History

The May Court Club was founded in Ottawa in 1898 by Lady Aberdeen, the wife of the Governor General. She was a visionary and an advocate for social justice for all, and she believed that women needed to volunteer their time and skills in the community. In addition to May Court she founded the Victorian Order of Nurses and the Council of Women during her time in Canada.

The Junior League, a women’s volunteer organization, was formed in London in 1929. In 1934, this club joined with the other May Court Clubs of Canada and is part of the Association of nine clubs in Ontario. All clubs have similar mandates of advocating for children and youth, and most offer nutrition programs for children.

In 1965 the May Court Club of London provided the necessary funds for Vanier Children’s Services to start, and we are an ongoing supporter of this facility. We are linked with the most vulnerable children in the community through our School Nutrition Program, Vanier Children’s Services, and other groups that provide nutritional support for families.

In 1935, the May Court Club of London was asked to start a shop in London. This Shop was the forerunner of London’s Goodwill Industries. The first-year profit for this Shop in 1935 was $39.50. Profits over the succeeding years were considerably higher. It was recognised that such an undertaking would greatly benefit the community and still does today.

In 1948 we started our own May Court Shop and rented from John Labatt Ltd, we had an “excellent profit of $719.” The May Court Shop has had various locations and formats. On April 27, 1972 the May Court Club of London purchased 594 Dundas Street, our present location. We’ve come a long way!

The May Court Club of London has raised and donated over $2 million to the community of London.