2009
The History of the Old Stone Crypt
Driving around the back roads of Muskoka I recently found this old stone crypt near Torrance, Ontario.
I discovered this is the final resting place for William Odell Darling Pine Whiting and family. (Boy, they had long names back then) W.O. Whiting was from England and fell in love with Muskoka in 1885 when he was returning to Toronto while serving with the Northwest Grenadiers after the Riel rebellion.
He later returned in 1892 and bought a large piece of beachfront stretching from Sandy Point to Coulter’s Narrows on Lake Muskoka. William built a 210 room, 4-story hotel called the Brighton Beach Hotel which was a replica of a hotel back in Brighton Beach England. Unfortunately the hotel burned down before it ever opened. Later, William and his wife Clara Cronkhite built a second smaller hotel named the Brighton Beach II which operated for a short while until it burned down in 1917.
Here is a good article about the Whiting family called; Ninety-Three Muskoka Summers
Please click for a large photo
Where is this, Ed? Mom and dad are sitting on a shelf. I need to figure out where to put them! I think my brother wants them in Torrance, but I haven’t been able to find the cemetery he meant.
Kewl photo!
Don’t see crypts much around here…
Cheers
We visit Canada and include the Muskoka area every second year from England,we will look for crypt next time ( 2011 ) would love to have more information on cemetery location.My husbands family roots were in England around the area that William Whiting originated from.
it is located on Torrance Rd which turns into East Bay Road off HWY 169 North towards Bala
Hi I have the family history on Ancestry and I an the custodian of the Family plots in the Torrance Cemetary. Would love to meet the Whitings from England.We are planning a family reunion in Aug
I too am interested in the history of the .crypt and the influencial families affiliated with it.I offer dinner for Four compliments of The Moon River Lookout Restaurant to discuss. My name is Ken and my wife Tiffany. Hope to here from you
Hi Ken, we actually live just down the road from the Torrance Cemetery where the crypt is located. There is a lot of history to our town that we’d be happy to share with you. We’d love to join you for dinner, I’ve never been to the Moon River Lookout. Thank you for the invite.
Hi Ken, we actually live just down the road from the Torrance Cemetery where the crypt is located. There is a lot of history to our town that we’d be happy to share with you. We’d love to join you for dinner, I’ve never been to the Moon River Lookout. Thanks for the invite !
I used to go to summer camp up the road from the cemetary. That was in the late 60′s and early 70′s. I believe it is called Camp Crossroads now. (If it still exists). The tomb was the subject of some great ghost stories that scared the daylights out of the campers. There were many dares to walk up to or even enter the tomb. Most declined. I know a few got pretty close to it then ran away. It was quite funny.
We are having a Whiting family reunion, August 20th @ whiting beach.
so sorry it is A.ugust 20, 2011