Redpath: The History of a Sugar HouseRedpath, today a household name for sugar in Canada, has its roots in the story of an enterprising Scots immigrant, initially a stone mason and later a building contractor during the boom days of Montreal's growth from a small provincial centre to a major North American city. In 1854, the ever-energetic John Redpath, by then a self-made millionaire in his late fifties, launched a new career as an industrialist. With his son, Peter, and the gifted George Alexander Drummond as manager, he established Canada's first successful sugar refinery. The Redpath story encompasses the influence of sugar as an economic force, the emergence of the elegant social life of cosmopolitan Montreal and a hind-sight view of the complexities of the love-hate relationship between government and business. This, the first of two volumes, moves through Canada's period of extensive industrialization to the turn of the century, the impact of World War I and concludes in the post-war years. Throughout this period, the familiar Redpath trademark, a reproduction of John Redpath's signature, is a reminder of the heritage inherent in Canada's business and social history. |
From inside the book
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... canal navvy with his mug of tea , sweetened with sugar , was as engrained a part of the British social make - up as the upper - class scones and cakes were for high tea . Three quotes may serve to illustrate the point . In a charming ...
... canal . This would allow cargo boats to be sailed up river , replacing the labo- rious method of the past of unloading , hauling overland , and reloading onto another vessel . John bid for and won a contract to build part of this canal ...
... Canal and Notre Dame Church , and in November 1823 another daughter , Mary , was born . He also seems to have had a business partnership with a Mr. Riley that lasted until 1824 when that partnership was dissolved ; John then continued ...
... canal into 1829 with construction of another dam at Hogs Back , just outside of present - day Ottawa , which was then called Bytown after the project engineer Lieutenant Colonel John By , Royal Engineers . John and Janet also had their ...
... Canal the 21st of August 1831 . In the scale of the modern world , the Rideau Canal is considered a small historical waterway used mainly for plea- sure boating through a quiet rural environment , and we have lost sight of the huge cost ...
Contents
Chapter 19 Cheers and Tears Ginger Ale and Champagne | 195 |
Chapter 20 The Building of a New Sugar House | 209 |
Chapter 21 A New Captain | 217 |
Chapter 22 Redpath Must Be Everywhere | 227 |
Chapter 23 A Patriotic Stand | 237 |
Chapter 24 Big Brother | 245 |
Chapter 25 An Unfortunate State of Affairs | 257 |
Chapter 26 Dance of the Millions | 265 |
Chapter 7 A Devil of a Time | 83 |
Chapter 8 We Are at a Crisis of Our Affairs | 93 |
Chapter 9 The Axe Falls | 101 |
Chapter 10 Intermission | 115 |
Chapter 11 Another Opening | 121 |
Chapter 12 A Hard and Anxious Time | 133 |
Chapter 13 Too Many Cooks | 141 |
Chapter 14 A Busy Year | 149 |
Chapter 15 When Fortune Turns the Wheel | 157 |
Chapter 16 What You Gain on the Roundabouts | 167 |
Chapter 17 You Lose on the Swings | 177 |
Chapter 18 The New Way | 187 |
Chapter 27 Picking Up the Pieces | 273 |
Chapter 28 The Final Straws | 283 |
Postscript | 287 |
Appendix 1 The Manufacturing of Sugar Cones | 288 |
Appendix 2 The Families of John Redpath and George Alexander Drummond | 290 |
Appendix 3 The 1920 and 1927 Canada Sugar Refining Co Picnics Sporting Events and Prize Lists | 293 |
Appendix 4 The Development of the Montreal Refinery Site 18541930 | 296 |
Selected Bibliography | 308 |
Notes | 310 |
Visual Credits | 312 |
Index | 313 |