William Kilbourn

Who was William Kilbourn?

William Morley Kilbourn, CM, FRSC was a Canadian author and historian in Toronto, Ontario. Kilbourn's topics cover history, biography, religion and the arts, with a focus on Toronto; he penned over a dozen books. He was married to the Rev. Elizabeth Kilbourn.

Born in Toronto, Kilbourn was educated at Upper Canada College and the University of Trinity College in the University of Toronto. Following this he completed degrees in modern history at Oxford and Harvard universities. He later taught at McMaster University and Harvard.

Kilbourn served for five years as the first chairman of humanities at York University, seven years on the Toronto City Council, and as an alderman. He was also founding chairman of the Toronto Art Therapy Institute and the Toronto Distress Centre, a member of the Toronto Historical Board, the boards of the Toronto General Hospital and Young People's Theatre, and served as chairman of the Toronto Arts Council. Kilbourn was also a member of the executives of the Canada Council and the Canadian commission for UNESCO.

Kilbourn was elected to the Royal Society of Canada in 1980.