About / History

​Wolseley School was originally constructed in 1921 as a nine classroom, single level building. In 1959, an addition saw construction of a new kindergarten room and a general purpose room. In 2002, a major addition project began, necessitating the entire staff and student body to move to Sir William Osler School for the 2002-2003 school year. On Sept. 2, 2003, Wolseley students and staff started the school year in the new version of their school. The finished addition added an adaptive skills facility, multipurpose room and a gymnasium complete with kitchen, washrooms and storage areas. The existing building received extensive renovations including modifications to existing space to provide a new library, computer lab, science room, resource teaching space and administrative space along with upgrading of the existing heating and ventilation system, new roof, windows, as well as plumbing and electrical upgrades. The original building has been classified as a Grade III Historic Structure by the City of Winnipeg Historic Buildings Committee.

 

Garnet Joseph Wolseley, First Viscount (1833 - 1913) - Born at Golden Bridge House, county Dublin, Ireland, on June 4, 1833, the son of Major Garnet Joseph Wolseley, of the 25th Borderers. He entered the army as a second lieutenant in 1852, and saw service successively in India, in the Crimea, and in China. In 1861 he was sent to Canada as assistant quartermaster- general, and in 1865 became deputy quartermaster- general, with the rank of colonel. In 1870 he was chosen to command the force sent west to the Red River to quell the Riel insurrection; and for his services in this expedition he received the C.B. and the K.C.M.G. Later he commanded the Ashanti expedition of 1873 - 74, the Egyptian expedition of 1882, and the Nile expedition of 1885; and for his services in the last two expeditions he was created first a baron and then a viscount. In 1895 he succeeded the Duke of Cambridge as commander-in-chief of the British army, with the rank of field marshal; but he retired in 1899, and he died at Mentone, France on March 25, 1913. He was the author of The Story of a Soldier’s Life (2 vols., London, 1903).