The University's Original Charter In March of 1826 John
Strachan, the Anglican rector of the town of York, left for
London, England to lobby for a university for Upper Canada. His
objective was realized on 15 March 1827 when he obtained a royal
charter for a "College, with the style and privileges of an
University...to be called 'King's College'", controlled, of
course, by the Church of England. [To see leaves of the original
charter, click here] [To view a printed copy of the
Charter,click here]. That,in itself, ensured that Strachan would
have a battle on his hands for adherents to the Church of
England were, even then, a distinct minority in the colony. It
was also one he would lose. The College did not open until 1843,
by which time the winds of political reform were buffeting the
governing establishment. When the Reform party took power in
1848,the assault on the Church of England's control of the
College could no longer be turned back. On 31 December 1849,
King's College ceased toexist and was replaced