Cemetery Walk

Cemetery Walk through time

Green Park has second cemetery walk in Port Hill

CAPTION: James Yeo, played by Logan Ellis, with wife Damaaras Yeo, played by Silvia Winn, stand next to Yeo’s tomb Thursday morning at the St. James Anglican Church cemetery in Port Hill. The cemetery will host the Green Park Shipbuilding Museum and Historic Yeo house Cemetery walk.

Ryan Quigley

Journal Pioneer

PORTHILL- James Yeo, shipbuilder, merchant and politician, left his mark on Port Hill during his time there. The renowned businessman was even buried in Port Hill at the St. James Anglican Church along with employees and family members.

Now, his resting place, a house shape tomb made of gray stone with a small Washington-monument like piece behind it in the decommissioned church’s cemetery, is the centre-piece for a second time in the Green Park Shipbuilding Museum and Historic Yeo House cemetery walk.

The event being held on August 18 at 7:30 p.m. will highlight 16 gravesites for Yeo, his family and employees at the church, often cited as the Island’s second oldest built in 1841, narrated by the event coordinator Donna Williams.

Admission to the event will $5, $3 for children and free for preschoolers. Refreshments will be served after the event.

Each of the 16 gravesites will have Green Park staff and volunteers from the community portraying the corresponding person, describing their life in the small Western P.E.I. town, such as Yeo, his wife Damaaras Yeo, James Yeo Jr., William Ellis and two sailors who perished in the Yankee Gale and washed on shore.

Williams feels educating residence and tourists about Port Hill’s history is important.

“I like to portray the history of this area because of my great-great grandfather working (at the shipyard),” she said. “I like to see history continue.”

The idea had originated from Williams going to a cemetery walk at the Lot 16 church.

“I had thought it was a good idea and we should do one in our area.”

She said because of mostly locals attend the event, they held off on doing a second one.

“It’s repetitive if you have it too often. That’s the same way we do with our reenactment (at the Historic Yeo House) we do it every couple years or so.”