Current News
Welcome to our website!
The Friends of the Schoolhouse web site will keep you informed about The Old Britannia Schoolhouse and the activities and events planned by the Friends' organization. We encourage
you to check this site often. New information will be added monthly.
The Royal Winter Fair
The Largest Indoor Fair in the World
Established by a group of Ontario farmers 102 years ago, the Royal Winter Fair continues to enchant visitors every November. Agricultural fairs had been held in communities large and small for years. Farm families celebrated the end of the growing season and proudly showed their best produce and animals for judging. After the first World War there was a desire to showcase Canada's agriculture as one of the finest in the world. A short-horned cattle breader, W.A. Dryden, led the initiative to build a coliseum on the city of Toronto Exhibition Grounds to house a fair that would bring agricultural products and livestock from across Canada to compete for top honours. They secured support from the city, province and the government of Canada for the project and the fair was given "Royal" designation by King George V of England.
The first Royal Agricultural Winter Fair was to take place in 1921, but there was a delay in building the coliseum. It finally opened in 1922. Since then it has drawn not only the farm community from across Canada, but city folks as well. The Horse Show each day is a huge attraction. Visitors are in awe of the huge prize winning champion pumpkin. Children love all the animals that city children seldom get a chance to see except in pictures or on TV and in movies. For years the butter sculpture has been an unusual attraction.
Here are some of the attractions at this year's Royal Winter Fair :
- Royal Horse Show
- Royal Rodeo
- Animal Encounters
- Square Dancing
- Artisan Pavilion
- Butter Sculpture
The dates for this year are from November 1st to November 10th 2024.
Coming Events
Open Sundays are the second Sunday of the month from 1 until 4 pm in December, April, May and June.
Time to Renew Your Membership
Our membership year runs from January to December. Membership forms for renewal or new membership are on this website. Click here to get the form.
Echoes of the Past
This book, written and published by Friends of the Schoolhouse, documents the history of all of the rural one room schools that existed in Peel County. Full colour, 208 pages, $30 It is available at all our events or from any member of the Friends of the Schoolhouse Executive. There is a $10 charge for mailing.
Book Talks
Since the book, Echoes of The Past, was published in May 2016, the writers have been giving illustrated talks to historical societies and other interested groups. We talk about the book and tailor each presentation
to suit the audience and the one room schools that were in their local area.
If your group would be interested in having a presentation, please contact Daryl Cook dlcook@rogers.com for further information.
Come and Join Us
If you have a couple of hours a month or only a few hours once or twice a year you could help us support the schoolhouse and its programs. The executive committee meets on the second
Tuesday of the month from September to June to conduct the business of the Friends of the Schoolhouse and to plan programs and events. Our meetings are from 4 to 6 in the afternoon at the schoolhouse. Volunteers help on an occasional basis
with our events and in the gardens. Not only do we support a worthwhile cause, we have a lot of fun doing it. Email our Executive Director Shirley Hoad at shoad@bell.net, if you have a few hours to spare
and an interest in helping preserve a community treasure for future generations of children.
Mark Your Calendar
To see a list of our year's events go to the Events page.
Researching our Roots
There is still much more to discover about the Old Britannia Schoolhouse and other early one room schools. Read below for a wish list of "Wanted" items that will help us learn more about our historic schoolhouse.
For use in a book on one-room schools in Peel County:
- Minute Books
- Cash Books
- Class Photos
- Report Cards
- Prize Ribbons
- Medals
- Certificates
- Shields
- Contracts
- Trustee Memorabilia
- Teacher Memorabilia
- Newspaper Clippings
- School Registers
Your contribution will be acknowledged. Materials supplied will either be returned to you or donated to the Peel County Archives on your behalf.
SLATE Group
SLATE stands for So Let's All Talk Education (in a one room school), or as one witty person suggested, being truly Canadian, So Let's All Talk Eh! Each year for a day in the spring people involved in working or volunteering
in living history one room schoolhouses get together to exchange ideas and learn from each other. We meet at a different schoolhouse location each year which gives everyone the opportunity to experience how living history is presented
in a setting different from their own.
If you are a staff member or volunteer in a living history one room schoolhouse and would like more information about SLATE, contact:
Christine Chapel
The Old Britannia Schoolhouse
5576 Hurontario Street
Mississauga, ON
L5R 1B3
905-890-1010 ext 2911
