John Labatt facts for kids

John Labatt (born December 11, 1838 – died April 27, 1915) was a Canadian businessman. He was also a brewer, meaning he made beer. After his father passed away in 1866, John took over the family business. It was called Labatt and Company back then. John Labatt helped this company grow into the biggest brewery in all of Canada!

John Labatt's Early Life

John Labatt was born in 1838. His birthplace was Westminster Township, near London, Ontario. This area was part of Upper Canada at the time. His mother was Eliza (Kell) from England. His father was John Kinder Labatt, an Irish immigrant. John Kinder Labatt was also the person who started the Labatt Brewing Company.

John went to school at Trinity College School in Port Hope, Ontario. He also attended Caradoc Academy. Later, he went to secondary school in London, Upper Canada. From 1859 to 1864, John learned about brewing. He was an apprentice to an American brewer named George Weatherall Smith. This training helped him prepare to work for his father's company.

John grew up around the business of making beer. This helped him learn important skills. He started working for his father's company at age 19. After his apprenticeship, he became the brewmaster in 1864. A brewmaster is the person in charge of making the beer.

In 1866, John's father died. The company was left to John's mother. She made a deal with John. He received the company under a mortgage. This meant his mother would get a steady income. John became the main leader of the company. He soon renamed it Labatt and Company.

Growing the Labatt Company

As the new manager, John Labatt made smart choices. These decisions helped his company become one of Canada's largest breweries. He knew about other companies in his area. So, he wanted to grow his business quickly.

In the 1870s, John introduced a new type of beer. It was an English-style India pale ale (IPA). This beer became very popular in Eastern Canada. To make it, John used hard water from his well. He also used high-quality barley from Ontario. Hops were bought from British Columbia and Central Europe. All the equipment he used was made near London, Canada. This helped him keep production going strong.

Expanding with Railways

During the late 1800s, Canada was changing. New railways were being built across the country. John Labatt used these railways to expand his company fast. By 1900, he had bottling agencies in many cities. These included Hamilton, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City, and Saint John.

Thanks to these expansions, his London plant grew much bigger. Its capacity doubled compared to the 1870s. His business became the seventh largest in Canada at that time.

Marketing and Awards

John Labatt used print advertising to promote his company. He placed ads in newspapers, magazines, and calendars. Displays of Labatt's company, logo, and beer were shown at events. These events were held across the United States. Thousands of people visited these displays.

For example, his beer was shown at the Philadelphia Centennial International Exhibition in 1876. It was also at the Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893. At the Philadelphia exhibition, his India pale ale won a gold medal. It was judged better than beers from around the world!

Facing Challenges and Adapting

Even as his company grew, John faced challenges. Groups called 'temperance forces' were against alcohol. They were known as the 'drys' in Canada. They worked to pass the Scott Act. This act tried to stop the sale of alcoholic drinks. It affected certain areas across Canada. This created difficulties for brewers like Labatt.

After the Scott Act passed, a group was formed. It was called the Dominion Brewers and Maltsters’ Association (DBMA). John Labatt gave a lot of money to this group. The DBMA worked to fight against the Scott Act. They talked to the Canadian government.

Surprisingly, this act actually helped brewers like Labatt. Because some areas became 'dry,' Labatt had to expand. He moved his business to places where the Scott Act was not in effect. He expanded to the far east and west of Canada. He also took advantage of big markets like Vancouver.

The Scott Act also changed how Labatt sold his beer. He started selling more bottled beer. This became very popular from 1878 to 1889. By selling beer in bottles, his profits almost doubled. In 1878, his profits were about $29,415. By 1889, they were about $55,117.

By 1911, his company continued to grow. This happened even with government rules on selling alcoholic drinks. He sold almost $500,000 worth of beer that year. At this point, Labatt's company had become the largest brewery in Canada. In the same year, John made his company a corporation. This helped ensure the business would continue. It also changed it from being privately owned.

John Labatt's Family and Legacy

John Labatt's wife was Catherine Maria Biddulph. They had nine children together. Two of their most well-known sons were John Sackville Labatt and Hugh Francis Labatt. John Labatt's grandson was the actor Hume Cronyn. His great-grandson was also an actor, Graham Jarvis.

John Labatt passed away in 1915. He was 77 years old. After his death, his children controlled the company through a trust. His sons, John Sackville Labatt and Hugh Francis Labatt, took over managing the business.