Jack Bickell facts for kids

John Paris Bickell

John Paris Bickell, also known as Jack Bickell, (September 26, 1884 – August 22, 1951) was a Canadian businessman. He was also a kind person who gave a lot of money to help others. He owned sports teams too. He is most famous for his long time with the Toronto Maple Leafs professional ice hockey team. He was their owner, president, chairman, and director from 1924 to 1951.

Early Life and School

John Paris Bickell was born in Molesworth, Ontario. His parents were Rev. David Bickell and Annie Paris, who was a teacher. He was the second of four children. When John was six, his father passed away. He grew up in Toronto.

John went to St. Andrew's College. He was one of the first 100 students to graduate from there.

Becoming a Businessman

When he was only 23, Bickell started his own business called J. P. Bickell & Co. It was a company that helped people buy and sell stocks. By the time he was 30, he was a millionaire!

In 1919, he sold his company. He wanted to focus on his other interests, like movies and mining. Later, in 1926, he joined a big company in New York called Thomson McKinnon.

Movies and Mining

Bickell played a big part in making the movie industry grow in Canada. He was in charge of companies that built and ran movie theaters. One famous theater he helped build was the Pantages Theatre in Toronto. It showed live shows called vaudeville acts.

He also helped start Famous Players Canadian Corporation Limited in 1920. This company brought movies to many people across Canada. Bickell eventually sold his movie business in 1930. After that, he focused on mining.

His first mining work was in Cobalt, Ontario, in the early 1900s. In 1911, he invested in McIntyre Porcupine Mines Ltd. in Schumacher, Ontario. He became the president and later the chairman of this company. He held this job until he passed away. His important work in mining earned him a spot in the Canadian Mining Hall of Fame.

The McIntyre Mine became one of Canada's most important mines. It produced a lot of gold and silver.

His Love for Sports

Jack Bickell loved sports and was involved in many different kinds!

Boxing

In 1919, Bickell sponsored a special belt for Canada's featherweight boxing champion. It was known as the Bickell Belt.

Boat Racing

In 1920, Bickell was part of a group that built and sponsored fast racing boats. These boats raced in Canada and the United States. One of their boats, Miss Toronto II, was super fast! It set a new North American record. It was so quick that people called it "the mile-a-minute boat."

Hockey

In 1924, Jack Bickell became involved in hockey. He helped the Toronto St. Patricks team when they needed money. In 1927, he helped buy the team and kept it in Toronto. He hired Conn Smythe to manage it. The team was renamed the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Bickell owned most of the team. He also helped organize and pay for the building of their famous arena, Maple Leaf Gardens, in 1931. Conn Smythe said Bickell was the "cornerstone" of the whole project. Bickell's name is on the Stanley Cup six times because the Maple Leafs won it while he was involved. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1978.

Golf

In 1922, Bickell built a large house next to the Mississaugua Golf & Country Club. He was a big part of this club. He even loaned the club money during tough times. In 1925, he made a hole-in-one on the third hole! He was the first person to ever do that on that hole.

He also helped Ada Mackenzie secure land for the Ladies Golf Club of Toronto. She said, "it was Mr. Bickell who saved our life."

Baseball

In 1931, Bickell also became a director for the Toronto Maple Leafs baseball team. He owned a part of the team.

Hunting and Fishing

In 1939, Bickell bought a large island in Georgian Bay, Ontario. He made it a special place for hunting and fishing. He invited important people there. They even raised cattle on the island! Bickell also loved fishing and was part of the Hillsburgh Fishing Club.

Helping in World War II

During the Second World War, Bickell played a very important role. He worked with a group that made sure British forces had enough airplanes. In 1940, he was put in charge of the Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA) in London, UK. This group helped move planes.

He was one of the "dollar-a-year" men. These were important business people who worked for the war effort for only one dollar a year. In 1942, he came back to Canada. He became the president of Victory Aircraft Ltd., the biggest airplane maker in Canada. Bickell helped increase the production of Avro Lancaster bombers. This effort helped a lot in winning the war.

Bickell was very generous during the war. In 1939, he donated two of his own special amphibious planes, called Grumman Geese, to the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). These planes could land on both land and water. He also donated $5,000 to the RCAF's Benevolent Fund. He wrote that the air force deserved special recognition because they faced the most danger.

After the War: Aviation

After the war, Bickell helped start a new company called A. V. Roe Canada Limited (AVRO). This company took over the Victory Aircraft plant. Bickell became the chairman of AVRO and held this position until he passed away.

Other Important Roles

Bickell was a leader in many different companies. He was the chairman of McIntyre-Porcupine Mines, Maple Leaf Gardens, the Toronto Maple Leafs, and AVRO. He was also a director for big banks and other important companies. He cared about health too. He served on the boards of hospitals and health organizations.

Giving Back: Philanthropy

Bickell was known for his kindness and generosity. In the late 1930s, he loaned money to Roy Thomson to rebuild his radio station and newspaper building after a fire. In 1945, he also helped Jack Kent Cooke buy a radio station in Toronto.

When Bickell passed away, he left most of his money, $13 million out of $14.6 million, to create the J.P. Bickell Foundation. This foundation continues to give money to charity every year. It gives half of its income to the Hospital for Sick Children. It also provides scholarships for medical research and mining. The rest goes to other charities in Ontario. Since 1953, the Foundation has given over $160 million to help people!

He also gave a large collection of 112 original artworks and artifacts to the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO). He was one of the people who helped start the AGO.

Camp Bickell is a non-profit children's camp near Iroquois Falls. Mr. Bickell helped start this camp in 1939. In 1949, he gave $5,000 to make sure the camp had its land forever. The camp is still open today and helps many children every summer.

His Passing

J.P. Bickell passed away in New York City on August 22, 1951, at the age of 66. He was buried in the Mausoleum at Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Toronto.

Bickell was a private person who did not like to show off his good deeds. Because of this, many people do not know about all the amazing things he did. His hard work and generosity created a lasting legacy that continues to help many people even after his death.