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Summerland cemetery tour reveals unmarked graves

Fundraising tour on Oct. 27 will benefit museum
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BURIED IN AN UNMARKED GRAVE Will Fosbery, a Summerland pioneer, is buried at the Anglican Cemetery in Summerland, but his grave is unmarked. On Oct. 27, a cemetery tour will show his grave and the graves of other Summerland pioneers. (Photo submitted)

A tour of Summerland’s Anglican Cemetery later this month will unearth some local history.

David Gregory, a Summerland history enthusiast, said the Halloween Cemetery Tour on Oct. 27 will present information on the early years of the community.

The cemetery, at 10005 Giant’s Head Rd., is halfway between the historic Barclay Ranch and the Gartrell Ranch.

The old St. Peter’s Church was built at the site in 1898 and the cemetery was opened in 1908. The building was used as a church until 1910 and later as a community centre until it burned down in 1917.

Gregory said not all graves have tombstones. “Some of the most prominent pioneers have unmarked graves,” he said.

One of the unmarked graves is that of William Fosbery, who settled in Summerland in 1896. The land he pre-empted at the time is now part of Penticton Indian Reserve #1. Fosbery was the coach of the soccer and cricket teams at Okanagan College and was the community’s first librarian in 1925. He also is the community’s longest serving elections officer.

Robert Clouston, who acquired property in 1909, is also buried in an unmarked grave. He was involved with the hospital in Summerland and with the Masonic Lodge.

His wife Edith Clouston was the first president of the Women’s Institute in Summerland.

The tour is a fundraiser for the Summerland Museum. Included in the admission cost is a 40-page brochure of the cemetery. The tour is at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. For tickets, contact the Summerland Museum.

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John Arendt

About the Author: John Arendt

John Arendt has worked as a journalist for more than 30 years. He has a Bachelor of Applied Arts in Journalism degree from Ryerson Polytechnical Institute.
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