St. Peter’s Anglican Cemetery Municipal Heritage Site

St. Peter’s Anglican Cemetery has been designated a municipal heritage site by the Town of Twillingate because of its historic, aesthetic and spiritual values.

St. Peter’s Anglican Cemetery has historic value as one of the longest used cemeteries in Twillingate. Its headstones contain historic and genealogical type information and may be considered artifacts on the community’s landscape. The earliest death date appearing on extant gravemarkers at the cemetery is 1874 and the latest date from the first decade of the 21st century. The materials of the headstones coincide with these dates. It is possible that earlier burial places are now unmarked and that the cemetery was used as a burial place for well over a century.

St. Peter’s Anglican Cemetery has additional historic value as it is the resting place of Prima donna soprano Georgina Stirling, also known by her stage name Marie Toulinguet. Stirling was born in Twillingate in 1867, the youngest of Ann (nee Peyton) and William Stirling’s 10 children. Georgina’s father nurtured an appreciation of music in his children, and their home had two pianos, a violin and a flute. By age 15, Georgina was playing the organ at church services and performing in local concerts. In 1883, Georgina attended the Toronto Ladies’ College, where she studied liberal arts and music. In 1888, Georgina travelled to Paris to receive voice training, becoming a student of Mathilde Marchesi. During one of Madame Marchesi's concerts, her talent was recognized by a representative of a Milan opera company. This was the beginning of a career that saw Georgina singing with opera companies in Europe and the United States. By the early 1900s, a throat ailment had damaged Georgina’s voice to the point that she could no longer sing opera, although later she gave occasional performances as a concert artist. Following her early retirement from opera, she lived with her two sisters in England. Around 1930, following the deaths of her sisters, Georgina returned to Twillingate to live with her sister Rose. She occupied herself with her flower and vegetable garden and by helping local charitable organizations. She died at Twillingate on April 23, 1935.

St. Peter’s Anglican Cemetery has aesthetic value due to its picturesque setting overlooking the ocean. Located in a tranquil setting at the end of St. Peter’s Church Road on Twillingate’s North Island, the cemetery provides a spectacular view of the undulating northwestern shore of New World Island and the smaller islands that dot its shores.

St. Peter’s Anglican Cemetery has spiritual value due to its long association with the Church of England and Anglican religion in Twillingate.