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.
Spring Newsletter
Our latest newsletter is available on the Newsletter page. Click here to find it. There is an overview of all the activities and issues we were involved with in 2025. This year will be busy too. We are focussed on preserving the over 200-year-old treasure at a time when we are losing so many of our historic properties. There is also a recipe for a sweet treat and another of Young Will’s adventures. Enjoy.
Spring in the Schoolhouse Garden
Every year like magic our gardens burst into bloom. Years ago, we planted daffodils, trilliums, tulips and other spring flowers. Years later they continue to bloom. There are native plants too. Bloodroot, Virginia Bluebells, Trout Lily and others have naturally grown on the property for generations.
Joan Reid and Ben Madill worked hard with volunteers to create the original historic gardens.
You can visit the gardens on our Open Sundays. Maybe you will get ideas for your own garden or balcony.
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.
Download the Britannia Membership 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.