Timeline of London Schools
Click on a century or scroll down the list. 
The 1700s
1793 - Lieutenant-Governor John Graves
Simcoe first viewed the forks of the Thames and made plans for a new capital city
The 1800s
1826 - Peter McGregor, London's
first settler, opens an inn
1826 -1827 - Mahlon Burwell
surveys London's town site and building begins
1827 - A frame building was constructed to house the first
school, jail and courthouse. The first school master (and jailer) was Peter Van
Every. The attic was the school room, the ground floor was divided into two sections
- the front section was the courtroom, the rear was the jail. The building
originally stood on the northwest corner of Dundas and Ridout. The
course of study would have included reading, writing and arithmetic and a little
geography. The geography text showed London at the fork of the Thames even though the book
was printed four years before the village was founded. It was Colonel
Talbot who ordered the construction of the building.
There were probably about 6 students who went to school 6 days a week, 12
months a year, with NO holidays. School fees ranged from $2 -$5 a quarter; all
early schools were privately run.
1837 - The London and District Grammar School
moved to London
1838 - One of the best schools in the village
opened, run by William Taylor, on Horton Street.
1842 - Superintendent of Education, Reverend
Benjamin Cronyn, was ordered to divide the town into districts for school purposes, so he
simplified the task by making each Ward a school district.
1844 - the village authorities took over
control of primary education; there were four official schools in four wards:
St. David's, St. Patrick's, St. Andrew's, St. George's. The population of London was
about 2000.
1847 - London was officially incorporated as a town on July
28
1848 - London's first Board of Education
came into existence
1849 - Opening of Union School
1851 - new St. George's school opened in February.
The teacher was Mr. Irwin who was paid $300/year. By 1852, this new school had 223
pupils.
1852 - On February 10, common school became free.
London was the first city in the world to provide free education. A female
"assistant" named Miss Schnenick was hired to help Mr. Irwin at St. George's
School. She was paid ten shillings ($2) a week.
1855 - London was proclaimed a city, effective January 1,
1855. J.B. (Barney) Boyle was appointed principal of the Union School
1856 - Grammar school was in the Old Central School
1857 - The school board gave student three weeks holidays
beginning on August 3rd; Roman Catholic Separate School established
1858 - Talbot Street School opened
1862 - Bond Street School was built. It later became
Princess Avenue School and then Lord Roberts
1863 - Huron College was opened by Bishop Cronyn
1865 - The Grammar School board and the Common School
trustees merge. The old Grammar school closes and classes are held in two rooms at
the Union School
1871 - J.B. Boyle became London's first Inspector of
Schools. The Ontario Legislature passed the Education Act with compulsory attendance
until pupils are age 14. Grammar School became high school and entrance exams were
introduced for Grade 8 students. The results were often listed in the newspaper!
Ouch ... better study!
1875 - Lorne Avenue School opened in October
1878 - The Collegiate Institute opens; Bishop Hellmuth
procures a charter for Western University
1881 - Western University was holding classes in a five
room building on St. James Street near Hellmuth Avenue
1883 - the new Princess Avenue School is built
1885 - London East's three school were added;
Westervelt School opened
1886 - Military School at Wolseley Barracks opened;
Faculty of Law opened at Western University
1887 - Governor Simcoe Public School was built
1888 - the Collegiate Institute was enlarged
1890 - London South was annexed but no schools added
1893 - Collegiate Institute
was enlarged
1891 - J.B. Boyle dies while working at his desk
1887 - Some statistics: there were 95 public school
teachers, 11 kindergarten directors, 8 transition teachers, several inspectors plus unpaid
assistants and music directors - 127 employees altogether. The average daily
attendance was 4,636 pupils in elementary school and 633 at the Collegiate. There
were 4 separate schools in the city.
1898 - The six room Petersburg school was added
The 1900s
1905 - Board of Education elected by a general vote
1906 - Nicholas Wilson, retired
1909 - Nicholas Wilson, died on
March 14
1911 - Ontario passes the Industrial Education Act
1912 - The London Industrial Arts School opened (in the old
Colbourne Street School) and enrollment was 39 pupils. Dr. H.B. Beal was
principal. Evening classes were held for the first time.
1913 - More annexation adds Ealing,
Chelsey Green and
Pottersburg Schools to the school system
1915 - Boyle Memorial School opened on April 12. It
was named in memory of J. B. (Barney) Boyle
1916 - The new Lord Roberts opened; Riverview and Ryerson
Schools erected
1919 - London Technical and Commercial High School opened
on January 14 (later renamed H.B. Beal after its first principal); Collegiate
Institute destroyed by fire
1920 - The Knollwood School opened in the former Red Cross
Hut
1921 - London South Collegiate Institute opened in February
1922 - The new Central Collegiate Institute opened;
Victoria School opened
1926 - Sir Adam Beck Collegiate Institute opened at 1250
Dundas Street
1930 - Lady Beck Public School opened
1949 - Knollwood Park Public School opened in September
1952 - Churchill Public School opened
1956 - G.A. Wheable opened
1961 - Annexation added 33 public school and 2 secondary
schools to the London Board
1963 - Board passed a policy that all schools must have
a gymtorium and a library; Board of Education moved from the Third floor at City Hall to
its new home in the old Normal School on Elmwood Avenue
1963 - A.B. Lucas Secondary School opened on September 3
1968 - Sir Frederick Banting Secondary School opened
1972 - Saunders Secondary School opened and was considered
the most modern school in Ontario
1998 - The Board of Education for the City of was
amalgamated with Elgin County, Middlesex County And Oxford County Boards of Education and
became Thames Valley District School Board
