Our History

Oakland Cemetery was instituted as a cemetery in 1855 by the United Presbyterian Church Congregation on the west side of the site. In 1864 the Wesleyan Methodist New Connections Church established its cemetery on the east side, and in 1882 the two groups amalgamated their holdings into Oakland Cemetery, also known as the Scotch Cemetery and Proudfoot Cemetery. The cemetery was left unattended and neglected for many years, except for the efforts of Reverend Elson who tried to clean the cemetery up in the early 1950s' and Oakridge Secondary School students who undertook Project '75 with another clean up. Unfortunately their efforts were never continued. The Cemetery was conveyed by deed to Moimt Pleasant Cemetery (London) Inc. in 1982 by the Metropolitan United Church and the First St.Andrews United Church on the basis of an undertaking by Mount Pleasant to willingly guarantee "to rebuild and redesign said property maintaining the traditional dignity of a cemetery property to the high standards of Mount Pleasant Cemetery".... Mount Pleasant have gradually cleared the area of brush and poison ivy. In 1994 Mt. Pleasant undertook a major project of cutting into the side of the steep hill to permit a road access from Oxford Street West into the cemetery, restoration of the old monuments, landscaping and laying out of future burial sites and the building of a beautiful Columbarium for the inurnment of cremated remains. It should be noted that John Cram QC, who was a Director of Mount Pleasant for over 20 years, was a major driving force of the Oakland Cemetery restoration. Unfortunately, Mr.Cram passed away during the construction and restoration of the cemetery. Fittingly, he was the first to be laid to rest in the new Columbarium.

All historical burial and lot records were destroyed in a house fire many years ago. While no one knows the exact number of interments made,because of the practice of unmarked graves, the estimates range from 350 - 574 burials. The only records on file are the names recorded from monuments in Project 75' and a recording the Genealogical Society performed.

The following is a list of some of the more prominent Londoners laid to rest in Oakland Cemetery:

James COUSINS, 1820 - 1899 Mayor of London 1871, Owner of pump factory, connected with organizing the Western Fair.
John CRAIG, 1818 - 1857 1st Fire Chief of London, firm of Craig & Campbell.
Peter ELSON, 1839 - 1899 One of the 1st supporters of Hyde Park Methodist Church.
Frederick HUTTON, 1793 - 1878 Hutton Road and Hutton school were named after.
Col. James MOFFAT, 1819-1894 Mayor of London 1860.
John PLUMMER Sr, 1810 - 1877, Owner of Plummer & Pacey Wagon Works
Rev. William PROUDFOOT, 1788 - 1851 Presbyterian Minister.
Robert REID, 1822 - 1900, One of the founders of London Life