Take a tour of London's Potter's Field in city cemetery

The stories of Londoners buried in unmarked graves at the city's Woodland Cemeteryarebeing unearthed this summer by a team of Western researchers.

The bodies are buried in what's called a Potter's Field, used in the 19thcentury foroutcasts, people living in poverty or in institutions. Recent immigrants were also buried there.

"This is unconsecrated ground where they buried people who the churchbelieved didn't deserve a consecrated burial or else they didn't know where else to put them," said lead project researcher Levi Hord.

The Western students, who are back at the cemetery located off Springbank Drive for a fourth summer, are planning a walking tour for the public to showcase what they've learned.

Almost forgotten

So far, records are scarce but the archives at Woodland do offer a clue.

Student LeahAbazasaid one person identified was William Wilson, reportedly a criminal and burglarin the late 1800s.

"He had a run in with the police which ended in his death. They didn't know who he was when he was taken by police. He had no next of kin, so he was destined for the Potter's Fields."

Old newspaper clippings are also helpingdirect the research.

Emma Wilson, who died in 1867 at the age of 19, was buried in the Potter's Field.

"The cemetery records are very scarce for her. All that they say is that she died of suicide in the brothel,"Abazasaid.

But the young woman's story caused a stir in the newspaperas it was reported she was from a prominent Toronto family.

"When you have a story like this, the press has a field day with it," Hord said.

"What we're trying to do isresearch the contextual information about the time they were living and to reconstructwhat happened to them."

The original Potter's Field waslocated near the Western Fair grounds and was moved to Woodland Cemetary in 1879. At that time, Woodland wascalled Saint Paul's Cemetery, which also had an unconsecrated section along the back fence line with a few hundred people buried.

Free tours of the Potter's Field are planned for July 7at 1 p.m. or 3 p.m.

Listen to the London Morning interview here.