The Royal Sappers and Miners
In 1827 the Royal Sappers and Miners, the special construction corps of the British Army, raised the 7th and 15th Companies to serve in the building of the Rideau Canal. Comprising 160 skilled craftsmen and labourers under the Royal Engineers, the companies arrived that year in Bytown, where they built military structures and locks. The 7th Company was transferred in 1829 to assist in the completion of the canal here at the Isthmus, the only section beyond Bytown built under direct military supervision. Sappers and Miners from both companies executed other major projects, including a dam at the Hog's Back, and performed guard-duty at various locks. In 1831, seventy-one were discharged in Canada and several settled along the canal as lockmasters.
Erected by Ontario Heritage Foundation, Ministry of Culture and Recreation.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Cemeteries & Burial Sites • Settlements & Settlers • Waterways & Vessels. In addition, it is included in the Canada, Ontario Heritage Trust series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1827.
Location. 44° 38.947′ N, 76° 19.632′ W.
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Regionally, this marker is in Eastern Ontario and specifically in Southeastern Ontario. It is also in Central Canada. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once a British colony, the Viceroyalty of New France, the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, and Ruperts Land.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 6 kilometers of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Sappers and Miners / Sapeurs et mineurs (approx. 0.6 kilometers away); St. Mary's Anglican Church (approx. 0.7 kilometers away); Blanche A. Thompson Leggett (approx. 5.4 kilometers away); Crosby Methodist Church Bell (approx. 5.5 kilometers away);
More about this marker. Both sides of this marker have the same English inscription.
Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. The Royal Sappers and Miners
Also see . . .
1. The Royal Sappers and Miners Cemetery (By Don Cooke).
Excerpt: There is an old cemetery near Newboro, ON that is the resting place for a number of 7th Company Royal Sappers and Miners who worked on the construction of the Rideau Canal. In fact, in the center of the cemetery is an ordnance stone used to survey the canal.(Submitted on August 29, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)In 2014, a group of local volunteers formed the Royal Sappers and Miners Cemetery Committee and set about to clean up and restore the abandoned burial site that is adjacent to a work camp known as the Isthmus. The Isthmus became the town of Newborough (later shortened to Newboro) in the Johnstown District, which, in 1849 became the County of Leeds.
The 7th and 15th Companies of the Royal Sappers and Miners had arrived at Bytown (Ottawa) on June 1, 1827. Fifty-seven men of the 7th Company, along with approximately 250 labourers were moved to the Isthmus in 1829. The unit was commanded by Captain Savage with three Lieutenants to assist him; Briscoe, Bentamin and Simon. There were two Royal Engineers assigned to the Isthmus, Captain Cole and Captain Gale, who solved the problem of cutting through the hard rock by building a dam and lock at the narrowest point on Rideau Lake (the Narrows). This created Upper Rideau Lake, adding five feet of depth to allow flooding the rock in the cut thereby avoiding additional excavation.
The Cemetery site was used by the Presbyterian Church from 1893-1924 but it fell out of use and its condition declined greatly. The fieldstone markers were removed during some restoration work, resulting in an area of open grassland in the centre of the site. No known historical records of the cemetery plan exist.
2. Old Presbyterian Cemetery (Find A Grave).
Excerpt: Also known as the Royal Sappers & Miners Cemetery, this old cemetery lies just off Highway 42 immediately west of the Village of Newboro. It was recently renovated and now presents a pleasing appearance. Buried in this Cemetery are the bodies of Sappers and Miners who took part in the construction of the "Rideau Canal" at this Isthmus during the years 1826 - 1832. These men laboured under appalling conditions and some succumbed to malaria. Their graves remain unmarked to this day.(Submitted on August 30, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Credits. This page was last revised on May 27, 2025. It was originally submitted on August 29, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 321 times since then and 46 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on August 29, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
