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As part of our Rotary Club of Hamilton’s Summer Socials, our August 25th meeting was a vocational visit and tour of Hamilton Cemetery hosted by Rotarian Alex Moroz who is the Family Services Coordinator for Hamilton Cemetery. Over 25 people, many non-Rotarians, attended this summer social. Alex welcomed us and introduced Pat Gallagher, local historian who took us on a historical tour of Hamilton Cemetery. Hamilton Municipal Cemeteries are like museums, with their headstones serving as a record of our culture and social history. Through an enduring stone, they reflect personal and national sentiment; speak of love, pity, and patriotism; summarize lives of remarkable longevity and remind us of lives lost through tragedy. Many of Hamilton’s colourful characters and history lie buried in our cemeteries.
After the History Unearthed Tour of the cemetery grounds, guests had the chance to explore the historic Cemetery Gatehouse which was built in the early 1850’s. The Cemetery Gatehouse, a historical designated building has a vault which holds all the records for 69 of Hamilton’s cemeteries and was once the home to the caretaker. Today the building is the administration office for cemeteries. Guests on the tour had the opportunity to look at historic records, maps and walk around the inside Gatehouse building, that is rarely opened to the general public.
It was a great summer social, touring the historic cemetery, enjoying the refreshments and food and getting the opportunity to see the Cemetery Gatehouse and vault and learning a little about the vocation of one of our Rotarians.