Who was Albert Campbell? As well as other useful Scarborough history resources

If you have spent time living or working in Scarborough you have probably come across the name Albert Campbell. You may have visited the Scarborough Town Centre and walked across Albert Campbell Square. Perhaps you have friends or family that attends Albert Campbell High School. Or, if you are reading this blog then it is likely that you have visited the Albert Campbell branch of the Toronto Public Library. So, you may be asking yourself, just who was Albert Campbell?

Albert (Ab) Campbell was the first Mayor of Scarborough, a former Reeve of the Township of Scarborough, and Chairman of Metropolitan Toronto. He was born in 1910 in Ridgetown, Ontario. 

After graduating from the University of Toronto, Albert Campbell became a teacher. In 1944 he moved to Scarborough to run the farm of his wife's uncle, James Cornell (Cornell was Reeve of the Township of Scarborough from 1913 to 1919) where he was introduced to local politics.

Albert Campbell was first elected as a school trustee for Scarborough Area #2, and was later elected to Council in 1952. He became Deputy Reeve in 1955 and the following year won the position as Reeve, which he held until 1966. In 1967 Scarborough changed its status from a Township to a Borough and Albert Campbell became the municipality’s first mayor. In 1969 he was elected Chairman of Metropolitan Toronto, and he remained in this position until his retirement in 1973. Albert Campbell died in August of 1973. 

If you are interested in learning more about Scarborough's history, the Toronto Public Library has a number of local history publications that examine the history of Scarborough and its important historical figures. The following resources are available and can be downloaded in PDF format through the Toronto Public Library's Digital Archive.  

 

• The People of Scarborough: a history by Barbara Myrvold
• Memories of Scarborough: a Bicentennial Celebration
• A History of the City of Scarborough: an annotated bibliography
• A History of Scarborough by Robert Bonis

For those who prefer reading print books, more information can be found at the Albert Campbell branch including:

• Scarborough's Heritage by Richard Schofield
• Scarborough: Then and Now by Richard Schofield

If you have any questions about these resources, or would like more information on where to find local history materials, please call the branch at 416-396-8890.