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The head of McMaster University was given the title of Chancellor until 1950 when George P. Gilmour was given the title of President and Vice-Chancellor and a new Chancellor, E. Carey Fox was chosen. Gilmour had been Chancellor of McMaster University since 1941.

Since 1950 seven presidents have headed McMaster University: George P. Gilmour, 1950-1961; Henry G. Thode, 1961-1972; Arthur N. Bourns, 1972-1980; Alvin A. Lee, 1980-1990; Geraldine A. Kenney-Wallace, 1990-1995; Peter J. George, 1995-2010; Patrick Deane, 2010-present.

W. B. Yeats, poet and playwright, was born in Dublin on 13 June 1865. His most popular play is the patriotic Cathleen ni Houlihan first performed in 1902. His poetry includes The Tower (1928) and The Winding Stair (1929). Yeats won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1923. He died in Roquebrune, France on 28 January 1939.

The first branch of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union in Ontario was founded in December 1874 by Letitia Youmans in Picton. The first Ontario WCTU convention was held in 1877. By 1883 a Dominion WCTU was established by representatives from Ontario and Quebec. The name of the national organization was changed to the Canadian Woman's Christian Temperance Union in 1925.

James Anson Farrer was born in London, England, the son of Rev. Matthew Thomas Farrer and Mary Louisa Anson. He was a prolific author, writing fifty works, including Invasion and Conscription (1909).

The Hannah Street Methodist Church is believed to have been founded in 1892. It was later sold in 1929 and became a Baptist Church, then again in 1949 and became First Christian Reformed. First Christian renovated the building in 1953. It is located at 180 Charlton St. W. The original name of Charlton St. was Hannah.

The Churches of Christ are autonomous Christian congregations associated with one another through common beliefs and practices. They have roots in the American Restoration Movement. According to the manuscript this congregation started in October 1889 at Broadway Hall, moved to Brunswick Avenue, October 1897, and then to Bathurst Street in November 1902. The Elders of the church in 1904 were William Forrester, Duncan Stirling, James Stewart, and John Smart.

Ralph Sheldon was probably an Englishman temporarily living in Nancy, France. He undertook a tour of Switzerland in the late eighteenth century.

William Fleetwood was born on 1 January 1656 in the Tower of London and educated at King's College, Cambridge. He became one of the most celebrated preachers of his day, often speaking before the Royal family and to parliament. On 2 June 1702 he was appointed to a canonry at Windsor. He also held several other appointments and a fellowship at Eton. He was created Bishop on Ely on 19 November 1714. Many of his sermons were published. The Chronicon was written to address the question about the ability to retain a College fellowship while in the possession an estate of practically no value because of the change in the value of money. It was published anonymously in London in 1707. Fleetwood died at Tottenham, near London, on 4 August 1723.

Francesco Gnecco, composer, was born in Genoa, ca. 1769. He was primarily a composer of operas but also wrote chamber and sacred music. The most famous of his twenty-five operas is La prova d'un opera sera. It was originally in one act with a libretto by Artusi and titled La prima prova dell'opera gli orazi e curiazi (Venice, 1803). It was changed to a two act work with Gnecco's own libretto (Milan, 1805) and performed throughout Europe until 1860. Gnecco died in Milan in 1810 or 1811.

Comiers was a mathematician and kabbalist.

The battalion was originally raised at Exhibition Park in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on 6 November 1914. As part of the 4th Infantry Brigade, 2nd Canadian Division, the 19th went from its station in Toronto, Canada, to West Sandling Camp, Shorncliffe, England, 23 May 1915. It disembarked in France on 15 September 1915, where it fought as part of the 4th Infantry Brigade, 2nd Canadian Division in France and Flanders until the end of the war and disbanded on 15 September 1920. It is perpetuated by The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada (Princess Louise's).

Little is known about Richard Nisbet. His coat of arms (Argent three boars heads erased sable within a bordure sable) and his crest (a boar salient regardant) taken together with his motto "Vis Fortibus Arma", suggests that he may be of the Nisbets of Greenholm, a branch of the Nisbets of that ilk dwelling in Ayr. He refers to himself as a 'philomath' — a lover of learning or a student of mathematics.

A contemporary Richard Nisbet — an erstwhile planter of Nevis who subsequently relocated to Philadelphia — published at least two works defending the institution of slavery (especially as practised in the West Indies) before being consigned to a Philadelphia hospital for reasons of insanity. It is possible that this is the same Nisbet, but there is no conclusive evidence to suggest it.

Sidney Grenfell served in the British Royal Navy from 1822-78. Born in 1806 to John Grenfell of Chelsea and entered the navy in 1822. He was the Captain of the HMS Amethyst from 8 July 1856 to 22 December 1860 (until paying off at Chatham). As part of his command of the Amethyst, he participated in the second Anglo-Chinese War or Opium War.

William Eric Windridge was born in Bexley, Kent in England on the 17th of July 1895 to Thomas Windridge. His occupation is listed as a clerk when he enlisted with the Canadian Expeditionary Force in September 1915 and he served with the 2nd Canadian Pioneer Battalion. He enlisted again in 1942 and served with the Veteran Guards of Canada until September 1945. Between the wars he married his wife, Edith, and they had one daughter, Dorothy, born in 1926. Edith passed away in March of 1943.

Catherine Wilson attended the University of Western Ontario. She was appointed as copywriter and publicist for McClelland & Stewart Ltd in 1969 and was promoted to Director of Marketing. In 1972 she was a consultant to the Department of the Secretary of State in Ottawa. She joined James Lorimer & Co. where she was General Manager from 1973 to 1976. She was the senior arts producer for the CBC radio program Sunday Morning in its first season from 1976-1977 and Assistant to the Publisher at Clarke Irwin from 1977-1978. From 1978 to 1980 she was a Communications Department consultant for the Government of Botswana, Africa. In 1980 she was appointed Vice-President and General Manager of James Lorimer & Co. Ltd. Wilson has also worked as Director of Publishing for the United Church of Canada from 1990-1996; as General Manager and Director of Human Resources from 1997-2002 and as Policy Consultant for Children’s Mental Health Ontario from 2004-2005.

FCB Crompton served with the Army Service Corps as a Lieutenant. He was demobilized on 13 April 1919. After the war, Crompton wrote Glimpses of Early Canadians: Lahontan (1925).

Marjorie Stibbards Harris Batten, freelance writer, editor, and noted Canadian gardening authority, was born in Shaunavon, Saskatchewan, in 1937, the eldest of Bernard and Kay Stibbards ’s three children. Her father was a Baptist minister and the family moved frequently across Canada. She was tragically orphaned in her teens, losing her mother to cancer and her father soon after in an airplane crash. Harris graduated from McMaster University in 1959 with an Honours BA in English, and began graduate studies at University of Toronto, studying with Northrop Frye.

She married musician and TV producer Barry Harris with whom she had two children, Christopher and Jennifer. After separating from Harris, she met fellow writer Jack Batten, to whom she has been married since 1968. The couple still reside in the Toronto Annex home in which they raised her children and Batten’s son and daughter, Brad and Sarah.

In the early 1960s Harris worked for Toronto art dealer Dorothy Cameron which led to a position as modern-living editor and writer at Maclean’s magazine. Well into the1980s, Harris continued as a freelancer, writing on a wide range of topics for nearly every major Canadian magazine. In the early 1970s Harris was also a writer, producer, and commentator for CBC Radio on such shows as “Gerussi,” “This Country in the Morning,” and “Ideas”. In addition, she wrote and co-authored numerous general interest books in the 1970s and 1980s.

What Harris describes as her “epiphany” occurred in 1988 when she combined her writing talents and passion for gardening to create The Canadian Gardener. Published in 1990, it launched Harris into a new career, and was the first of nearly 20 gardening monographs she has written. Recognition for her expertise led to gardening columns in Chatelaine and The Globe & Mail, and to editorship roles with Toronto Life Gardens and Gardening Life. She continues to be much sought-after for speaking engagements, public appearances, and garden tours, and is a regular garden commentator on television and radio programs and online forums.

R.H. De Pencier served in the Canadian Contingent of the South African Constabulary in the South African War. From Montreal, De Pencier was part of the Volunteer Rifles and received the Queen’s Medal. His regimental number was 1662.

Stuart Ivison was an active member of the Canadian Baptist community and served as a chaplain during the Second World War in England, Italy, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Ernest Hauber Stuart Ivison was born 26 March 1906 in Wheatley, Ontario. Joining the Talbot Street Baptist Church during the end of high school and through his work with the church made the decision to enter the ministry. Starting at McMaster University in 1925, Ivison joined the debating team, worked on the McMaster Monthly and was the first editor of The Silhouette.

After graduating in 1930, Ivison was ordained and began his first ministry at a church in Brockville. Two years later he moved to Ottawa to fill a vacancy at First Baptist Church. On 5 August 1931, he married his wife Marjorie, and they had three children: Donald, Duncan and David. As a consequence of his role at Ottawa First Baptist he was often a liaison between the government and the Baptist Convention after the start of the Second World War. He was asked to join the National Defence Headquarters by Bishop Wells of the Anglican Church of Canada. He enlisted in July 1941 and served at Headquarters for two years. In 1943 he requested to go through basic training and serve overseas. Ivison served most of his time with the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, until just before the end of the war when he became Staff Chaplain at Army Headquarters. Following his service he returned First Baptist in Ottawa and was an active member of the Baptist community in Canada.

For a detailed account of his life, including a wealth of contextual details for this archive, researchers should consult the oral history recorded in 1986 that is housed in Box 2, File 25.