RMCC History and Museum - General Information
Undergraduate Calendar 2012-2013
Historical Sketch
In l874, the Canadian Parliament passed an Act providing for the establishment of an institution "for the purpose of imparting a complete education in all branches of military tactics, fortification, engineering, and general scientific knowledge in subjects connected with and necessary to a thorough knowledge of the military profession, to be known as the Military College, and to be located in one of the garrison towns of Canada". Kingston, with its historical, military, and naval associations, was selected as the site of the proposed College. On l June l876, the Military College of Canada opened its doors to its first class of eighteen gentlemen cadets, soon to be known as the "The Old Eighteen". Two years later, in l878, Her Majesty, Queen Victoria, granted the College the right to use the prefix "Royal".
The College is located on Point Frederick, a small peninsula immediately east of downtown Kingston and a site of considerable historic interest. In 1789 a naval depot was established on the Point and during the War of 1812 this depot was expanded into the most important military and naval base in Upper Canada. The first College buildings included some of those, from the old naval dockyard. Among them was one known as, the "Stone Frigate", which had been built to store naval gear from warships laid up following the War of 1812. Affectionately known as the Stone Boat by the current generation of cadets, this venerable structure has been in continuous use as a dormitory since the College was opened. The first academic facility was completed in 1878, and is now named the Mackenzie Building, in honour of the founder of the College and Canada's Prime Minister of the day, Alexander Mackenzie. Today it continues in use as the administrative hub of the institution, accommodating the offices of the Commandant, the Principal and the Director of Cadets. Modern buildings now complement those of the earlier period, housing students, faculty, libraries, classrooms, and laboratories.
Since 1880, when the first class of cadets graduated, ex-cadets of the Royal Military College have distinguished themselves in Canada and in many other areas of the British Commonwealth. As early as 1879 the British Government undertook to grant limited number of commissions in the British Regular Army to cadets of the Royal Military College. The first ex-cadet to be killed in action fell at Tambi West Africa in 1892. Ex-cadets have seen service in the North-West Campaign, in the South African War, on the North West Frontier of India, in the First World War, in the Second World War and in Korea. More recently graduates of the College have participated prominently in Canada's military commitments worldwide - serving in the navy, army, or air force in the Middle East, Asia, Central America, Africa, Eastern and Central Europe and Afghanistan.
"The Royal Military College of Canada Degrees Act, 1959," passed by the 25th Ontario Legislature and given Royal Assent on 26 March 1959, empowers the College to confer degrees and honorary degrees in Arts, Science and Engineering. RMCC became institutionally bilingual in the mid-1970's. Coeducational status was achieved in 1980. Between 1948 and 1995, RMCC shared with Royal Roads Military College and later with Collège militaire royal de Saint-Jean the responsibility of educating officer cadets for the Canadian Forces. In 1995 our sister colleges, Collège militaire royal de Saint-Jean and Royal Roads Military College were closed, leaving RMCC as the only Canadian military college.
Museum
The RMCC museum, which was created in its present form in 1962, is housed in the Fort Frederick Martello Tower on the College grounds. Displays are also located throughout the College buildings. The Tower is one of four constructed between 1846 and 1848 to augment the Kingston defences. The museum's holdings include artefacts and records relating to the history of the College and of its graduates as well as to naval dockyard which once occupied Point Frederick, the peninsula upon which the College stands. Amongst the museum's most treasured possession is the superb Douglas Arms Collection.
The museum is open daily to the public in July and August and during the remainder of the year to school and other group visits by special arrangement.
Museum Conservator - J.R. McKenzie, CD, rmc, plsc, BA, MA (RMCC)
