Demographic, economic, and social change between 1946 and 1963 affected all of Canadian society and profoundly shaped what was then Victoria College.

Providing background and context, and bringing together a multiplicity of voices, Edward Harvey documents how one Canadian college responded to the important developments of the time - post-war prosperity, rapid urbanization, massive expansion in post-secondary education, the "baby boom," the emergence of a "youth culture." Individual chapters by distinguished alumni reflect on the legacy of Dean Emeritus Peter Lawson Smith, discuss the buildings and architecture of the era, highlight initiatives to build the institution's art collection, and look at teaching from the perspective of a young faculty member.

The last years on the Lansdowne campus mark the end of the college era and the beginning of a new university phase of development. The Lansdowne Era celebrates a rich and colourful period in the University of Victoria's distinguished history.