The Bishop Strachan School, a day and boarding school for girls, and its graduates were strongly involved in the World War I (1914–1918) effort, with about 40 Old Girls serving as nurses and VADs (voluntary aid detachment workers). On Sept 7 1915 Frances E. (“Frank”) Munro, the first Canadian Nursing Sister to perish in World War I, died on the island of Lemnos.
The War memorial at Bishop Strachan School, Toronto, includes a rare listing of 16 WWII services in the key below the names.
A Brass plaque at Bishop Strachan School, Toronto honours Frances E. Monro, the first Canadian nursing sister to die in the Great War.
Students and graduates volunteered in the Red Cross, working hard for the World War II (1939–1945) effort. Some 160 BSS Old Girls joined the women’s divisions of the three services, holding positions in such fields as intelligence, censorship, and radio operation. Some became members of the auxiliaries. Overall, BSS graduates served in Canada, the United States, England, Italy, Germany, Egypt, Algeria, and India.
1939 Sept 3: Three BSS teachers were returning from Britain aboard a civilian ship, SS Athenia. World War II was just 10 hours old when the ship became the first British casualty of a submarine attack. Dorothy Hutchings, aged 39, a popular teacher, died.
1939 Sept: Eighty British girls in Toronto on a cross-country tour became stranded by the outbreak of war; BSS took in 65 of them. Although many returned to England, a steady stream of other war guests arrived to replace them. The school paid for many; others were housed and supported by the school community. The war guests were allowed to wear their English uniforms. Fundraisers, such as the sale of Christmas cards designed by an Old Girl in 1941 and 1942, helped with expenses. Home after the war, the guests began a British branch of the Old Girls Association.
(WWII): Illuminated list designed by A.J. Casson. “For King and Country / Members of / The Bishop Strachan School / who have volunteered for active service / with / Canada’s fighting forces.” Four columns. Given names followed by surnames. Key: The numerals 1 to 16 note the service in which each person served. The indicating numeral is to the left of the girls’ names. Lower right hand corner: Margaret Reale scripsit—November 1993. Affixed to the bottom of the frame is a brass plaque: This roll of honour commemorates the names of BSS Old Girls who served during WWII. It was begun in 1943 and hung in the / front hall for many years. The frame is made from the wood of the original Great Hall benches “upon which they have sat on / so many occasions. After 1994 research by Jane McGILLIVRAY ‘35 & / Margaret FOULDS Coburn ‘38, the plaque was rededicated / with a more complete list of names and calligraphy done by Past Parent Margaret Reale.
All women on this memorial appear under their “school” or maiden names (which by BSS tradition are written in upper case). We have made one exception in our indexing. Kathleen Gilmour appears on the memorial as Kathleen Ritchie, her school or maiden name. She is the only Old Girl known to have served under her married name. We have therefore indexed her as Kathleen Ritchie Gilmour. Mrs. Gilmour was Lady Superintendent-in-Chief (1943-1946) for St. John Ambulance, Canada. She recruited VADs (Voluntary Aid Detachment field nurses) from across Canada, set up the brigade’s headquarters in London, England, and was active in the organization all of her adult life. Anyone researching her, or St. John Ambulance, would look under her married name, Gilmour.
