Don Brewery facts for kids
The Don Brewery was a very important brewery (a place where beer is made) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was one of the biggest breweries in Toronto during the 1800s. You could find it right next to the Don River in a part of Toronto called Corktown. It was first known as the Don Bridge Brewery and later as the Davies Brewery.
Contents
The Brewery's Beginning
The Don Brewery started in 1844. It was founded by two brothers, William and Robert Parks. They called it the Don Bridge Brewery.
Early Owners and Growth
In 1848, a man named Thomas Davies bought the brewery from the Parks brothers. Thomas Davies already owned his own brewery, called the Yonge Street Brewery.
A Family Business
In 1868, Thomas Davies asked his son, Thomas Jr., to help manage the brewery. The company's name then changed to Thomas Davies and Son. Thomas Sr. passed away soon after, and Thomas Jr. took charge.
Thomas Jr. later brought his brothers, Joseph and Robert, into the business in 1872. They renamed the company Davies and Brothers. The brothers made the brewery much bigger.
New Brewing Methods
In 1877, they built a new part of the brewery. This new section was specifically for making lager beer. Lager was a new type of beer at the time. The Don Brewery was one of the first in Toronto to make lager. This was before other famous breweries like O'Keefe and Cosgrave started making it. In 1879, Robert Davies started his own brewery. It was called the Dominion Brewery and was located nearby.
Changes and Challenges
Thomas Davies Jr. was also involved in Toronto's government. In 1873, he was elected as an alderman for the City of Toronto. He helped make important changes for the city. He supported the city accepting John Howard's gift of High Park. He also led the effort to create Riverdale Park. Thomas Jr. also helped the city take over the Furness Water Works. He even helped straighten the Don River near the brewery. This made space for a new railway line right next to the brewery.
In 1889, the brewery was sold to a company called the London & Colonial Financial Company. They paid a huge amount of money for it: 1.2 million|link=yes dollars. In 1902, the English investors wanted to sell the brewery. It was then sold to John Dick in 1903. The Don Brewery was the first brewery in Toronto to have its workers join a trade union in 1903.
Sadly, a fire destroyed most of the brewery in 1907. People thought the fire started on its own. The brewery completely shut down in 1910. Only the building where they made lager beer survived the fire.
Thomas Davies Jr. tried to become the Mayor of Toronto in 1913, but he did not win. He passed away in 1916, a few months after his brother Robert.
What's Left Today?
Today, the land where the Don Brewery once stood has residential buildings. The only part of the original brewery that still exists is the lager brewery building. This building has been turned into apartments. It is now known as the Malthouse Building. In 1996, it was officially recognized as a heritage building.
