2026 Tours and Excursions

Our tours begin at 2 pm. No reservations needed. It costs $5 for non-members and $2 for members. The fee can be paid by cash or e-transfer.

Tour locations are noted in the description. Most of our tours take place at Ross Bay Cemetery, RBC. For the Ross Bay Cemetery tours we meet at the cemetery entrance on Fairfield Road, opposite the south end of Stannard Street.

OCS members get a discount on the weekly tours and receive six copies per year of the newsletter “Stone Cuttings” plus advance notification of tours and other activities. Part of each membership and all donations assist many worthwhile projects undertaken by the OCS at RBC and other Greater Victoria heritage cemeteries each year.

We also offer private group tours on request on other days of the week. Contact us for information.

Please visit our membership page to join the Old Cemeteries Society.

List of Tours for 2026

Click on a tour’s title to see the details.

Feb. 15. RBC. Ross Bay Cemetery Top 10.

Whether it’s your first visit or you’ve been many times before, you’ll enjoy this tour with John Adams to the top 10 attractions at BC’s most famous Victorian-era cemetery. As we begin our 2026 tour season, we’ll visit RBC’s most iconic graves, hear about its most famous people, explore its unique landscape features, and learn about its interesting history. New stories and old favourites will be included. This accessible tour will stay on the paved pathways and focus on the original section of the cemetery to minimize walking distance.

Feb. 22. RBC. A Celebration of Black History in Victoria.

February is Black History Month in Canada, and the OCS partners with the BC Black History Awareness Society (BCBHAS) to present stories about many of the Black pioneers buried at RBC. Some were famous in their day and played leading roles in Victoria; others were not so well known but were an integral part of the city’s life in the 1800s

March 1. RBC. Welsh Victoria.

March 1 is St. David’s Day, the national festival of Wales. Pluck a daffodil and wear it to today’s tour or just enjoy the ones that bloom in profusion on many graves. To mark the occasion, John Adams will visit the graves of many of the Welsh people who strayed from their native land and ended up at RBC. Among those who will be included are a pirate, a prospector, a school trustee, a Royal Engineer, a ne’er do well, a respected court recorder, a pioneer telegrapher and a publican. Bydd y daith hon yn cael ei chynnal yn gyfan gwbl yn Saesneg.

March 8. RBC. SPECIAL EVENT: International Women’s Day.

Celebrate International Women’s Day with a guided walk honouring eight remarkable women: Emily Carr, ground-breaking painter and writer; Hannah Maynard, surrealist photographer and entrepreneur; Sophie Pemberton and Josephine Crease, pioneering artists; Lottie Bowron, tireless advocate for rural teachers and women’s clubs; Nancy Lester, African-American settler and abolitionist; Jane Anne Nesbitt, who arrived on a Bride Ship and became a businesswoman; and Martha McNeill, Nisga’a chief and fur trader. Their stories—of courage, creativity, and resilience—come to life in the very place they now rest. Join us as we remember and celebrate their legacy. Presented by the Old Cemeteries Society and Emily Carr Chronicles. Tour guides: Yvonne Van Ruskenveld and Marilyn Jones.

Note: There will be 2 tour times at 10 am and 2 pm. It will be the same tour each time. No reservations necessary.

March 15. Measure, Map and Mark: Early Surveyors of Vancouver Island.

International Surveyors’ Day is celebrated annually on March 21st to recognize the crucial role of surveyors in shaping history, communities, and infrastructure. The first surveyor contracted by the Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC) was Captain Walter Grant whose only legacy was the 1850 introduction of Scotch broom plants. The real surveying of Vancouver Island began with HBC engineer and surveyor Joseph Pemberton, whose first task was to lay out a townsite and survey the agricultural lands on the southern tip of Vancouver Island. Mike Woodcock will take us to the graves and highlight the fascinating stories of Pemberton and other early surveyors buried at Ross Bay Cemetery.

March 22. RBC. Peninsula Settlers and History.

Many folks who have longstanding connections to Sidney are buried in Ross Bay Cemetery. For this week’s tour, the OCS has partnered with the Sidney Museum and Archives to learn more about the history of Sidney, the Saanich Peninsula, and the residents who have lived there. Charlotte Clar introduced us to peninsula pioneers in Royal Oak Burial Park last year and has discovered a new cast of interesting characters for today’s tour.

March 29. RBC. Emily Carr Tour – Part 1.

Emily Carr’s grave is one of the most visited at RBC. Every year, a team of OCS guides visits the graves of many people Emily knew. Emily herself (a.k.a. Molly Raher Newman) will delight us with readings about these people from Emily’s prolific writings. A second, different Emily Carr tour is scheduled later this year.

April 5. RBC. Sugar and Spice.

Did you know we have not one but two “Candy Kings” — Charles Rogers and Richard Purdy — buried at Ross Bay Cemetery? Join a team of OCS story tellers for a flavourful tour exploring the sweet and spicy side of our city as we meet the confectioners, chocolatiers, bakers, spice merchants, and creators of all things nice in old Victoria. Be warned, though: some of our tales are decidedly bittersweet.

April 12. RBC. Vic High’s 150th Anniversary.

This year Victoria High School celebrates its 150th anniversary. When it began in 1876, it was the first public high school in all of western Canada. On today’s tour a team of past and present Vic High students will discuss some of their noteworthy forebears. You don’t need to have connections to Vic High to enjoy this tour, which will include a diverse range of interesting people from Victoria’s past.

April 19. Pioneer Square. Tales from the Old Burying Ground.

John Azar will recount stories from this fascinating old cemetery in the heart of downtown Victoria, which contains the remains of our earliest settlers, gold seekers and naval personnel. Meet at the corner of Quadra St. and Rockland Ave. This tour is wheelchair accessible.

April 26. RBC. Service, Compassion and Courage — Nursing Pioneers of Victoria.

Through the lives of some amazing and inspiring 19th and early 20th century women, Nancy Kostyrka will tell stories of nursing in Victoria: wartime nurses who worked in field hospitals near active battlefields; women who found ways to serve all those in need of care despite poverty and prejudice; women who accepted the risks and often succumbed to the very diseases they fought; women who were instrumental in the development of schools of nursing and the modernization of nursing education. They all played an important part in the evolution of health care in our country.

Special Event. SATURDAY, May 2, 2 pm. William Head Cemetery. Chinese Labour Corps Ching Ming Festival.

During World War I, the British recruited the Chinese Labour Corps (CLC) for work on the Western Front. These recruits were transported by ship from China to William Head, near Victoria, on their way to Europe. At the time, William Head had a Quarantine Station. Some of these labourers died there and are buried in the Quarantine Station’s cemetery, now on the grounds of William Head Institution, a prison. At Ching Ming, a traditional Chinese celebration, ancestors’ graves are tidied, and offerings of gratitude, reverence, and resilience are made. CLC workers buried at William Head have no family to perform these gestures. Last year’s ceremony was a beautiful and moving event. Please join us again.

Space is limited for this tour and reservations are required.
Reserve by April 15 by sending an email to: AzimuthBooks@shaw.ca.

May 3. RBC. Meet the Mayor(s)! City Fathers Since 1862.

Many of Victoria’s early mayors are buried in Ross Bay Cemetery. Mayor Marianne Alto will lead this tour to the graves of some of our earliest mayors, who helped to shape the city we live in today. Their stories reflect the very different times through which our city grew. Today’s tour will have a new mix of mayors, following up from the popular tours of the last couple of years.

May 10. RBC. Mum’s the Word! A tour to celebrate Mother’s Day.

Many families, large and small, thrived in early Victoria, despite the high rate of infant mortality. An OCS team will share fascinating stories of the varied trials, tribulations and testimonials of mothers who lie in RBC. We’ll visit some of the many tombstones that embody stories of mothers, grandmothers and mothering. Some have moving epitaphs; some are simply inscribed “Mother.” Join us for a spring ramble with a special focus on Victoria’s family history.

May 17. RBC. The Gorge of Summers Gone.

Back by popular demand, today’s tour will be conducted by Dennis Minaker, author of the definitive history of the Gorge Waterway, The Gorge of Summer’s Gone, originally published in 1998. Through countless interviews with people who lived or played along the Gorge, and from hours combing archival records and photographs, Dennis has built up a fascinating history of Victoria’s inland waterway.

May 24. Chinese Cemetery.

This unique tour takes place during Asian Heritage Month in Canada. For over two decades, former city councillor Charlayne Thornton-Joe has provided the fascinating history of this national historic site and recounted the lives of many who are buried here, including her own grandfather. Meet at the Chinese Cemetery, foot of Crescent Road, below King George Terrace.

May 31. RBC. Deaths by Mistake.

Accidental deaths were a common feature of life in Victoria’s past. By definition, they were unforeseen, violent, unexpected, and unintended. Some resulted from chance or fate, but most involved human error or mistaken judgments. This tour will feature sometimes gruesome stories of accidental death, told by Diana Pedersen and Yvonne Van Ruskenveld. Newspaper reports of these deaths, and the ensuing public reaction, offer an unusual window into the daily lives of Victorians and the hazards they encountered on land and sea, at home, on the street, and on the job. Some of these hazards seem familiar, and some we could never have imagined!

June 7. Hatley Memorial Gardens.

Join us for a new tour of this 1932 lawn cemetery where many notable people are buried. Originally known as The Colwood Burial Park or The Colwood Cemetery, it is privately owned and operated by Arbor Memorial, a Canadian company. Enjoy the beautifully landscaped grounds, while hearing stories told by an OCS team. Meet inside the main entrance at 2050 Sooke Road in Colwood.

June 14. Jewish Cemetery. Merchants for the Mines.

The allure of gold attracted adventurous young Jewish men to seek their fortune in B.C. Having honed their business expertise with gold rushes in California, they brought their expertise north and became a vital part of the frontier. Amber Woods, author of our popular Guide to Victoria’s Historic Jewish Cemetery, will share their stories of success, failure and murder. Meet at the main gate, Fernwood Road at the corner of Cedar Hill Road. Men: please wear a hat.

June 21. RBC. National Indigenous Peoples Day.

Canada’s National Indigenous Peoples’ Day honours and celebrates First Nations, Inuit, and Métis pasts, presents, and futures. Ross Bay Cemetery is located on unceded lək̓ʷəŋən (Songhees) land. Join the OCS in honouring Indigenous peoples’ pasts by uplifting the lives of several Indigenous people buried in the cemetery, and honouring their presents and futures with traditional place and plant names.

June 28. RBC. More Queer Lives.

Continuing the investigation that led to the “Detecting Queer Lives” tour from 2025, OCS member Tim Fitzthum will present this new tour that uncovers stories of individuals who were queer or likely queer during a time when sexual orientation was hidden, and conforming to societal norms was expected. The tour will also touch on female and male impersonation, a popular form of entertainment on Victoria’s vaudeville stages in the early

July 5. RBC. A Canadian Who’s Who at RBC.

Did you know that more than 77 “residents” of RBC have qualified for entries in the Dictionary of Canadian Biography (DCB)? This ongoing scholarly project has profiled more than 9,000 Canadians who died before 1940 and whose lives had “national historic significance.” On this tour, a team of OCS storytellers will introduce an interesting and diverse assortment of DCB entrants, including some familiar names and some you won’t recognize! Some were prominent in the history of Victoria, and some lived most of their lives in other parts of the province and the country.

July 12. RBC. New Tour.

Watch this space for a fascinating new tour to come!

July 19. RBC. Modern Graves in a Historic Landscape.

Established in 1873, RBC has many beautiful old monuments, but it also has a surprising number of newer markers, some installed as recently as last year. On this tour, Diana Pedersen and Yvonne Van Ruskenveld will visit graves with distinctively modern markers. See a stone globe and a bronze sculpture and learn why there are so many new military markers appearing.

July 26. RBC. From Italy to the Island: Victoria’s Italian Settlers.

During and after the 1858 gold rush, many Italians settled in Victoria. They became important members of the community in business, the arts and community service. Giovanna Greco will tell the stories of some of the early Italian settlers who came to Victoria and made it their home.

Aug. 2. RBC. Norman Morison: Victoria’s Mayflower — Part II.

The Hudson Bay Company-owned ship Norman Morison made three voyages (1850, 1851, 1853) from Great Britain to Victoria. The third voyage was the HBC’s first attempt to introduce settlers. It included many families who entered five-year indentured commitments to the HBC in return for their own land. As these settlers became the early core of the Capital Region, the Norman Morison can be considered our Mayflower. Mike Woodcock will build on last year’s tour by taking us to the graves and highlighting the stories of more of these early passengers. The tour will finish at the grave site of a notable Norman Morison passenger where a new grave marker has been installed.

Aug. 9. RBC. Annual Obon Ceremony.

Obon is a festival for the Japanese Buddhist Day of the Dead when graves are cleaned, incense is lit and prayers are said. Mike Abe will start the program with a tour, which begins inside RBC’s main gate. The Obon ceremony will begin at 3 pm at the Kakehashi Monument in the southwest corner of RBC, near the corner of Memorial Crescent and Dallas Road. The public are invited to the tour and ceremony.

Aug. 16. RBC. Murder Most Foul.

We often look back at the past as a time free of crime, where everyone went about their days in safety. This rosy view will be clouded by today’s tour. A team of storytellers will take us to graves of murderers and their victims and tell the grisly tales found in coroners’ files, old newspapers and through interviews with family members. As the TV shows say, viewer discretion is advised.

Aug. 23. RBC. A Charming Rogue: The Scandalous Life & Death of J.H. Hawthornthwaite.

This tour will highlight just a few of the many scandals and rumours about British Columbia’s first Socialist M.L.A., James Hurst Hawthornthwaite. One of the most significant politicians in B.C., he represented Nanaimo from 1901 to 1912 and Newcastle from 1918-1920. He was elected as a Socialist in 1903 and co-founded the Socialist Party of Canada in 1904. During his entire personal and political life, Hawthornthwaite was embroiled in controversy, scandal, and mystery. Linda Boon will share her discoveries about the life of her step-great-grandfather on today’s tour.

Aug. 30. RBC. Emily Carr Tour — Part 2.

Emily Carr’s grave is one of the most visited at RBC. Every year, a team of OCS guides visits the graves of many people Emily knew. Emily herself (a.k.a. Molly Raher Newman) will delight us with readings about these people from Emily’s prolific writings. This is a different Emily Carr tour from the one held earlier this year in March.

Sept. 6. RBC. Salty Tales: Victoria’s Maritime Heritage.

Victoria has been shaped by our coastal and island location, surrounded by the Salish Sea and the Pacific Ocean. Victoria’s natural harbours brought the Hudson’s Bay Company, the British Navy, immigrants, and gold-seekers to our shores, and encouraged strong north-south connections with American seaports. The ocean connected Victorians to global trade routes, distant imperial projects and military conflicts. Shipping, ship-building, and all kinds of boats were central to life in early Victoria. Maritime disasters and drownings took many lives. As the population grew, saltwater recreation, tourism, and property values flourished. Enjoy “salty” tales in the cemetery and learn about our fascinating maritime heritage.

Sept. 13. RBC. A Day of Signs and Wonders.

Today’s tour title is the name of award-winning author Kit Pearson’s novel about a fictitious meeting between Emily Carr and Kathleen O’Reilly on a beach one day in 1881, a day in which a comet appears. Kit is a frequent tour leader at RBC and is the author of many novels for young readers.

Sept. 20. RBC. Splish Splash, They Were Taking a Bath.

From the 1850s to the early 1900s, 25 different bathing facilities in Victoria allowed users to satisfy their personal hygiene needs, cure their ailments, and enjoy recreation. One could find hot, warm, and cold-water baths, seawater, steam, aromatic, sulphur, medicated, needle, friction, floating, Turkish, and electric baths. Meet the barbers, hoteliers, physicians, instructors, promoters, businessmen, and charlatans who presided over this watery world. OCS member Tim Fitzthum will present this new tour. No towels required!

Sept. 27. RBC. Builders of the Dunsmuir Legacy.

On September 30, 1890, the Vancouver World reported that Joan Dunsmuir had moved into her new $500,000 residence. Craigdarroch Castle’s scale and grandeur were unprecedented in Victoria, inspiring admiration for its craftsmanship while drawing attention to the wealth and power it so boldly displayed. Although scores of city dwellers worked on the construction project, many key tradesmen came from elsewhere. Several remained in Victoria, building their reputations on the skills showcased at Craigdarroch. Drawing on research from the book, Craigdarroch Reconstructed, castle curator Jenny Seeman will introduce us to some of the architects, contractors, and craftsmen behind the iconic Dunsmuir homes that still shape Victoria’s skyline.

Oct. 4. RBC. Gold Rush Women.

Beginning with the Fraser River in 1858, gold rushes shaped BC economically, socially and physically. While most gold-rush prospectors, miners and business people were men, many women were also drawn to BC during these lively times—and not just in ways you might think. This year, Yvonne Van Ruskenveld focuses her annual women’s history tour on women in gold rush BC.

Oct. 11. RBC. Harvest Festival: Farmers of Early Victoria.

Victoria’s story is not just about the gold rush and maritime tales — Victoria also has a rich agricultural heritage. Some early farmers were brought out by the Hudson’s Bay Company; some stayed after the gold rush. The OCS’s team brings to life the stories of the farmers and their families who were key in the development of early Victoria.

Oct. 18. RBC. Spiritualism in Victoria.

From small beginnings in rural New York State in the 1840s, spiritualism went viral. By the 1860s, it was all the rage in Victoria and other places across the continent. Even Abraham Lincoln is said to have participated in seances at the White House. John Adams will talk about its main proponents here in Victoria, many of whom are buried at RBC, and what they experienced during their seances.

Oct. 25. RBC. Annual Ghost Tour.

One of the OCS’s most popular annual tours is based on ghost stories linked to people buried at RBC. On some of the graves, the occupants might even seem to come to life and tell their tales. Extra guides will be on hand for large numbers.

Pictures from past tours