1854–1907 | Bishop's University

1855

Bishop’s College holds its first Convocation.

1856

The Hon. Edward Bowen is appointed 2nd Chancellor.

1857

Completion and consecration of St. Mark’s Chapel.

1858

The Hon. J.S. McCord is appointed 3rd Chancellor.

1861

A separate building is constructed to accommodate the grammar school, which was then associated with the College, later known as Bishop’s College School.

1863

Wooden steps of the College entrance are replaced with stone.

1865

The Hon. Edward Hale is appointed 4th Chancellor. The original portrait of Edward Hale hangs in the Old Library, McGreer Hall.

1867

The first meeting of the Alumni Association is held in June.
The first marriage ceremony is held in St. Mark’s Chapel.

1871

Bishop’s Medical Faculty is founded in Montreal.

1874

Fire destroys the chapel and the school building.

The Montreal Gazette reported on January 8:
“The Bishop’s College was burned last night. The grammar school, dining hall, chapel and Principal’s house were saved. The college library is about one-half destroyed.”

1875

The Hon. George Irvine is appointed 5th Chancellor.
Fire destroys the interior of the College building.

1878

Richard W. Heneker is appointed 6th Chancellor.

Other highlights of 1878:

Rev. J.A. Lobley is appointed 2nd Principal.
Reconstruction completed of buildings destroyed and damaged by fires of 1874 and 1876.

1880

Short-lived Faculty of Law is established in Sherbrooke to close in 1888. Only fifteen degrees in course were granted.

1885

Rev. Thomas Adams is appointed 3rd Principal.

1886

Faculty of Music established.

1890

The Stigma Affair

A group of 29 students protest the poor quality of the food and housekeeping in the college, signing a petition and presenting it to governing body, the College Council, an episode with serious repercussions which became known as the “Stigma Affair” and the students involved became known as the “Stigma Group”.

Bishop Williams Hall

Addition of Bishop Williams Hall to the school building (Bishop’s College School, later known as New Arts, or Old Johnson).

Pictured: Bishop James William Williams

1891

Fire destroys chapel and school a second time.

Bishop’s suffered several disastrous fires over the years. Shown on the left is the extensive damage caused by the great fire of 1891. You can find out more here: Historic Fires at Bishop’s University 1874-1962 (PDF).

Octavia Grace Ritchie Graduates

With the graduation of Octavia Grace Ritchie from its Medical Faculty, Bishop’s became the first university to grant a woman a medical degree in the province of Quebec.

Pictured: Octavia Grace Ritchie, Bishop’s Medical Faculty 1891.
Photograph: Notman Photographic Archives, McCord Museum.

Other highlights of 1891:

Construction of Divinity House completed.
Construction of Morris house completed.

1893

Reconstruction of new school building completed, including installation of cloisters (arches), connecting the College and School buildings.
The first issue of the student journal The Mitre is published, initially serving as an alumni newsletter, campus newspaper, and literary journal in one.

1894

Bishop’s Medical Faculty’s most widely acclaimed graduate, Maude Abbott, receives her degree and goes on to become nationally and internationally renowned for her medical histories and her work in the area of congenital heart disease.

Maude Abbott, Bishop’s Medical Faculty, 1894.
Photograph: Notman Photographic Archives, McCord Museum.

Other highlight of 1894:

University procures its first piano.

1895

Bishop’s Medical Faculty graduated the first Jewish woman as a medical doctor in Canada, Regina Lewis-Landau.
Chapel reopened after extensive reconstruction.

1896

Corporation approves establishment of a chair in music.

1897

First Mock Parliament held.

1898

Norton Hall, known today as Bandeen Hall, which served many functions over the years, was completed in 1898.

Other highlights of 1898

Completion of building now known as Bandeen Hall, which in subsequent years would serve as gymnasium, dining hall, theatre, pub, and Fine Arts studio.
The Robert Hamilton Memorial Endowment enables major renovations to the Principal’s residence, main entrance and exterior of College building.

1900

Highlights of 1900

John Hamilton is appointed 7th Chancellor.
Completion of central tower for the College building as a final legacy of the Hamilton Memorial.
The first woman is admitted to lectures.

1903