Craigvale
History of Craigvale and Stroud
Death and Burial in Olden Days
It was at a home in the country. Crepe hung on the door signifying a
death in the home. Someone sat up all night.
Black bordered cards were placed in the post office, stores and other
places announcing the name and age of the deceased and the time and place
of the funeral.
It was June in 1900 and eight miles from the cemetery. Thirty one
vehicles were in the solemn cortege. It was led by the minister, the doctor,
then the hearse and the pall bearers riding in a democrat, then mourners
and friends. The horses usually walked but occasionally they trotted a
short distance. The hearse had three black plumes on each side of the
top and one on each of the horse's heads. The black horses were draped
with fly nets including the heads. Black was used for an adult and white
for a child. The pall bearers wore crepe on their hats and streamers on
one arm and black gloves.
In the church adjoining the cemetery, a service was held with a message
of consolation and hope. To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die.
The quiet countryside bringing to mind the words of the psalmist, "The
heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament showeth His handiwork."
After a death, as a sign of mourning the men wore a band of crepe on
their hats and on one arm. The women wore black dresses, often of cashmere
trimmed with crepe. A widow wore a black crepe bonnet with a white frill
showing from under-neath the front edge and a pleated veil hanging down
in back reaching to the waist. Black bordered note paper and envelopes
were used and handkerchiefs with black borders, also black jewellery.
The undertaker had hardships. In the spring when the frost was coming
out of the ground and in winter after a road had been shovelled by hand
through drifts of snow.
In winter the grave had to be dug through snow and frozen earth and
could not be properly filled in until spring.
-by Miss Mary Goodfellow
This section contains material collected by Jeanne Groce about the history
of Stroud and Craigvale. It contains "information collected from libraries,
books, newspapers, the Centennial History of Innisfil, Historical Revue,
word of mouth, and anywhere else I could find it." Reference to the source
of the material is given where possible.
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