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Welcome
Our History

Timeline

With almost 200 years of history, Upper Canada College has many stories to tell. Here's just an overview of some of our milestone moments along the way. 

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The 1800s


  • 1829: UCC founded by Sir John Colborne, lieutenant-governor of Upper Canada; Rev. Joseph H. Harris appointed UCC principal
  • 1830: Jan. 4, 57 boys register for their first day at UCC
  • 1839: Rev. John McCaul appointed second UCC principal
  • 1843: Frederick W. Barron appointed third UCC principal
  • 1857: First College Times publishes, now the longest running student publication in Canada; Alexander Robert Dunn 1844 is first Canadian to be awarded the Victoria Cross;  Rev. Walter Stennett appointed fourth UCC principal
  • 1861: George R. Cockburn appointed fifth UCC principal
  • 1863: Sir John Colborne dies
  • 1866: Queen’s Own Rifles affiliation begins (Fenian Raids)
  • 1867: James Cockburn 1833 plays a major role in the confederation of the Dominion of Canada
  • 1881: John Milne Buchan appointed sixth UCC principal
  • 1885: George Dickson appointed seventh UCC principal
  • 1890: First UCC hockey team is formed
  • 1891: July 3, last day at Russell Square site at King and Simcoe Streets
  • 1891: Oct. 14, official opening of Deer Park building
  • 1895:  George R. Parkin appointed eighth principal of UCC
  • 1898: The Gate House, formerly "The Lodge" was built and is the oldest building on campus. 

The Turn of the Century

 
  • 1901: Hampden Zane Churchill Cockburn 1881 awarded Victoria Cross
  • 1902: First Preparatory School building opens; Henry W. Auden appointed ninth UCC principal 
  • 1902: Former UCC principal Sir George Parkin is tasked with much of the organization and implementation of the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship Program in Canada
  • 1913: Norval property purchased; first Norval picnic
  • 1914-1918: First World War breaks out and approximately 1,100 UCC students, faculty and staff members enlist; 179 fall in service
  • 1917: William Grant appointed 10th principal of UCC
  • 1918: UCC's first female teacher, Mary Tucker, is hired to teach science 
  • 1920: House system begins with four: Martland's, Jackson's, Wedd's and Seaton's 
  • 1922: Lieutenant-governor lays cornerstone for second Prep building, Parkin Building
  • 1923: Parkin Building opens
  • 1932: Separate boarding houses open
  • 1933: First Old Boys Association's “Hockey Night”
  • 1935: Terence MacDermot appointed 11th principal of UCC
  • 1938: New Upper School gym and swimming pool open
  • 1939: Norval House opens; first Leaving Class gift presented
  • 1942: Lorne McKenzie appointed 12th principal of UCC
  • 1939-1944: Just over 1,500 UCC students, faculty and Old Boys sign up to serve in Second World War; 128 lose their lives
  • 1948: Rev. Cedric Sowby appointed 13th UCC principal

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The 1950s


  • 1951: Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent lays cornerstone for Memorial Wing
  • 1954: Prep gym opens
  • 1955: First outdoor artificial rink opens
  • 1958: March 11, Upper School building condemned; March 12, Upper School evacuated
  • 1959: Prince Philip visits for first time in June. 

The 1960s

 
  • 1960: New Upper School opens, Rogers clocktower opens with guests Vincent Massey and Edward Peacock; Dedication of All Hallows Chapel
  • 1962: The Sir Edward Peacock Building officially named after renovations
  • 1963: 50th anniversary Norval picnic
  • 1964-64: Norval Arboretum and Stephen House established
  • 1964: Former Senator and Speaker of the House of Commons The Honourable Alan A. MacNaughton '21 is instrumental in shepherding in a new Canadian flag; he is awarded the Officer of the Order of Canada in 1994
  • 1965: Patrick Johnson appointed 14th UCC principal
  • 1967: Stephen House architect Blake Millar (UCC 1945-54) awarded Massey Medal for excellence in architecture
  • 1967: Grade 13 provincial exams dropped
  • 1969: Old Boys’ Association becomes UCC Association and includes parents and Old Boys; active outdoor education program developed under first Norval director, Bruce Littlejohn. 

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    • 1959-1960 Upper School Building
    • HRH Prince Philip chats with UCC athletes during his visit to the College

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The 1970s


  • 1971: “Program for UCC” to raise funds for the libraries, lecture theatre and Patrick Johnson Arena; First woman on board of governors, the Honourable Pauline McGibbon, 1971-74, ex officio appointment of chancellor of the University of Toronto
  • 1973: Official opening of Macintosh Library
  • 1974: Richard H. Sadlier appointed 15th UCC principal
  • 1977: Sandi Ryder becomes first elected woman on Board of Governors; top floor of Memorial Wing converted to apartments 
  • 1978: UCC Summer Camps begin
  • 1979: UCC’s 150th anniversary. HRH Prince Philip visits College and attends first Association Day

The 1980s


  • 1980: New science labs installed in Upper School
  • 1981: Boarding ends at the Prep School
  • 1984: First World Affairs Conference held
  • 1988: Eric Barton appointed 16th UCC principal; Don Kawasoe becomes first on-site director to expand programs at Norval Outdoor School to allow adventure-based programming.

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The 1990s


  • 1990: J. Douglas Blakey appointed 17th UCC principal
  • 1992: Hewitt Athletic Centre opens; Eaton Building opens at Prep; First Grandparents’ Day at the Prep
  • 1993: Oct. 9, Prince Philip opens new buildings (Hewitt Centre, Eaton Building and Mara Gates)
  • 1995: UCC becomes IB school; Prep library renovated, reopens as Wilder Library
  • 1998: First IB diplomas granted; Grade 2 introduced; First annual Leaving Class dinner, sponsored by the UCC Association
  • 1999: Primary wing renovations; Grade 1 introduced; Creativity Centre opens; Horizons Program created as partnership with Toronto District School Board

2000-2010


  • 2001: Wernham West Centre for Learning opens
  • 2002: Prep 100th anniversary
  • 2003: Senior Kindergarten introduced
  • 2004-05: College’s 175th anniversary; Dr. Jim Power appointed 18th UCC principal
  • 2006: The Oval receives artificial turf surface; two Victoria Crosses go on long-term loan to Canadian War Museum
  • 2007: UCC’s gay-straight alliance is established
  • 2009: William P. Wilder '40 Arena & Sports Complex officially opens; Strength, Agility & Speed Fitness Centre opens at Upper School

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2011-present

  • 2012: Proceeds from "Believe in Blue" Gala support Upper School science wing, scholarships and boarding
  • 2013: 100th anniversary of Norval Outdoor School
  • 2014: first Lang Scholars graduate; Rao Family Cup established to promote boarding houses' rivalry; boarding houses and Upper School's second floor renovations
  • 2015: Gatehouse Family Daycare closed; Upper School main floor renovations; UCC's $100-million Think Ahead campaign concludes
  • 2016: Sam McKinney appointed 19th principal of UCC; Cookie Monster mascot retires
  • 2017: New mascot, "Ice the Husky" debuts at Winterfest; Recognizing the tremendous importance of Canada’s Indigenous culture, and appreciating the history of the land on which it sits, UCC issues a formal “acknowledgement of traditional land” and its Council for Reconciliation is established
  • 2018: Strategic Directions: Towards 2029 is launched and a new organizational structure instituted; Summer Life debuts, a camps-boarding program for international students; Atkins Family Design Lab opens in the Upper School; Years 6 through 9 start the IB's Middle Years Programme; Naheed Bardai appointed Head of the Upper School; Tanya Sweeney appointed Head of the Preparatory School  
  • 2019: Newly renovated Manucha & Bellamy Studio Theatre opens at the Upper School; The Hixon Family Design Lab is unveiled at the Preparatory School; The Oval's artificial turf is replaced thanks to a generous donation of $1 million from the Lang Scholar Fund
  • 2020: Refurbished Parkin Wing opens at the Preparatory School; UCC receives IB MYP authorization and becomes the first boys’ school in North America to deliver all three IB programmes.
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