Derry West Cemetery is Located on the North-West corner of Derry Road and Highway 10
(Hurontario) in what was in the 1830's a small hamlet known as Derry West. The cemetery is the
only remnant of the former settlement.
Derry West Anglican is one of the earliest Mississauga cemeteries. Church services were
held at the site in the former church from 1829 to 1867 - when the village was destroyed by
fire. The first burials were likely in the 1830's, but there now remains no trace of those.
Burials continued following the demise of the town in 1867, but at reducing frequency. The last
known burial was that of Mary J. Graham in 1936. Following Mary J. Graham's burial, the
cemetery was described as "full except for some vacancies in some family plots." It
was estimated that there should have been more than seventy remaining family plots, but due to
the poor organization of the cemetery, inadequate plot marking, and the disappearance of many
of the grave markers, no more burials occurred.
When the cemetery closed in 1936, it was surrounded by 24 elms, maples and ironwood trees. In
addition, a barb wire, cedar post fence stood as a barrier, sealing off the cemetery. The
cemetery was left for years in a deplorable state, being used by a nearby farmer as a pasture
and as a dump for the nearby service station. The lack of care paid to the cemetery meant the
loss and damage to many cemetery markers. Unfortunately, the poor record keeping and care of
Derry West Cemetery means that many buried within the cemetery will be forever forgotten. As an
example, three individuals (Hugh Graham, Mr. Armstrong and Mr. Aikens) were reported to be
buried in the 1830's, but this information cannot be confirmed as markers for these men are
missing. It was also believed that there are family members of the Aikens and Scanlon
families -- two local families who owned plots.
An historic plaque was erected by a local women's group known as the Derry West Women's
Institute and the Community to commemorate the cemetery.
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