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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... continued in business by himself , doing numerous contracts related to his building and general con- tracting business including repairing chimneys on houses ; constructing walls , brick arches , and foundations ; laying hearths and ...
... continued his work on the 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 ...
... continued to fester throughout the summer and fall of 1838 until November 8 , when a Patriote force attacked a Loyalist garrison at Odelltown . Following a sharp battle , the Patriotes were totally defeated . This marked the end of the ...
... continued to worsen under the combined activities of British free trade attitudes and U.S. drawback legislation . Some British banks even refused to issue loans or credit for Canadian investments . The Montreal merchants were certain ...
... continued to develop in a steady fashion during 1857 despite a slump in the Canadian economy , brought on by the effects of a speculative investment " bub- ble " bursting in New York , which in turn precipitated a major money panic ...
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 |