George Peel Gilmour
1987 Gallery of Distinction Inductee
Born in Hamilton and educated at McMaster, Oxford and Yale Universities, George Gilmour returned to McMaster University in 1929 to take up the chair of Church History, a position he held for 27 years. In 1941 he was appointed Chancellor of McMaster University and, when the position was renamed in 1950, was appointed President and Vice Chancellor, a position he held until his retirement in 1961. In 1950, Dr. Gilmour was named Hamilton’s “Man of the Year”. His tenure as President saw the University re-organized as a private foundation and broadened from its religious background to an all-embracing institution. McMaster University’s position as a leader and innovator in research and education owes much to his vision.
