Educator.
Born at St. Mary’s, Ontario on 5 September 1861, he was educated at the University of Toronto. He taught science and mathematics at the Wesleyan Ladies College (1888-?) at Hamilton, and at Collingwood Collegiate and Brantford Collegiate. In poor health, he moved to Crandall where he worked in the implement, lumber, and coal business for about seven years.
He would later recount that a return to the classroom seemed inevitable, stating during a 1951 interview that his first love was teaching and that he'd “never have been happy doing anything else.” He returned to Toronto (1911) and Brantford where he taught until 1913, when he was appointed Principal of Portage Collegiate, serving until 1936. He moved to Winnipeg to live with his daughter, and fellow educator, Isabella Ruth Hamilton (1901-1988) at 130 Sherbrook Street, and later at 133 Ethelbert Street (1940). In retirement, he joined the Assiniboine Lawn Bowling Club. He married Adeline Elizabeth Hamilton (1870-1940) and also had a son, Ralph Day Hamilton (1903-?).
He died at Winnipeg on 7 October 1954 and was buried in the Brookside Cemetery.
1911 Canada census, Automated Genealogy.
Death registrations [Adeline Elizabeth Hamilton], Manitoba Vital Statistics.
Obituary [Adeline Hamilton], Winnipeg Tribune, 3 September 1940, page 19.
“School more popular, ex-Principal believes,” Winnipeg Free Press, 3 September 1951, page 3.
“James R. Hamilton, former Principal of PCI, dies at 94,” Manitoba Leader, 7 October 1954, page 1.
Winnipeg estate files (ATG 0025A), #51821 James R. Hamilton, GR4886, Archives of Manitoba.
Brookside Cemetery burial transcriptions, City of Winnipeg.
Obituary [Isabella Ruth Hamilton], Winnipeg Free Press, 10 June 1988, page 44.
Ante Nos Scientia: Portage Collegiate Institute, 1882-2005 by Lisa Pao with Barry Bills, Portage Collegiate Institute Reunion Committee, 2005.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough and Nathan Kramer.
Page revised: 1 August 2023
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