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John Redpath, businessman, philanthropist (born 1796 in Earlston, Scotland; died 5 March 1869 in Montreal, QC). Redpath played a pivotal role in the emergence of Montreal as a major industrial centre during the mid-19th century. Redpath, a stonemason by trade, was involved in the construction of both the Lachine and Rideau canals. He also founded the Redpath Sugar Refinery, which in turn helped establish a domestic sugar industry in Canada (see Redpath Sugar). Redpath had an extensive career as a businessman and as a philanthropist. He was involved in a number of major projects and significant enterprises that helped Montreal become Canada’s first metropolis and commercial capital.
Early Life
Little is known of John Redpath’s early life, though it is known that he apprenticed as a stonemason under George Drummond, an Edinburgh-based builder. Though of modest means, Redpath was able to emigrate to Lower Canada in 1816. He made the voyage with several brothers as well as Robert Drummond, the brother of Redpath’s former master George Drummond. That year Redpath and his companions arrived in Québec City. Unable to find any work, they decided to make their way to Montreal by foot. Family stories claim that the group may have walked barefoot to preserve their shoes for future jobs in the city.
It was not long before John Redpath was working in the building trades. He collaborated with Thomas McKay in supplying stone for the construction of Notre-Dame Church (now Notre-Dame Basilica) as well as the Lachine Canal. Redpath, as a builder and stonemason, was also involved in the construction of the British and Canadian School, the Theatre Royal and the Bank of Montreal building. In 1818, he would marry Janet McPhee and together they would have six surviving children over the following decade.
Rideau Canal
John Redpath’s early work in Montreal established his reputation as a competent builder. In 1826, he became involved in the construction of the Rideau Canal. It was Redpath’s job to build a dam at Jones Falls, which meant blocking an active river. When it was completed, the dam at Jones Falls was the largest dam in the British Empire. Redpath supervised his contribution to the Rideau Canal project from a temporary home in Jones Falls, where his family briefly lived with Redpath’s married sister Elspeth. The Rideau Canal project made Redpath a small fortune and further cemented his reputation as builder and businessman.
Business Ventures and Personal Life
John Redpath returned to Montreal once he completed work on the Rideau Canal. The family purchased an extensive property on the southern flank of Mount Royal, which John hoped to subdivide into plots for residential construction. Through this purchase, he would become involved in the development of Montreal’s “Square Mile” neighbourhood, which by the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries had the single greatest concentration of wealth in all of Canada.
During the 1830s, John Redpath’s position as a business leader in Montreal rose, as he invested in real estate, river transport and banking. He also sat on the boards of some of the city’s growing corporations. In 1833 he was made a member of the board of directors of the Bank of Montreal, which at the time was not only the city’s premier financial institution, but also one of the leading banks in pre-Confederation Canada. ( See also Chartered Banks in Canada; Confederation.) Like many of his contemporaries, Redpath invested his money in many different ventures, including coal and copper mining, copper smelting, insurance companies as well as shipping and peat fuel companies (see Metallurgy). He was also an early investor and director of the board of the Montreal Telegraph Company.
Redpath’s wife Janet died in 1834. He returned to Jones Falls to live with his sister Elspeth while he mourned his loss. Shortly thereafter, he met Jane, the niece of his friend Robert Drummond. After the sudden death of Robert in late 1834, Jane agreed to marry John Redpath in September 1835. The couple made their way back to Montreal to establish their home. In total, John Redpath had 17 children.
Did you know?
John Redpath’s son Peter Redpath was instrumental in the expansion of the Redpath Sugar Refinery. Peter Redpath also founded McGill University’s Redpath Library and Redpath Museum, Montreal’s primary natural history museum and the first such purpose-built museum in Canada.
Rebellions of 1837
John Redpath’s business dealings (and the general economy of Montreal) were financially impacted by the Rebellions of 1837–38 (see Rebellion in Lower Canada (The Patriots’ War); Rebellion in Upper Canada). Redpath was particularly critical of the British government’s response to the rebellions. It has been suggested by author Richard Feltoe that Redpath may have been involved in organizing a secret underground army intended to resist the Patriotes during the rebellion. Redpath would also rent his home to British general John Colborne, the man responsible for putting down the rebellion in Lower Canada.
Political Career
Redpath briefly served on Montreal’s city council from 1840 to 1843. Redpath also served the public through his involvement with the Lachine Canal Commission in the 1830s and the provincial Board of Works during the 1840s. Redpath was also involved in the annexation movement of the late 1840s, serving a term as president of the Montreal Annexation Association in 1849 (see Annexation Association). In the decades before Confederation, individuals who supported annexation advocated for joining the United States, namely because this was advantageous for Canadian businessmen who wanted a larger market for their goods. In addition, during this time, Canada was losing artisans and other skilled workers to the United States, such as the French Canadian migration to work in the textile mills of New England (see Franco-Americans; Emigration). Interest in the annexation movement waned in the 1850s.
Redpath Sugar
In 1854, John Redpath began construction for his next major investment, the Canada Sugar Refining Company. (See also Redpath Sugar; Sugar Industry.) Redpath is estimated to have invested £40,000 into buying the land, erecting the refinery and outfitting it with machinery. Redpath invested the same amount in capital to start operations.
The refinery quickly established itself and it helped transform the Lachine Canal Industrial Harbour into a centre of Canadian industry (see Lachine Canal). As the business succeeded, John Redpath stepped away from the day-to-day operations of the refinery. His son, Peter Redpath, and his son-in-law, George A. Drummond, took greater control of operations. In 1857, Peter was made a partner and George, who was a refinery manager during construction, joined as a partner in 1861.
Philanthropy
John Redpath died in 1869. In his lifetime, he made significant charitable contributions and helped establish a number of institutions, some of which continue to exist and support the population of the city of Montreal. These include the Montreal General Hospital, the Presbyterian College, Montreal, the Montreal Mechanics’ Institute (today known as the Atwater Library and Computer Centre), as well as the former Protestant House of Industry and Refuge. (See also Mechanics Hall (Montréal); Mechanics’ Institutes.)
