Renfrew-Collingwood Community News

News stories from the Renfrew-Collingwood community in East Vancouver

Collingwood Corner: Connaught School (now Sir Wilfred Grenfell)

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BY LORETTA HOUBEN

Connaught School, now Sir Wilfred Grenfell, Renfrew-Collingwood
Connaught School, December 20, 1913. Source: Greater Vancouver Chinook newspaper, UBC Library

While browsing the Greater Vancouver Chinook newspapers online at the UBC library website, I discovered a photo in the 1913 edition showing Connaught School, which confirmed my previous research. The school was renamed John Norquay Annex (1933–1955) before changing to Sir Wilfred Grenfell School (opened in 1958). Grenfell school is still in operation as of 2024 at 3323 Wellington Avenue.

I wrote about this in detail in the November 2019 issue of the Renfrew-Collingwood Community News.

Rupert Street School on Bayley's Claim, incorrectly named. Source: Vancouver Archives, 1910s.
Rupert Street School on Bayley’s Claim, incorrectly named. Source: Vancouver Archives, 1910s.

In the Vancouver archive photos, the school is incorrectly named Rupert School. The description should read Connaught School, as confirmed in the BC Directories and other sources.

I had no real proof that these photos were of Connaught School until now. The UBC library website is free to use and has a wealth of information about the past. Please use this free resource to explore Collingwood history for yourself. 

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