Roy H. Crosby Public School - Roy H. Crosby

Roy H. Crosby

The school was named after Roy H Crosby, the only son of Anson Crosby. He was born in Markham in 1889. The Crosby family settled in Markham in 1806. The Crosby family were renown and highly respected farmers, landowners and storekeepers. At the time, Mr. Roy Crosby lived at 53 Main Street South, which was the old Markham Post Office, built in 1829. He owned the land directly south and subsequently built another house there. His prizewinning, exotic poultry were raised at the first location and he was well - known for his entries at the Markham Fair. The Fair played an important part in the lives of the Crosby family. Roy’s father, Anson, contributed a sizable sum of money in 1930 to keep the fair going when bankruptcy threatened. Roy was Secretary Treasurer of the Fair board for thirty years and President of the Ontario Association of Agricultural Societies in 1930.

In 1932, Mr. Crosby became Secretary Treasurer of the Markham District School Board. One of his first duties as Board Secretary was to inform teachers of a cut in salary. A female teacher at the time recalls receiving a letter stating that her remuneration was to be reduced by 25%, from $1000 to $750 per annum. Mr. Crosby’s term of office as Board Secretary Treasurer officially terminated on October 14, 1964, the very day the school officially opened.