John McCaul

Who was John McCaul?

John McCaul was an Irish-born Canadian educator, theologian, and the second president of the University of Toronto from 1848 to 1853.

McCaul was born in Dublin, Ireland and earned BA, M.A. and LL.D. degrees from Trinity College, Dublin. He served as a Church of Ireland clergyman before moving to Toronto, Upper Canada in 1839 to become the principal of Upper Canada College. He resigned from the position in 1842 to serve as vice-president of King's College and professor of logic, rhetoric, and classics. In 1849, King's College was renamed as the University of Toronto, and McCaul was elected to succeed John Strachan as president. McCaul served until 1853, when he became the head of University College, a constituent college of the University of Toronto.

During the Trent Affair of 1862, William Mulock asked John McCaul as the head of the college to call a student meeting that led to the formation of the University Company of volunteers, later K Company of the Queen's Own Rifles.

McCaul was also a dedicated musician and was president of the Toronto Philharmonic Society from 1845 to 1847.

McCaul Street in downtown Toronto takes its name from John McCaul.