. I use the Family Search account website and have posted them in the memories section.
Hi Catherine, my name is Linda Fraser Osmon. My Great Grandfather is also buried there. Just through my Genealogy that I have been doing lately. Led me to my Great Grandfathers grave site here. When I started reading about this place I immediately became horrified at what I was reading. If there were 3000 Gravestones removed from here, where are they and where the hell are our family members remains. I would like to know before they did all this if my Grandfather or anyone in my family were notified about this. But the looming question is where are the remains. This whole story to me in ludicrous. This isn't making something beautiful, you can call it Gardens all you want. But lets call it what it really is a desecration of 3000 graves. For all we know our relatives could be buried under a parking lot. This is not right the whole things stinks.
Hello Ulf
I was able to look up the death registration of Oscar Engan, which is available online through the BC Archives vital statistics website. It indicates that Oscar Engan was hospitalized at the Provincial Mental Hospital at Essondale (later known as Riverview, in Coquitlam, BC) for just over 5 years before he died at the age of 47. He died of complications related to syphilis. He is described as single, a Canadian citizen of Norwegian origin, parents unknown, and his occupation was listed as labourer. His previous address was 66 Cordova Street in Vancouver.
If you could email me directly at patfeindel@gmail.com I can send you a PDF copy of the death registration and give you some ideas about where to find more information.
Pat Feindel, PhD
Dear Pat,
Thank You so much for Your response.
A photograph of Oscar`s grave stone would be highly appreciated.
We understand that Oscar died in a hospital not far from the cemetary. We also know that the hospital has changed name since Oscar stayed there.
Do you have any advice regarding how we could find out more about Oscar, for example where he used to live, what was his occupation, did he ever marry and also if he had any children?
Thanks You Very Much Again.
Best wishes.
Ulf
Could you please list the contact name for anyone who would like to inquire about providing a proper burial marker?. I have a grandfather and his brother buried here. I am not comfortable with how this burial was treated and that not only were these people marginalized in life but also in death.
"EY Harmston" was actually Eveline Joan Harmston, born 18 July 1916 in Victoria to Eveline and Ted. She fell from a streetcar at age 2 and injured her head. They cared for Joan at home until age 11, when her deteriorating condition caused them to commit her to the Provincial Hospital for the Insane (Woodlands in New Westminster, BC). She died at age 16 on 1 May 1933. She was survived by her parents and three brothers, Ted, Ginger and Alan.
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
I came across Alexander Vance while researching my great great grandfather Alfred McNeil. Mr.Vance's name kept coming up so I kept a folder with this data and some documents I found on Alexander Vance and wrote a brief summary on him. My stomach of info on the McNeil'semail address is eknox@telus.net which you can contact me if you are interested in having I will freely email to them to you.
Also I would be very interested on the information you have on Alfred McNeil and his family. I use the Family Search account website and have posted them in the memories section.
Hi Catherine, my name is Linda Fraser Osmon. My Great Grandfather is also buried there. Just through my Genealogy that I have been doing lately. Led me to my Great Grandfathers grave site here. When I started reading about this place I immediately became horrified at what I was reading. If there were 3000 Gravestones removed from here, where are they and where the hell are our family members remains. I would like to know before they did all this if my Grandfather or anyone in my family were notified about this. But the looming question is where are the remains. This whole story to me in ludicrous. This isn't making something beautiful, you can call it Gardens all you want. But lets call it what it really is a desecration of 3000 graves. For all we know our relatives could be buried under a parking lot. This is not right the whole things stinks.
Hello Ulf
I was able to look up the death registration of Oscar Engan, which is available online through the BC Archives vital statistics website. It indicates that Oscar Engan was hospitalized at the Provincial Mental Hospital at Essondale (later known as Riverview, in Coquitlam, BC) for just over 5 years before he died at the age of 47. He died of complications related to syphilis. He is described as single, a Canadian citizen of Norwegian origin, parents unknown, and his occupation was listed as labourer. His previous address was 66 Cordova Street in Vancouver.
If you could email me directly at patfeindel@gmail.com I can send you a PDF copy of the death registration and give you some ideas about where to find more information.
Pat Feindel, PhD
Dear Pat,
Thank You so much for Your response.
A photograph of Oscar`s grave stone would be highly appreciated.
We understand that Oscar died in a hospital not far from the cemetary. We also know that the hospital has changed name since Oscar stayed there.
Do you have any advice regarding how we could find out more about Oscar, for example where he used to live, what was his occupation, did he ever marry and also if he had any children?
Thanks You Very Much Again.
Best wishes.
Ulf
Could you please list the contact name for anyone who would like to inquire about providing a proper burial marker?. I have a grandfather and his brother buried here. I am not comfortable with how this burial was treated and that not only were these people marginalized in life but also in death.
"EY Harmston" was actually Eveline Joan Harmston, born 18 July 1916 in Victoria to Eveline and Ted. She fell from a streetcar at age 2 and injured her head. They cared for Joan at home until age 11, when her deteriorating condition caused them to commit her to the Provincial Hospital for the Insane (Woodlands in New Westminster, BC). She died at age 16 on 1 May 1933. She was survived by her parents and three brothers, Ted, Ginger and Alan.
Pages