News & Events

The Life of a Former Elmwood “Old Boy”

By Mckenzie G., Grade 6. Connected to English unit of inquiry "King of Shadows" by Susan Cooper.

Mr. Hume Cronyn was the first Elmwood boarder (at the time Elmwood was called Rockliffe Preparatory School) and boarded at Elmwood between 1917 and 1921. Mr. Cronyn was born in London, Ontario in 1911. He was part of the small and dwindling group of “Elmwood Old Boys”.

Mr. Cronyn’s father was a Member of Parliament and he sent his son to Elmwood so he would have more attention and care. Mr. Cronyn wrote a book recounting his life and here is a quote about his life at Elmwood:

After leaving Elmwood, Mr. Cronyn went to Ridley College in St. Catherines, McGill University in Montreal, and American Academy in New York where he majored in drama.

The first professional production he was in was in Washington DC with Cochran’s Stock co., which established his Broadway reputation (1931). He soon married Jessica Tandy, an actor. Mr. Cronyn won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in a film called The Seventh Cross in 1943. After this film, Ms. Tandy and Mr. Cronyn performed in many films and play productions together, the last production being in 1994. Ms. Tandy passed away shortly after the production debut.

Years later, Mr. Cronyn married a family friend, Miss Susan Cooper, who shortly after Mr. Cronyn’s passing, wrote a book in his honour called King of Shadows in 1999. Although he mainly acted in the United States of America, he always remained a Canadian Citizen.

Mr. Cronyn was a very important part of our school’s history as the first boarder at our school.