Address: West 12th and Oak Street

1910 – 1962

In 1908, due to the rapidly growing student population in Vancouver, it was decided that a second high school would be built. To distinguish between the two schools, the Vancouver School Board decided that Vancouver  High School be renamed “King Edward” (in honour of the late King Edward VII), and its offshoot “Britannia”. In 1910, the name “King Edward High School” became official.

The influence of King Edward High School on the Vancouver School District was considerable. Most of Vancouver City’s early high schools as well as its technical and commercial schools were direct offshoots of King Edward High School. Also, the creation of the University of British Columbia in 1916 required King Edward High School to serve as the first home of the University of British Columbia until the University relocated to the Point Grey campus. The High School continued to offer first year university classes until 1962.

The last high school graduation ceremony occurred in 1962.  For the next decade, King Edward High School assumed the role of a Community College. On June 20, 1973 the school building was destroyed by fire. The stone wall located at Twelfth Avenue and Oak Street remains the last historical monument to the High School’s existence. Architect Richard Henriquez, the designer of the Gordon and Leslie Diamond Health Care Centre, created a further memory of King Edward High School by incorporating a tile demarcation in the lobby floor of the building representing the west wall of the school structure.

King Edward High School provided a wonderful experience for its students preparing to venture forth on life’s journey. The King Edward High School motto “ ad summum “ (to the highest) defines the goal of the School and its Students.

 

Follow this link to see photos of Commemoration Ceremony at the Diamond Centre, Vancouver General, which now occupies the site of King Ed (August 19, 2015)

https://photos.app.goo.gl/HNU5huuppVxF7zu3A