Waterloo Public Library Digital Collections

Joseph E. Seagram and Sons Limited Employees, Waterloo, Ontario

Description

Media Type

Image

Item Type

Photographs

Description

Portion of a panaramic photograph of employees of the Joseph E. Seagram and Sons Distillery.
Front row, left to right; (?), Jonathan Uttley,(?),Daniel Borman, (?), Alvin Doerscht, (?), (?), Herb Wittmer, (?).
Second row, left to right; (?), (?), (?), (?), Tilly Wyler, Marie Wyler, Lillian Struke, Hilda Schmidt, Buelah Besse, (?), (?), Mary Beaupre, (?), Tilly Straubel, (?), Luetta Bott, Lanora Rupert, Harry Burgetz, George E. Delion.
Third row, left to right; Carl Martin, (?), Jim Cheseldene, (?), Irvin (Jigger) Braun, Wilf Rutsch, Phil Henrich, Thomas Rankin, Superintendent, Dan Alger, Plant Manager, Eddie Roos, Roy E. Martin, Nash MacDonald, (?), (?), Paul Rutsch, (?), Sol Frey, (?).

Notes

See K4 for complete image; G-4-16 to G-4-18 for image in three sections.

In 1857 William Hespeler, a merchant, and George Randall, a contractor, built what was known as Granite Mills in Waterloo, Ontario. A subsidiary to the mill was a small distillery known as the Waterloo Distillery. The business also included a dry goods store near the corner of King and Erb St. in Waterloo.

In 1863 Hespeler and Randall took in William Roos, and in 1864 William Hespeler hired young Joseph Emm Seagram. By 1870 Seagram had bought out Hespeler's interests and the company name became "George Randall and Company." In 1878 Seagram bought out Randall, and Seagram and Roos operated as "Randall and Company" until 1881 when they changed the name to "Seagram and Roos."

In 1883 Seagram bought out Roos and became the sole proprietor, using the names "Joseph Seagram Flour Mill and Distillery Company" and "Joseph E. Seagram, Miller, Distiller". Seagram incorporated the company in 1911, changing the name to "Joseph E. Seagram and Sons, Limited." By 1919 when Seagram died, he had built his Waterloo distillery into a major exporting company and his brand names were widely known. In 1928 the Bronfman family acquired the distillery and amalgamated it with their company, Distillers Corporation Limited. The Waterloo distillery was shut down in 1990.

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