Reviving the Riverside Cemetery

One hundred and one years after the sinking of the Llandovery Castle, people in Pictou County will pause today, June 27, to remember Marjorie Fraser, the New Glasgow woman who was matron in charge of all nursing sisters on the ship along with other prominent people from Pictou County. 
She as well as other relatives have grave markers in the Riverside Cemetery in New Glasgow. A descendent, Bill Graham, has been working to help refurbish the family markers, and to coincide with the date of the Llandovery Castle sinking, Branch 34 of the Royal Canadian Legion will be hosting a rededication ceremony beginning at 11 a.m. at the cemetery with a luncheon to follow at the New Glasgow legion.
The event is being held in memory of the following people: 
• Hon. Alistair Fraser wounded twice in the First World War - received the Victoria Cross.
• James Gibson Laurier Fraser - died in France, March 1918
• Margaret (Marjorie) Pearl Fraser - died June 27, 1918 - sinking of the Llandovery Castle.
• George Douglas MacDougall, RCAF - shot down over Holland 1943 in WWII.
Graham said he is glad to see the community supporting initiatives to revive the history of the cemetery and the people buried there. 
“There’s a whole wealth of history in that one little section,” he said.
He believes it’s important that history not be forgotten, which is why he has been travelling back to Pictou County from his current home in Ontario to care for the gravesites.
“Every stone that I’m working on is a relation,” he said. “We are the product of these people. We carry their genes. …I think it has to be important to remember that. We have a lot to thank them for.”
A bit of that history was shared on Saturday, June 22 as the Carmichael Stewart House Museum held its grand opening for the 2019 season. 
During the event, James Lees released copies of a booklet called, Riverside Cemetery: A Collection of Biography. The research, which he did on behalf of the Pictou County Historical Society, includes information about five prominent New Glaswegians: Marjorie Fraser, Richard Meikle, Graham Fraser, James Carmichael and George McKenzie.
This small group includes a boat builder, a sea captain, an industrialist and the founder of Trenton Works as well as the famous nurse.
“It’s a real snapshot of most of Pictou County’s history contained in that booklet,” Lees said.
He said he hopes the information will help spur more interest in the cemetery.
“We’re trying to raise awareness about the Riverside Cemetery in the lead up of our efforts to get interpretive offerings put down there,” Lees said. 
They’re looking at the option of putting in an interpretive panel, he said, but the details still have to be worked out.
“There’s been a spike in interest in the Riverside Cemetery and hopefully we can sustain it.”