Sydney Memorial Chapel

05/20/2026

View Janice Addicott's obituary, contribute to their memorial, see their funeral service details, and more.

05/20/2026

View Ruth Maude Copan's obituary, contribute to their memorial, see their funeral service details, and more.

05/18/2026

Victorian Funerary Practices

The Victorian era occurred during the reign of Queen Victoria, which lasted from 1837-1901. Following the death of her husband Prince Albert in 1861, Victoria went into mourning, a period that lasted essentially for the rest of her life.

Albert had died at a young age, in his early 40s after being married to the Queen for more than 20 years. Her grief was profound and her position as the monarch of England meant she held tremendous influence over Victorian society. The Queen, would wear black for the rest of her life. Additionally, societal norms formed during this period had practices that divided morning into three distinct phases: full morning, second mourning and half mourning. The time spent in each period varied based on the closeness to the deceased. One rule was that women weren’t allowed to wear jewelry, except for black gems during the period of full morning; instead, women wore mementos, which became popular when Queen Victoria started wearing a locket with a picture of Albert and carrying a lock of his hair.

At this time, there were many common superstitions including stopping clocks at the time of death of the deceased, covering all mirrors in the home, carrying the deceased's feet first as they left the house and turning down family photos to prevent spirits from possessing the people in these pictures.

It needs mentioning that this was a simpler time, without much of the science and knowledge we possess today. Believe systems concerning grief and loss were based on a dedication to never forget a loved one and to honour their memory till death. It was a somber period, one where the death of a loved one was taken very seriously.

© Sydney Memorial Chapel/CFHC Online

05/15/2026

Ode to 1926, Celebrating Life 100 Years Ago

The year 1926 was a time of economic prosperity for Canada and around the world. Domestically, a Royal Canadian Mounted Police base was established on Ellesmere Island – the northernmost part of Canada – asserting its claim in the Arctic region. Canada also moved back to the gold standard in 1926, a monetary system pe***ng the Canadian dollar in relation to gold. In global relations, Vincent Massey was appointed Canada’s first foreign minister to the U.S.

On a lighter note, the Great Stork Derby kicked off in 1926, in Toronto when proceeds from Charles Vance Millar’s will spearheaded a ten-year contest to see who could have the most babies. The $500K prize was split between four women with nine babies each.

In science and technology, Robert Goddard launched the first liquid-fuelled rocket in Massachusetts, kicking off what some believed was the start of the space age; the modest flight saw an altitude of just 56 metres. Other inventions of the year included the aerosol spray can developed by Norwegian chemical engineer Erik Rotheim and the gas fridge patented by Electrolux-Servel.
In the world of entertainment, Thomas Edison held firm to his belief that Americans preferred silent movies and would never support the “talkies.” He would be proven wrong, with the airing of the movie “Don Juan” at theatres a few months later. It was the first feature-length film to use the Vitaphone sound-on-disc system with a synchronized musical score and sound effects (although no spoken dialogue).

Other world news included:
• NBC launched operations.
• A.A. Milne published “Winnie the Pooh.”
• Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio became Walt Disney Studio.
• American Gertrude Ederle became the first woman to swim the English Channel. Her time of 14 hours, 31 minutes was a record for both men and women, at that time.

An interesting quote from that year came from Nikola Tesla: “We shall be able to communicate with one another instantly, irrespective of distance. Not only this but … we shall see and hear one another as perfectly as though we were face to face … a man will be able to carry one in his vest pocket.”

© Sydney Memorial Chapel/CFHC Online

05/13/2026

05/13/2026

View Vivian Alberta "Betty" Davis's obituary, contribute to their memorial, see their funeral service details, and more.

05/13/2026

View Craig Murray MacLeod's obituary, contribute to their memorial, see their funeral service details, and more.

05/12/2026

View William Ferguson LeVatte's obituary, contribute to their memorial, see their funeral service details, and more.

05/11/2026

View Eunice "Doe" Ward's obituary, contribute to their memorial, see their funeral service details, and more.

05/11/2026

View Sandra MacLeod's obituary, contribute to their memorial, see their funeral service details, and more.