Fairview Lawn Cemetery is the final resting place of many of the victims of the Titanic, one of the greatest maritime disasters in history. View the simple granite headstones, which were paid for by the company that owned the ill-fated passenger liner.
Halifax is the final resting place for 150 people who did not survive the Titanic disaster. Fairview Lawn Cemetery was established in 1893 and has 121 of the 150 graves. Walk among the headstones, which are arranged in a curved pattern that, to some, represent the hull of a ship. They are a moving reminder of the tragic event. The victims who are buried here include first, second and third class passengers as well as members of the ship's crew.
Halifax was the base of the salvage operations and its railway line allowed relatives to travel here to identify victims. However, note that approximately one third of the graves are unnamed. They include the headstone of the unknown child, a 2-year-old boy whose identity lay hidden for years. In recent years, geneticists have identified the child who perished along with his family. His shoes are on display at Halifax’s Museum of the Atlantic.
Stop by the grave of the young boiler room worker J.Dawson, which is usually surrounded by candles and flowers. Some believe he was the inspiration for the character of Jack Dawson played by Leonardo DiCaprio in the 1997 blockbuster movie Titanic.
As you tour the cemetery, pause to read information panels that detail part of the Titanic’s history and the role of Canadian ships in plucking survivors and the dead from the icy Atlantic waters.
Then pay your respects at the mass grave of another maritime disaster, the Halifax Explosion of 1917. A French container ship laden with explosives collided with another vessel, resulting in the deaths of more than 2,000 people.
Fairview Lawn Cemetery is located on Windsor Street at the northern end of Halifax. It is open year-round and there is no admission fee. After your visit, consider a trip to the maritime museum on Halifax’s waterfront to see the permanent Titanic exhibition.
