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The Early Years

Richmond Secondary School

Richmond Secondary School (1927- ) was built when the School Board decided to build a separate facility at the corner of Cambie and Sexsmith Roads in order to better serve the secondary students in Richmond by accomodating Grades 9 to 11. Matriculation (high school graduation) was Grade 11 at this time.

In 1937, Grades 8 and 9 were added and the school’s name changed to Richmond Junior-Senior High School.

In 1952, a new facility was built near the intersection of Foster Road, now Minoru Boulevard, and Granville Avenue in the heart of Richmond in order to focus on the speciality subjects for Grades 11 and 12 only. For a short time Grade 13, Senior Matriculation was offered as well. This new facility retook its old name of Richmond High, and the older facility on Cambie Road became Cambie Junior Secondary School, serving Grades 7 to 10.

Richmond High School, 2004.

The new Richmond High School in 2004.
City of Richmond Archives Photograph
2004 43 222. Click to enlarge image.

Beginning in 1996, Grades 8 to 10 were systematically added to Richmond High, and the school became Richmond Secondary School. January 1, 2004, a new facility was opened at the same site, as the old structure was torn down.

The school was named after the municipality, but the historical source of the term Richmond is still being debated. Some say Hugh Boyd and his wife, who hosted the first council meeting in 1879, had the community named after Mrs. Boyd’s birthplace - Richmond, Yorkshire, England.

Another source is linked to W.D. Ferris, who drafted the petition for Richmond’s incorporation; he chose Richmond because it commemorates his birthplace - Richmond, Surrey, England. A third possibility involves Hugh McRobert’s daughter naming their homestead on Sea Island (1861) Richmond View because it brought back memories of her former home in New South Wales, Australia. Some of Richmond’s first settlers came from Richmond County in Ontario – another possibility for the origin of the name.

Regardless of its source, the name of the school was chosen to represent the municipality.

Richmond High School and neighbourhood, 1953.

An aerial photograph of Richmond High and the neighbourhood in 1953.
The old Brighouse Lacrosse Box is at the right and Minoru Racetrack on the
other side of Granville Street.  The old Richmond High was on
Foster Road which has been renamed as Minoru Boulevard. 
City of Richmond Archives Photograph 1977 1 105. Click to enlarge image.