Our Heritage

The town of Hamilton was conceived by George Hamilton, a local politician who purchased farm holdings from James Durand shortly after the War of 1812. The road grids were based on pre-existing Indian Trails, and he named the first streets after his children – hence the familiar James, John, Catherine and Mary Streets in the city today. As was commonplace at the time, one of the first buildings constructed was a jailhouse. The following year, Hamilton was incorporated as a village, then achieved official city status in 1846. That same year, the Hamilton Spectator newspaper began publishing. The city was already acquiring its reputation as a “steel town” as local craftsmen came together to build a steel smelting factory. Hamilton’s location – with its relatively easy access to nearby limestone, coal and iron ore, and its proximity to the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River – made it a natural hub for steel production.

The year 1890 witnessed the building of the city’s first public library, while the famous Right House department store opened its doors in 1893. During this time, the people of Hamilton enjoyed taking a ferry across the bay to Bay View Park for a day’s entertainment and relaxation including sun-bathing on the shores. Today, this is the site of the Bayview Cemetery and Mausoleum. Despite the famous Hamilton Street Railway strike of 1906, the population of Hamilton doubled between 1900 and 1914.  Much of this growth is attributable to the establishment of two icons of the Canadian steel industry: Stelco in 1910 and Dofasco in 1914. Proctor and Gamble, and the Beech-Nut Packing Company followed, in 1914 and 1922.

As the population grew, demand for every kind of service increased, including funeral services. Bayview Cemetery & Mausoleum was built in the early 1920s.  It was then known of as Hamilton Mausoleum and was the first of its kind for the region. It was also considered one of the most beautiful, reflecting the growing prosperity of the region. Several academic journal articles detail the architecture as well as the stained glass windows of Bayview Mausoleum.

The Pigott Building, the city’s first high rise, was built in 1929 and still stands high today. World famous McMaster University moved from Toronto to Hamilton in 1930, thanks to offers of land and money by the local government and even donations from ordinary people.

Other milestones include the city’s first airport (1940), the construction of the Burlington Skyway (1958) and the opening of the first Tim Horton’s, in 1964.

Hamilton’s finest attractions include:

• Royal Botanical Gardens
• Bayview, Cemetery, Crematory and Mausoleum
• Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum
• The Bruce Trail
• McMaster University and Mohawk College
• Canadian Football Hall of Fame -- Home to the Hamilton Tiger Cats and Hamilton Bulldogs
• Copps Coliseum
• Dundurn Castle and Erland Lee Museum
• John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport

Bayview is the only privately- and family-owned, independent, licensed cemetery, crematory and mausoleum in this area.

We are proud of our long tradition of service to the people of Hamilton, Burlington, Stoney Creek and Niagara.

The Markey family emigrated from Ireland to Canada in the 1800s. William (Bill) Markey, who began the family business, grew up in Oakville, Ontario, and later fought in the D-Day invasion.

In 1970, Bill Markey founded Dermody-Markey Funeral Home in Hamilton, and built the business with the vision of serving his community. 

A few years later, Bill learned that he was terminally ill at the early age of 54. He purchased the funeral home from his business partners, on behalf of his wife and family. He also asked his youngest son Chris to return to Ontario to take up the family business. As a licensed funeral director, Chris was uniquely qualified to fulfill this final request.

Chris Markey successfully ran the family business for fifteen years. During this time, the historic Hamilton Mausoleum (originally completed in 1927) was acquired by Patrick Markey, Chris’s older brother.  Patrick renamed the facility Bayview Cemetery & Mausoleum in keeping with the land’s history.  Bayview Mausoleum is one of the few intimate, European Estate type cemeteries in the country. Designed in the classic Greek Doric style, it boasts fluted pillars, bronze doors, marbled floors and stained glass windows by renowned Canadian artist James Blomfield.

Eventually, Chris Markey operated both the Markey-Dermody and Crestmount Funeral Homes. After Chris sold the businesses, he retired to Burlington, but continued to bring his expertise to the entire compliment of Markey Family Care facilities.

Chris’s mother, Mary Markey (nee McFarlane), has always been active in the business, and continues to be to this day. Mary grew up in Hamilton.  As Scottish settlers, her family has lived in the Hamilton region for decades. A few years ago, Mary Markey suggested the construction of a new funeral home to her eldest son, Patrick. He eventually opened Bay Gardens Funeral Home at 1010 Botanical Drive in Burlington, Ontario. It sits directly across from the majestic facade of Bayview Cemetery on 740 Spring Gardens Road nestled in opposite the Royal Botanical Gardens offices and the historic Easterbrooks.

Soon it became obvious that a similar funeral home was needed on Hamilton Mountain. That newest Bay Gardens facility was built where the famous Plantation Motor Hotel once stood, at 947 Rymal Road.

Both Bay Gardens locations have transformed the way people view funeral homes. For example, Bay Gardens is the only funeral home to ever win a prestigious design award (the 2006 Association of Registered Interior Designers of Ontario, or ARIDO, Award.)

As part of our commitment to your community, a $500,000 wing was constructed at Hamilton’s Bay Gardens facilities. Designed especially as a free meeting space for local groups, this wing now hosts meetings for over 100 not-for-profit organizations.

Bay Gardens Funeral Home & Bayview Cemetery also provides a full range of holistic and traditional bereavement educational services. Under the “Bay Care” auspices, we constantly offer community education about grief and bereavement, including hosting a regional symposium on the issue.

Call us at Bay Gardens Hamilton (905-574-0405)  or Burlington (905-527-0405) for the answers to your questions about the many services we provide.