Location: City of Toronto N 43.66263 W -79.39330
On the grounds of the University of Toronto, on the west side of Queen's Park Circle.
The Canadian Volunteers Monument, also called the Lime Ridge Monument, honours the Toronto militia volunteers killed in the Battle of Ridgeway on 2 June 1866. The Toronto militia volunteers were fighting Irish-American Fenian insurgents who had invaded Canada near Fort Erie in the hopes of holding Canada ransom for Irish independence. Between 1866 and 1871, this group raided Canadian territory from New Brunswick to Manitoba. Nine riflemen from Toronto’s Queen’s Own Rifles Regiment were killed, including three University of Toronto students. The entire city shut down for the funeral procession to the Necropolis.
The monument was erected by the Canadian Volunteer Monument Campaign of 1866 Committee comprised of Toronto citizens and chairman, Dr. McCaul, President of the University. The Italian Renaissance style monument of sandstone and marble was sculpted by Robert Reid of Mayor & Co. of Montreal. It was unveiled on Dominion Day 1870.
Conservation work began in October of 2006. The center beehive-shaped core was rebuilt. The masonry was cleaned, marble statuary treated, stone delamination was repaired and the most deteriorated stone blocks were treated with a moisture-permeable consolidant. Work was completed in December of 2007.
Although located on the University of Toronto campus, the monument belongs to the City of Toronto.
Three of the men named on this memorial - Private Malcolm Mackenzie, Private William F. Tempest and Private John H Mewburn, all of No. 9 Company, are also commemorated on a stained glass window in University College.
Marker text:
Front centre:
CANADIAN VOLUNTEERS MONUMENT
CAMPAIGN OF JUNE 1866
HONOUR THE BRAVE WHO DIED FOR THEIR COUNTRY
Right plaque:
KILLED IN ACTION AT LIMERIDGE
JUNE 2nd 1866
QUEENS OWN RIFLES
ENSIGN MALCOLM McEACHREN No. 5 COMPANY
LANCE CORPORAL MARK DEFRIES No. 3 COMPANY
PRIVATE CHRISTOPHER ALDERSON No. 7 COMPANY
PRIVATE WILLIAM SMITH No. 2 COMPANY
PRIVATE MALCOLM MACKENZIE No. 9 COMPANY
Left plaque:
KILLED IN ACTION AT LIMERIDGE
JUNE 2nd 1866
QUEENS OWN RIFLES
PRIVATE WILLIAM F TEMPEST No. 9 COMPANY
PRIVATE JOHN H MEWBURN No. 9 COMPANY
DIED FROM WOUNDS RECEIVED IN ACTION
SERGT. HUGH MATHESON No. 2 COMPANY
CORPORAL FRANCIS LACKEY No. 2 COMPANY
Rear Plaque:
CANADA ERECTED THIS MONUMENT
AS A MEMORIAL OF
HER BRAVE SONS THE VOLUNTEERS
WHO FELL AT LIMERIDGE OR
DIED FROM WOUNDS RECEIVED IN ACTION
OR FROM DISEASE CONTRACTED IN SERVICE
WHILST DEFENDING HER FRONTIER
IN JUNE 1866
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.