Central library’s London Room marks 50th anniversary

The Ivey Family London Room at the Central Branch of the London Public Library marked a milestone this week.

It was at 1 p.m., 50 years ago Monday, that the room housing local history and genealogy first opened to the public.

Most local branches have collections of local history, but unlike the London Room, they’re not very accessible, said Arthur McClelland, the London Room’s librarian. In particular, he says, the London Room is always staffed.

During his nearly 20-year tenure as London Room librarian, McClelland says he’s heard some amazing stories.

“We had two sisters that were reunited after 53 years of separation because they found research in the London Room about their father,” he said.

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“The father was the last person hanged in London in 1951, and the mother had one of the sisters adopted. So they knew they had a sister, but they didn’t know where they were. They didn’t even know if they were alive.”

Monday’s celebration also included speeches, including from New Democrat MPP Peggy Sattler, the launch of the book London: 150 Cultural Moments, the opening of a time capsule from 1992, and the creation of a new capsule to mark Canada’s sesquicentennial.