370:
563:
366:
source of water from the canal that could be used in the production process and provide the steam power to drive machinery. It was these industries, including
Redpath's construction of the first sugar refinery in Canada, that made Montreal the industrial metropolis of Canada and by the time of his death, John Redpath witnessed traffic go from 600 small vessels passing through the canal each year to more than 13,000 large ships.
25:
493:
133:
849:
438:, a position he would hold for 36 years. Canada has always had a very small population and in the developing years of the early 19th century, that small population meant there was limited financial resources for business to draw upon. Because major business development was still dependent upon funding from the
575:
Redpath was first married, on
December 19, 1818, in Montreal, Canada, to Janet McPhee, a native of Glengarry, Ontario, and they had seven children before her death in 1834. The following year, on September 11 in Kingston, Canada, he married 20-year-old Scottish-born Jane Drummond, and they had ten
365:
it remained unused for another twenty years until
Redpath and other businessmen were finally able to purchase plots along the canal. As a result of the land being opened to development, on the canal's banks came the construction of large new manufacturing plants, drawn there because of the ready
808:
Moritz's poem, which is titled "The
Current of the Sugar," is written in the form of a glosa, which takes four lines from an admired poem and uses them as the last lines in a new four-stanza poem. The four lines Moritz uses are from a poem written in 1858 by John Redpath, Redpath Sugar's
422:
In addition to his own industrial enterprises, Redpath invested in numerous businesses that greatly benefited the
Montreal economy. In addition to his own cargo vessels to serve his sugar refinery, he had investments in the Montreal Towboat Company. He also helped finance the
458:
producers from the established and well-financed
British companies. Understanding that fighting these powerful forces in Britain was costly and nearly impossible, along with other businessmen who had invested in Canada, Redpath lent his support to the
796:
580:, having purchased it from the Desrivières family who had lost a long court case against the trustees of what was to become McGill University. The area still carries the Redpath name: rue Redpath, croissant Redpath, place Redpath.
463:
in an effort to leverage the situation. This group promoted the idea of the
Canadian Provinces joining the United States, an idea that had been touted on prior occasions. It had been unfair taxes and tariffs that led to the
338:
A man of integrity with a prodigious work ethic and a keen business sense, within a few years
Redpath was running his own sizeable construction business. He was involved in major projects such as the construction of the
453:
did. Numerous complaints by business officials in the
Canadian colony were ignored by the British authorities and the situation became intolerable when the government in London decided to abolish tariffs that protected
603:, composed a new poem that reused four lines from a poem John Redpath composed in 1858. The Redpath Sugar company had requested Moritz compose his poem to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the opening of the
607:
on
Toronto's waterfront. The poem stirred controversy, and Redpath Sugar declined to have Moritz read it at the celebration ceremony because it touched on the sugar industry's early reliance on slave labour.
442:, Redpath understood the need for Canada to begin the long process of developing its own capital markets. As such, he was a promoter of the Montreal Investment Association, the forerunner of the
786:
449:
Coming from the Scottish working class Redpath had an inherent mistrust of the aristocratic power structure in England and did not view England as the mother country as other Canadians such as
909:
228:(1821-1894), John James Redpath (1834-1884), Janet Redpath (1825-1828), George Drummond Redpath (1835-1877), Francis Robert Redpath (1846-1928), Augusta Elenaor Redpath (1850-1910),
696:
358:
The Lachine canal substantially increased shipping, turning Montreal into one of the largest ports in North America. Because the land along the canal belonged to the
527:
in the British colonies and served as the head of a small group that lobbied for government assistance to fight Montreal's "white slavery" traffic, working with the
431:, including investments in the Capel Copper operations, the Belvedere Mining and Smelting Company, Rockland Slate Company, Bear Creek Coal, and Melbourne Slate Co.
959:
949:
934:
889:
427:
and the Montreal Fire Assurance Company, serving as a director of both companies. He also committed substantial funds to develop the economies of Quebec's
904:
481:
944:
899:
747:
407:
refinery proved to be a major Montreal employer, within a few years annually processing approximately 7,000 tons of raw sugar imported from the
369:
519:. He was one of the founders of the Protestant House of Industry and Refuge and a major donor to the Canada Foreign Missionary Society and the
894:
832:
415:(1821–1894) joined the business the company's name was changed to John Redpath & Son. Four years later in 1861, Redpath's son-in-law
318:, Quebec. Once there, he used the trade he had learnt back in Scotland to gain him employment in the construction industry, working as a
929:
536:
468:
and while the Annexation Movement was short-lived, the growing support for such an idea, particularly from powerful men like Redpath,
355:, the consortium, of which Redpath was a major part, was successful in its construction and the new canal officially opened in 1825.
919:
914:
879:
708:
638:
108:
671:
666:
343:
and locks that proved key to future commercial development of the city of Montreal. Beginning in 1689, attempts were made by the
884:
508:
on May 13, 1842, and named the street after his second wife, Jane Drummond (1816–1907). The street was not named after General
393:
46:
299:
that created economic hardship and dislocation for many Scottish families. As such, after gaining valuable experience as a
89:
954:
939:
460:
42:
839:
61:
68:
424:
787:"Redpath Sugar asked Toronto's poet laureate to write a poem for its anniversary, but he refused to sugar-coat it"
683:
Of John Redpath's life in Scotland before he left at the age of 20, we know only that he trained as a stone mason.
35:
516:
505:
416:
380:
John Redpath's success in building the Lachine Canal led to further major projects including his partnering with
327:
248:
75:
924:
443:
604:
543:, now the Atwater Library. John Redpath was also a benefactor of the first endowment fund established for
434:
As a result of his business acumen, in 1833 Redpath was invited to serve on the board of directors of the
344:
229:
57:
501:
473:
439:
739:
874:
869:
584:
540:
385:
292:
188:
500:
Beyond business, charity and community service played a large role in Redpath's life. He was sat on
465:
237:
233:
296:
562:
824:
535:. Having had limited education, Redpath was a strong advocate of learning. He helped establish
704:
634:
544:
428:
397:
853:
729:
A Gentleman of Substance: The Life and Legacy of John Redpath (1796-1869) By Richard Feltoe
435:
352:
551:
also endowed a Chair of Mathematics at the university as well as building the university's
411:
aboard Redpath-owned ships. Originally called the Canada Sugar Refining Co., after his son
556:
528:
520:
509:
362:
310:
In 1816, with limited funds for ship passage, the nearly penniless Redpath disembarked at
207:
82:
552:
477:
450:
359:
348:
260:
203:
661:
863:
700:
630:
600:
596:
548:
412:
404:
347:
and several others to build a canal that would allow ships to bypass the treacherous
340:
225:
199:
263:
businessman and philanthropist who helped pioneer the industrial movement that made
791:
532:
455:
389:
381:
323:
300:
284:
576:
children. Redpath built a large family home overlooking Montreal on the slopes of
626:
577:
469:
408:
311:
288:
24:
351:. After more than 130 years of failure, with funding from the recently formed
319:
322:. In November of that year, Redpath witnessed the first installation of oil
304:
697:"A Gentleman of Substance: The Life and Legacy of John Redpath (1796-1869)"
523:
Missionary Society. Redpath was a supporter of the 1833 law that abolished
492:
132:
374:
315:
280:
264:
172:
153:
524:
504:
from 1840 until 1843. During this time, he ceded the land which became
480:, caused the British authorities to make changes that resulted in the
287:. According to surviving records, he was the son of Peter Redpath, a
268:
176:
515:
Redpath was also a director of such charitable institutions as the
561:
491:
368:
392:
project between 1827 and 1828. In addition, Redpath built the
18:
531:
in Montreal to aid impoverished immigrant women forced into
291:, and his second wife Elizabeth Pringle, from neighbouring
583:
Following his death in 1869, Redpath was interred in the
566:
John Redpath's funeral monument in Mount Royal Cemetery.
837:
373:
Redpath's house, Terrace Bank, on Sherbrooke Street,
307:, the twenty-year-old Redpath emigrated to Canada.
244:
221:
213:
194:
184:
161:
139:
123:
49:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
271:, the largest and most prosperous city in Canada.
746:(in French). Commission de toponymie du Québec.
910:Scottish emigrants to pre-Confederation Quebec
833:Terrace Bank, John Redpath's house in Montreal
8:
295:. Redpath was born during the period of the
770:Les rues de Montréal, Répertoire historique
131:
120:
109:Learn how and when to remove this message
512:(no relation), as is sometimes thought.
844:
827:Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online
627:"Redpath: The History of a Sugar House"
617:
960:Montreal Annexation Manifesto signers
772:. Éditions du Méridien. 1995, p. 151
750:from the original on 3 September 2014
419:(1829–1910) also joined the company.
7:
950:19th-century Scottish businesspeople
935:19th-century British philanthropists
890:19th-century Canadian businesspeople
482:Canadian–American Reciprocity Treaty
47:adding citations to reliable sources
396:and some of the first buildings at
259:(1796 – March 5, 1869) was a
537:The Presbyterian College, Montreal
279:In 1796, John Redpath was born at
14:
488:Political career and philanthropy
905:People from the Scottish Borders
847:
667:Dictionary of Canadian Biography
23:
945:Burials at Mount Royal Cemetery
900:Pre-Confederation Quebec people
799:from the original on 2019-05-24
674:from the original on 2018-07-09
34:needs additional citations for
785:Brendan Kennedy (2019-05-23).
1:
461:Annexation Movement in Canada
895:Businesspeople from Montreal
541:Montreal Mechanics Institute
384:, to construct the locks at
314:before walking barefoot to
217:Janet McPhee, Jane Drummond
976:
930:Immigrants to Lower Canada
425:Montreal Telegraph Company
345:French Colonial government
517:Montreal General Hospital
417:George Alexander Drummond
130:
920:Anglophone Quebec people
915:Scottish philanthropists
880:Canadian philanthropists
303:with George Drummond in
695:Richard Feltoe (2006).
625:Richard Feltoe (1991).
595:In May 2019, Toronto's
444:Montreal Stock Exchange
885:Canadian Presbyterians
605:Redpath Sugar Refinery
567:
497:
377:
565:
502:Montreal City Council
495:
474:Louis-Joseph Papineau
440:London Stock Exchange
372:
955:Scottish stonemasons
940:Canadian stonemasons
585:Mount Royal Cemetery
386:Jones Falls, Ontario
293:Gordon, Berwickshire
189:Mount Royal Cemetery
43:improve this article
16:Canadian businessman
768:Ville de Montréal,
660:Gerald Tulchinsky.
466:American Revolution
394:Notre-Dame Basilica
249:Sir George Drummond
230:Harriet Ina Redpath
568:
498:
378:
297:Lowland Clearances
825:Biography at the
744:Fiche Descriptive
545:McGill University
429:Eastern Townships
398:McGill University
254:
253:
202:. Builder of the
169:(aged 72–73)
119:
118:
111:
93:
967:
852:
851:
850:
843:
812:
811:
805:
804:
782:
776:
775:
766:
760:
759:
757:
755:
736:
730:
727:
721:
720:
718:
717:
692:
686:
685:
680:
679:
657:
651:
650:
648:
647:
622:
436:Bank of Montreal
353:Bank of Montreal
168:
150:
148:
135:
121:
114:
107:
103:
100:
94:
92:
51:
27:
19:
975:
974:
970:
969:
968:
966:
965:
964:
860:
859:
858:
848:
846:
838:
821:
816:
815:
802:
800:
784:
783:
779:
773:
767:
763:
753:
751:
738:
737:
733:
728:
724:
715:
713:
711:
694:
693:
689:
677:
675:
662:"Redpath, John"
659:
658:
654:
645:
643:
641:
624:
623:
619:
614:
593:
573:
557:Redpath Library
529:Magdalen Asylum
521:French-Canadian
510:Gordon Drummond
506:Drummond Street
490:
388:, on the giant
363:Sulpician Order
336:
334:Business career
326:in the city on
277:
208:Redpath Library
180:
170:
166:
157:
151:
146:
144:
126:
115:
104:
98:
95:
52:
50:
40:
28:
17:
12:
11:
5:
973:
971:
963:
962:
957:
952:
947:
942:
937:
932:
927:
925:Redpath family
922:
917:
912:
907:
902:
897:
892:
887:
882:
877:
872:
862:
861:
857:
856:
836:
835:
830:
820:
819:External links
817:
814:
813:
777:
761:
740:"Rue Drummond"
731:
722:
709:
687:
652:
639:
616:
615:
613:
610:
592:
589:
572:
569:
553:Redpath Museum
489:
486:
478:Alexander Galt
451:Robert Baldwin
360:Roman Catholic
349:Lachine Rapids
335:
332:
328:Rue Saint-Paul
276:
273:
261:Scots-Quebecer
252:
251:
246:
242:
241:
223:
219:
218:
215:
211:
210:
204:Redpath Museum
196:
195:Known for
192:
191:
186:
182:
181:
171:
163:
159:
158:
152:
141:
137:
136:
128:
127:
124:
117:
116:
99:September 2013
58:"John Redpath"
31:
29:
22:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
972:
961:
958:
956:
953:
951:
948:
946:
943:
941:
938:
936:
933:
931:
928:
926:
923:
921:
918:
916:
913:
911:
908:
906:
903:
901:
898:
896:
893:
891:
888:
886:
883:
881:
878:
876:
873:
871:
868:
867:
865:
855:
845:
841:
834:
831:
829:
828:
823:
822:
818:
810:
798:
794:
793:
788:
781:
778:
771:
765:
762:
749:
745:
741:
735:
732:
726:
723:
712:
710:9781554880515
706:
702:
701:Dundurn Press
698:
691:
688:
684:
673:
669:
668:
663:
656:
653:
642:
640:9780920474679
636:
632:
631:Dundurn Press
628:
621:
618:
611:
609:
606:
602:
601:Albert Moritz
598:
597:poet laureate
590:
588:
587:in Montreal.
586:
581:
579:
570:
564:
560:
558:
554:
550:
546:
542:
538:
534:
530:
526:
522:
518:
513:
511:
507:
503:
496:Jane Drummond
494:
487:
485:
483:
479:
475:
471:
467:
462:
457:
452:
447:
445:
441:
437:
432:
430:
426:
420:
418:
414:
410:
406:
405:Redpath Sugar
401:
399:
395:
391:
387:
383:
376:
371:
367:
364:
361:
356:
354:
350:
346:
342:
341:Lachine Canal
333:
331:
329:
325:
321:
317:
313:
308:
306:
302:
298:
294:
290:
286:
282:
274:
272:
270:
266:
262:
258:
250:
247:
243:
239:
238:Helen Redpath
236:(1823-1893),
235:
232:(1855-1858),
231:
227:
226:Peter Redpath
224:
220:
216:
212:
209:
205:
201:
200:Redpath Sugar
197:
193:
190:
187:
185:Resting place
183:
178:
174:
165:March 5, 1869
164:
160:
155:
142:
138:
134:
129:
122:
113:
110:
102:
91:
88:
84:
81:
77:
74:
70:
67:
63:
60: –
59:
55:
54:Find sources:
48:
44:
38:
37:
32:This article
30:
26:
21:
20:
826:
807:
801:. Retrieved
792:Toronto Star
790:
780:
769:
764:
752:. Retrieved
743:
734:
725:
714:. Retrieved
690:
682:
676:. Retrieved
665:
655:
644:. Retrieved
620:
594:
582:
574:
533:prostitution
514:
499:
456:Lower Canada
448:
433:
421:
402:
390:Rideau Canal
382:Thomas McKay
379:
357:
337:
309:
285:Berwickshire
278:
257:John Redpath
256:
255:
234:Mary Redpath
167:(1869-03-05)
125:John Redpath
105:
96:
86:
79:
72:
65:
53:
41:Please help
36:verification
33:
875:1869 deaths
870:1796 births
774:(in French)
754:8 September
578:Mount Royal
470:John Molson
409:West Indies
324:streetlamps
312:Quebec City
289:farm worker
275:Early years
240:(1827-1883)
198:Founder of
864:Categories
803:2019-05-24
716:2019-05-24
678:2019-05-24
646:2019-05-24
612:References
547:. His son
320:stonemason
301:stonemason
156:, Scotland
69:newspapers
854:Biography
484:of 1854.
305:Edinburgh
245:Relatives
214:Spouse(s)
809:founder.
797:Archived
748:Archived
672:Archived
571:Personal
539:and the
375:Montreal
316:Montreal
281:Earlston
265:Montreal
222:Children
206:and the
179:, Canada
173:Montreal
154:Earlston
525:slavery
145: (
83:scholar
840:Portal
707:
637:
591:Legacy
476:, and
269:Quebec
177:Quebec
85:
78:
71:
64:
56:
549:Peter
413:Peter
90:JSTOR
76:books
756:2013
705:ISBN
635:ISBN
555:and
403:The
162:Died
147:1796
143:1796
140:Born
62:news
45:by
866::
806:.
795:.
789:.
742:.
703:.
699:.
681:.
670:.
664:.
633:.
629:.
599:,
559:.
472:,
446:.
400:.
330:.
283:,
267:,
175:,
842::
758:.
719:.
649:.
149:)
112:)
106:(
101:)
97:(
87:·
80:·
73:·
66:·
39:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
