Eugene O'Keefe facts for kids

Eugene O'Keefe was an important Canadian businessman and a very generous person. He was born in Ireland in 1827 and later moved to Canada. He became famous for starting his own company, the O'Keefe Brewery, in 1891. He passed away in 1913.

Early Life and Business Start

Eugene O'Keefe was born in Bandon, County Cork, Ireland. When he was five years old, his family moved to Canada. They eventually settled in the city of Toronto.

In 1862, Eugene married Helen Charlotte Bailey. They had three children together: one son and two daughters. Before starting his own business, Eugene worked at the Toronto Savings Bank from 1856 to 1861. He later became the president of the Home Bank of Canada.

Building the O'Keefe Brewery

In 1861, Eugene O'Keefe helped buy a company called the Victoria Brewery in Toronto. This brewery was located at the corner of Victoria and Gould Streets. It produced about 1,000 barrels of drinks each year.

In 1891, Eugene officially created the O'Keefe Brewery Company of Toronto Limited. Under his leadership, the company grew much larger. It could produce up to 500,000 barrels annually. Eugene sold the business in 1911 after his son passed away. The company later became part of Carling O'Keefe Breweries.

Other Business Ventures

Eugene O'Keefe was involved in more than just the brewery. In 1882, he teamed up with three hotel owners from Humber Bay. Together, they started the Humber Steam Ferry Company.

This company operated a boat called the Annie Craig. The Annie Craig carried people from Toronto to popular resort hotels. These hotels were located near the mouth of the Humber River.

Special Recognition

In 1909, Eugene O'Keefe received a special honor. Pope Pius X named him a private Papal chamberlain. This made him the first Canadian who was not a priest to receive such a title. Eugene O'Keefe died in 1913 at his home in Toronto. He was 85 years old.

Eugene O'Keefe's Legacy

Eugene O'Keefe is remembered in Toronto for his many acts of kindness. He made large donations to the Catholic Church in the city. He helped build five churches in Toronto.

O'Keefe House in 2005

He also helped build St. Augustine's Seminary in Scarborough. Eugene O'Keefe even built Toronto's first housing development for people with lower incomes.

The O'Keefe Centre

In 1960, a new performing arts center was built in Toronto. It was named the O'Keefe Centre to honor Eugene O'Keefe. This was done by E. P. Taylor, who was then in charge of the O'Keefe Brewing Company.

Over the years, the name of the center changed. In 1996, it became the Hummingbird Centre. Then, in 2007, it was renamed the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts.

O'Keefe's Toronto Properties

Eugene O'Keefe's former home in Toronto is known as O'Keefe House. It was located across the street from his old brewery. From 1964 to 2018, this house was used as a place for students to live at Ryerson University.

The building that used to be the O'Keefe Brewery is now part of the university. It is used as the Image Arts faculty building.

Remembering Eugene O'Keefe

For a long time, there was not much information about Eugene O'Keefe. Many of his personal and company records were missing. Because of this, it was hard to write about his life.

However, people have been working to bring attention back to his name. They want to show the important role he played in shaping Toronto during the Victorian period. An official book about Eugene O'Keefe was finally written in 2006.