OGS Toronto Branch January Meeting

30 January 2012 - 7:30 p.m

Origins of Funeral Customs

Susan Smart
Have you ever wondered why it’s customary to wear black at a funeral? Or why a coffin looks the way it does? The rituals around burying the dead have very ancient roots and have developed over the centuries in different ways depending on religion and geographic area. This talk will describe the origins of some of the funeral customs found in nineteenth-century Ontario and explain how they evolved through the century. Wakes, hearses, flowers and food, clothing, coffins and tombstones will all be discussed.

Mini-presentation: Stephen Low: A Little Latin for Genealogists

The meeting is in the Burgundy Room, North York Memorial Hall, Concourse Level, North York Centre (North York Centre Subway Station)