Joseph E. Seagram & Sons Distillery, Waterloo, Ontario
Description
- Creator
- Ellis Little, Photographer
- Media Type
- Image
- Item Type
- Photographs
- Description
- Photographs of the exterior of the Seagram Distillery buildings at Caroline and Erb streets. A fire in 1993 claimed part of the historic buildings, and the two barrelhouses were converted into condominiums in the 1990s. The Centre for International Governance Innovation built on part of the Seagram's site that was destroyed in the fire.
Click the thumbnail image to see additional photos. - 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 Street 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, and the two barrelhouses were converted into condominiums in the 1990s. - Date of Original
- March 1990
- Date Of Event
- 1990
- Subject(s)
- Local identifier
- ELP 69
- Collection
- Ellis Little Papers
- Language of Item
- English
- Copyright Statement
- To obtain a copy of this item and for terms of use please contact the Waterloo Public Library.
- Contact
- Waterloo Public LibraryEmail:askus@wpl.ca
Website:
Agency street/mail address:35 Albert Street, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, N2L 5E2
