Waterloo Public Library Digital Collections

Joseph E. Seagram & Sons Distillery, Waterloo, Ontario

Description
Creator
Ellis Little, Photographer
Media Type
Image
Item Types
Photographs
Slides
Description
View of the buildings of the former Seagram's Distillery taken from the train station parking lot on Father David Bauer drive.
Notes
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.

A fire in 1993 claimed part of the historic buildings, the two barrelhouses were converted into condominiums.
Date of Original
18 Feb 1990
Date Of Event
1990
Subject(s)
Local identifier
Local History Slide Collection
Language of Item
English
Geographic Coverage
  • Latitude: 43.462397 Longitude: -80.524689
Copyright Statement
Uses other than research or private study require the permission of the rightsholder(s). Responsibility for obtaining permissions and for any use rests exclusively with the user.
Contact
Waterloo Public Library
Email:askus@wpl.ca
Website:
Agency street/mail address:

35 Albert Street, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, N2L 5E2

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