Western Campus History – Main Campus:
Ontario, with the Act authorizing the affiliation of Huron College with the university. That relationship has held ever since. In 1951, Huron moved to its present location and has seen major growth in student enrolment, residence facilities, classrooms, library, and faculty offices. From its original 13 students, the Faculty of Arts and Social Science now serves close to 1,300 full-time students. Huron changed its name to Huron University College with Royal Assent in June 2000. It remains known for its small class sizes, close faculty relationships, and a liberal arts tradition rooted in over 160 years of history. King’s University College came considerably later but grew quickly into the largest of Western’s affiliate colleges. King’s was founded as the College of Christ the King in 1954. A group of local clerics, headed by London Bishop John Christopher Cody, along with several monsignors and fathers, began meeting to discuss plans for a new college. The goal was to provide the all-male seminary community with a liberal arts education grounded in the Catholic intellectual tradition. A ceremony marked the official opening of Christ the King College on September 14, 1955, with the leaders of London’s educational, political and religious communities assembled at the steps of the new institution. The name was changed to King’s College in 1966 after it became affiliated with the University of Western Ontario. It later became King’s University College in 2004. Today, King’s enrolls approximately 3,500 students and welcomes those from all faiths and backgrounds, with respect for the human person at the core of its commitment to diversity, social justice, and community. Brescia’s story is perhaps the most complex of the three. Founded by the Ursuline Sisters in 1919, the college was established by a group of Catholic nuns who were deeply conscious of the lack of women’s rights and opportunities. The liberal arts school was formerly named Ursuline College before becoming Brescia College in 1963 and Brescia University College in 2001. For over a century it stood as a space built specifically for women, part of a broader movement that believed women’s education deserved its own dedicated institution. In September 2023, Western announced that Brescia would integrate into its operations, citing financial difficulties Brescia had approached the university about. The announcement was met with heartache across the Brescia community. Students formed the Brescia Preservation Alliance and several rallies were held, with hundreds attending dressed in Brescia’s signature blue and yellow carrying signs that read “Save Brescia.” Brescia ceased operations in May 2024, with Western assuming all liability, debts and assets, including around $35 million in loans. Western created a $25 million Brescia Legacy Fund to support equity-deserving students going forward.
The university you walk through every day has been over 140 years in the making. Founded on March 7, 1878 by Bishop Isaac Hellmuth, The Western University of London Ontario opened its doors to students for the first time in 1881, and what started as a modest Anglican institution has grown into one of Canada’s most recognized universities. Hellmuth was born in Poland and educated at the University of Breslau. Originally Jewish, he converted to Anglicanism after moving to England in 1842. Once in London, Ontario, he recognized the need for a place of higher learning. In 1863, he founded Huron College, and by 1871, as Bishop of the Diocese of Huron, he began pushing the provincial government to establish a university in the city. It was an uphill battle. Though legislation met stiff resistance in provincial parliament, a charter for Western was finally authorized in 1878. The first four faculties were Arts, Divinity, Law and Medicine, and there were originally only 15 students when classes began. The first graduation ceremony did not take place until April 1883, and for years, the institution teetered between ambition and financial survival. The university was made non-denominational in 1908, opening the door to a much broader student body. In 1916, the current site of the university was purchased from the Kingsmill family. Construction moved quickly from there. The first two buildings constructed at the new site were the Arts Building, now University College, and the Natural Science Building, now the Physics and Astronomy Building, and classes on the present site began in 1924. The University College tower, one of Western’s most iconic landmarks, was named the Middlesex Memorial Tower in honour of those from Middlesex County who fought in the First World War. In 1923, the university was officially renamed The University of Western Ontario. Growth through the twentieth century was significant, particularly following the Second World War, when enrolment surged and new faculties and schools were added steadily. In 2012, the university rebranded as Western University, though its legal name remains The University of Western Ontario. Today it is home to twelve faculties and schools, and a history that began with fifteen students and a bishop with a vision. Affiliate Campuses Western’s story cannot be told without its affiliate colleges. For over a century, Huron, King’s, and Brescia each carved out their own distinct identities while remaining connected to the larger university. Together, they represent some of the oldest and most storied corners of the Western community. Huron is where it all begins. Incorporated on May 5, 1863, Huron is the founding college of Western University. Originally established as Huron College, it officially opened its doors on December 2, 1863. Classes began on January 9, 1864, with 13 students and two instructors, including Huron’s first Principal, Bishop Isaac Hellmuth, the same man who would go on to found Western itself. In 1877, Huron alumni and students met with the purpose of forming a university, and on March 7, 1878, a charter was granted to the Western University of London,
The three colleges together tell a richer story of Western than the main campus alone ever could. Each was born from a distinct vision, each served a different community, and each left a mark on the city of London and the students who passed through.
CAMPUS VILLAGER • 2026
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