Lime Ridge Monument
Municipality/Province: Toronto, ON
Memorial Number: 35090-008
Type: Statues - sandstone and marble
Address: Hart House Circle and Queens Park Crescent W
Location: University of Toronto
GPS Coordinates: Lat: 43.6628159 Long: -79.3930991
Submitted By: Sandra Lougheed. Shirley Drummond. Victoria Edwards. University of Toronto.
Photo Credit: Hellmut Shade
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.
Add or Update Memorial Information
Inscription found on memorial
[east side/côté est]
(plaque)
CANADIAN VOLUNTEER MONUMENT, CAMPAIGN OF JUNE 1866
HONOUR THE BRAVE WHO DIED FOR THEIR COUNTRY. CANADA ERECTED THIS
MONUMENT AS A MEMORIAL OF HER BRAVE SONS WHO FELL AT LIMERIDGE OR
DIED OF WOUNDS RECEIVED IN ACTION OR FROM DISEASE CONTRACTED IN
SERVICE WHILE DEFENDING HER FRONTIER IN JUNE 1866
(plaque)
KILLED IN ACTION AT LIMERIDGE
JUNE 2nd 1866
QUEENS OWN RIFLES
ENSIGN MALCOLM MCEACHREN No5 COMPANY
LANCE CORPORAL MARK DEFRIES No3 COMPANY
PRIVATE CHRISTOPHER ALDERSON No7 COMPANY
PRIVATE WILLIAM SMITH No2 COMPANY
PRIVATE MALCOLM MACKENZIE No9 COMPANY
(plaque)
KILLED IN ACTION AT LIMERIDGE
JUNE 2nd 1866
QUEENS OWN RIFLES
PRIVATE WILLIAM F TEMPEST No9 COMPANY
PRIVATE JOHN H MEWBURN No9 COMPANY
DIED FROM WOUNDS RECEIVED IN ACTION
SERGT. HUGH MATHESON No2 COMPANY
CORPORAL FRANCIS LACKEY No2 COMPANY
[west side/côté ouest]
CANADA ERECTED THIS MONUMENT
AS A MEMORIAL OF
HER BRAVE SONS THE VOLUNTEERS
WHO FELL AT LIME RIDGE OR
DIED FROM WOUNDS RECEIVED IN ACTION
OR FROM DISEASE CONTRACTED IN SERVICE
WHILST DEFENDING HER FRONTIER
IN JUNE 1866.
(plaque)
CANADIAN VOLUNTEERS MONUMENT
CAMPAIGN OF JUNE 1866
HONOUR THE BRAVE WHO DIED FOR THEIR COUNTRY
Street View
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