Showing 44 results

Authority record
Person

Adams, Donald William

  • Person
  • 1922-1944

Donald William Adams was born June 4, 1922 in Louth Township to Stanley William Adams and Dorothy Serena (Kerr) Adams. The family moved to Hamilton a few years later. They lived with Charles Staple Kerr and Mary Alberta (Knight) Kerr, his maternal grandparents. C.S. Kerr was a high school teacher employed at Central Collegiate Institute. They lived at 92 Blake Street until about 1938 then moved to 36 Maple Avenue. Don Adams attended Hamilton Technical School and was then employed by the Bell Telephone Company. He was a member of the Cedar Springs Ski Club and the Model Engineer's Club. He enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force in about 1942 and became a Pilot Officer with the Atlantic Transport Group. While at the Ellenburg Depot in New York State he was killed in a flying accident on June 22, 1944 along with three other men. He is buried in Woodland Cemetery.

Alexander Clark Gray

  • Person

Gray graduated from the University of Toronto in metallurgy at the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering, 1930-1934. Upon his graduation, he began a 39 year career as an engineer at Stelco in Hamilton, Ontario.

Bernie & Elaine Hughes

  • Person

Both native to Prince Edward Island, Elaine Hughes (nee Corr) and Bernie Hughes left the province and moved to Hamilton, Ontario. At the age of 18, Elaine moved to Hamilton and began attending the P.E.I. Country Club on the corner of Bay and King Sts, where she later met Bernie Hughes. Bernie Hughes started his country music career in Hamilton on CHCH TV’s Saturday Night Jamboree, playing with a band called the Rhythmaires. He later formed a band of his own called the Mountain City Playboys and frequently performed at the Jockey Club in Hamilton, Merritt Hall in Ancaster, along with other venues in the area, and a featured performance and the Grand Ole Opry in 1961.

Elaine Hughes used to work for the Mountain City Playboys by copying out music for the band, ordering uniforms and performing general management duties. In 1971, Bernie & Elaine Hughes released their first album together, and they ran a live radio broadcast from the Saddle Room at the Jockey Club for 17 years.

Bernie Hughes was a respected member of the Hamilton Musicians’ Guild and was considered by the music community as one of the “fathers of country music” in Hamilton. In 1981, Bernie died after a long battle with cancer. Elaine Hughes continued to sing and play music after his death and formed a musical partnership with Smiling Bill McCormack. Elaine continues to play country music with friends at the Veteran’s Service League in Hamilton.

Brookes, Ivan

  • Person
  • 1916?-1993

Ivan S. Brookes, a resident of Hamilton, Ont., was a marine historian, writer and photographer. His research interests were in the early navigation of the Great Lakes. In 1973 he published The Lower St. Lawrence about navigation in and around the lower St. Lawrence river area. He also authored an unpublished history of Hamilton Harbour in the nineteenth century. In 1985 the Marine Historical Society of Detroit declared him Marine Historian of the Year for his body of work on Great Lakes maritime history. He served in the Royal Canadian Air Force during World War Two and in 1947 joined the staff of the Steel Company of Canada. Before his passing in the spring of 1993, he developed a significant collection of photographs and other material, much of which can now be consulted in the Historical Collections of the Great Lakes at Bowling Green State University.

Bruce, William

  • Person
  • 1832-1927

William Bruce was born at Unst, Shetland Islands on November 7, 1832 and was the eldest son of Magnus Bruce of an old Scottish family. William was brought to Canada at the age of four; attended Dr. Tassie’s school in Hamilton, and at the age of sixteen entered McQuesten and Fisher’s foundry as an apprentice. He later attended Oberlin College in Ohio and from 1858-1867 was a writing master at the Central School in Hamilton. He was skilled in penmanship, illumination of manuscripts, painting and was also an expert photographer, astronomer, lecturer and a keen freemason.
On March 1, 1855 William Bruce married Jennet Blair of Glanford. The Blair family came to Canada from Ayrshire, Scotland around the same time as the Bruce family. Jennet was described as “a lady remarkable for mental and physical activity.” William and Jennet Bruce had two sons and a daughter. Irvie, the elder son, died in adolescence. William Blair the artist, born in 1859, died in Stockholm Sweden. In 1906, Bella Christina, Mrs. John Walkden, died in 1958 at the age of ninety.
About 1869, William bough the ten acres of property on Hamilton Mountain which is now Bruce Park, between Queensdale and Brucedale Avenues East. Here at “Elmwood” Mrs. Bruce kept a cow and chickens, a vegetable garden and orchard, kept house, brought up the children, and looked after her husband’s comfort. She died on January 27, 1904.
Of all William Bruce’s interests perhaps astronomy was the most outstanding. His observatory in the hayfield behind his house attracted not only the surrounding population but also many noted scientists. Some of his telescopes are at McMaster University, Hamilton. William Bruce died at “Elmwood” 191 Brucedale Avenue, Hamilton, on March 7, 1927 and was buried in Hamilton cemetery with full masonic rites.

Captain James Sutherland

  • Person
  • 1805-1857

Captain James Sutherland (1805-1857), was born in Hoy, Orkney Islands, Scotland to a sea-faring family. He began his sailing career at the age of seventeen starting as a low-ranking mate and climbing the ladder to captain. He immigrated to Toronto, Canada in 1831 and sailed the steamboat Queenston, owned by John Hamilton. He married Margaret Robinson in 1833 and moved to a house on Hughson Street in Hamilton, Ontario. During his sailing career, Sutherland commanded some of the newest and most prestigious steamers to sail the Great Lakes such as the Traveller and the Niagara. By partnering with wealthy Hamilton investors, Sutherland who was of modest means, was able to co-own and command a fleet of steamships, including his most notable steamboat the Magnet. He retired from sailing in 1853 to work for the Great Western Railway Company. On March 12, 1857, Captain James Sutherland became the most notable Hamiltonian to lose his life in a train wreck on the Desjardins Canal Bridge.

Cochran, Charles S., 1854-1933

  • Person
  • 1854-1933

Charles Schriber Cochran, son of William Cochran and Mary Rupert, was born in Paris, West Canada in 1854. He married Cicely Eliza Springer and had two sons. In 1886, he and his family moved to Hamilton, where Cochran opened a photography studio in June of 1886 at 124 King Street East. By the mid-1890's his was one of the most prominent studios in the area, winning awards at conventions of the Photographic Association of Canada, and receiving honours at the Jamaica Convention (1891) and the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago (1893), also known as the Chicago World's Fair. Around 1899, Cochran was commissioned by W.H. Carre of Montreal to take photographs of the city for Artwork of Hamilton (1899). In 1902, he sold his studio to A.M. Cunningham (Alexander McKenzie Cunningham), who had previously been in his employ. Conchran remaining in Hamilton until 1904 before moving to the United States. He eventually settled in California, where he resided until his death in 1933.

Harold Harrison

  • Person
  • 1902-unknown

Harold Harrison was born 1902 in Chorley, Lancashire, England to Margaret and John Harrison. His musical career began at the age of 5 years old. When Harold was 16, he had his own 16 piece orchestra consisting of his siblings and other musicians where they played at the Winter Gardens in Manchester, England. In 1922, Harold emigrated to Canada. The following year, he became the pit pianist at the Savoy Theatre in Hamilton, Ontario, and eventually became the orchestra leader. In 1927, was unemployed as a result of the popularity of talking movies. During the Depression, Harold worked as a projectionist at different movie theatres throughout the city. In 1939, he joined the Canadian Royal Air Force and toured Canada as their pianist. Upon returning from the air force, Harold returned to Hamilton and worked at the skyway drive-in theatre. He also played piano at various legions, in particular the Lancashire Club in Hamilton. Harold retired from playing music in 1967.

Harold married Ethel (nee Gartside) in 1926 and they had three children: Harold Winston (1929), Ronald Derwyn (1932), and Gene Sherwood (1942).

Johnson, Aidan

  • 01215
  • Person
  • October 26, 1979-

Aidan Johnson served as Hamilton's first openly queer councilor for Ward One (Chedoke-Cootes area) during the 2014-2018 term. Aidan grew up in Westdale and Ainslie Wood and attended George R. Allan, Dalewood and Westdale Secondary schools. He studied at McGill University Faculty of Law, was a Fulbright scholar at New York University (NYU) and a graduate student at the University of Chicago. Aidan was a staff lawyer for Legal Aid Ontario, frequently contributed to Hamilton Spectator, was a Cootes Paradise Restoration worker and volunteered at the Hamilton AIDS Network. He is currently the executive director of the Niagara Community Legal Clinic and the chair of the Niagara Poverty Reduction Network.

Johnstone, Michael

  • Person
  • March 27, 1945 - July 26, 2018

Michael Roderick Johnstone was born in Hamilton, Ontario at the Salvation Army Hospital. He graduated from McMaster University in 1969 where he served as the Student Cultural Affairs Commissioner and President of the McMaster Students Union. He was also involved with The Silhouette, McMaster’s University’s student-run newspaper as a writer from 1962 to 1963 and with the McMaster’s Film Board. Michael returned to school at Mohawk College for nursing in the 1980’s and worked at the Hamilton General Hospital as a registered nurse in the post-operative care unit for more than 25 years until his retirement.

Michael was involved in the founding of many gay and lesbian organizations in the Hamilton area. Prior to moving back to Hamilton in 1979, he was a member of Gays of Ottawa from 1976 to 1979. Michael also served as a secretary of the Coordinating Office of the Canadian Lesbian and Gay Rights Coalition that dealt with specific issues of federal jurisdiction. At this time, the Hamilton-McMaster Gay Liberation Movement group has been established. To expand outside of McMaster University and into the broader Hamilton community, core members of the McMaster Homophile Association formed Hamilton United Gay Societies (HUGS) in 1980. Michael was one of the founding members of HUGS and served in different executive committee roles such as secretary, treasurer and president from 1980 to 1982 and again from 1988 to 1991 when HUGS changed their name to Hamilton Gay and Lesbian Alliance (HGALA). Michael was the self-appointed archivist of the Hamilton-Wentworth Gay Archives which was founded in 1982 and was also involved in the Gay Phoenix (then The Phoenix/Hamilton Phoenix) newsletter, Lesbian/Gayline and Speakers’ Bureau.

Since its founding in 1986, Michael was as a member of the Hamilton AIDS Network for Dialogue and Support’s (HANDS) Board of Directors, was the president from 1991 to 1993, and a member of the Steering Committee. He was also involved in the AIDS Prevention Task Force Implementation Subcommittee of the Regional Municipality of Hamilton-Wentworth, the AIDS Working Group on Anonymous HIV Testing, and Regional Palliative Care Program Hospice Services Group.

At the Hamilton GALA Honour Roll Dinner in 1991, Michael Johnstone along with Anne Cassel were presented with the Honour Roll Award plaque to recognize their contributions to the LGBTQ+ community in Hamilton throughout the years.

In addition to Michael’s activist work, he was a part of the Social Justice and World Outreach committees of the Hamilton Presbytery of the United Church of Canada and was an active member of the Hamilton Group of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East.

Michael passed away from lung cancer on July 26, 2018 at the Good Shepherd’s Emmanuel House hospice in Hamilton which used to be a housing residence for individuals living with HIV/AIDS.

Kinrade, Thomas L.

  • Person

Thomas L. Kinrade was a Hamilton, Ontario school teacher and served as principal at Cannon Street Public School from 1890 to 1909. Thomas had two sons and three daughters and lived at 105 Herkimer Street with his wife Isabel and his daughters. Thomas owned many rental properties within the city. The Kinrades were highly respected members of the Hamilton community and were seen as very generous. On February 25, 1909, his eldest daughter Ethel was shot dead when she opened the door to a stranger. The tragedy and the sensationalism of the murder took its toll on the family. Thomas retired as principal from the Cannon Street Public School that same year, ending a 34-year career in public education.

Livingstone, Robert

  • Person
  • 1889-1968

Robert Livingstone was born in Staffa, Ontario on February 4, 1889. He served in World War One as a Private in the 8th Field Ambulance of the Canadian Expeditionary Force. In 1917, Robert was wounded from shell shrapnel during the Battle of Passchendaele, and was deemed medically unfit for service. He was discharged from the military in 1918 and shortly after, he met and married his first wife, Margaret Jane Miller (also of Staffa, Ontario). They moved to Hamilton, Ontario and resided at 235 Sherman Avenue South. Robert was a civil servant (department unknown), for the City of Hamilton and kept time sheets for road and sewer work employees. Robert's wife died in 1936 and he married his second wife, Annie Mary Jones in 1950. Robert died in 1968 and is buried in the Staffa Cemetery in Staffa, Ontario.

Logie, Alexander

  • Person
  • 1823-1873

Alexander Logie, son of William Logie and Anne Smith, was born in Rosefield, Nairnshire, Scotland, in 1823. He emigrated with his family to Canada. Alexander was admitted to the Law Society of Upper Canada in 1843 as a Student-at-Law. He was called to the Bar in 1848 and practiced law in Hamilton, Ontario. On October 19th, 1854, he was appointed Judge of the County Court of the United Counties of Wentworth and Halton, where he served from 1854 to 1873. He married Mary Ritchie Crooks (1827–1900), from the town of Niagara. They had three children: Anna Barbara (b.1856), Alexandra Helena, and William Alexander (1866–1933). Alexander was for many years an Elder and Trustee of Saint Andrews (now Saint Paul’s) Presbyterian Church. He was one of the church leaders who personally guaranteed the loan for the building of the new church in 1854. Alexander Logie died December 10, 1873.

Logie, Alexander

  • Person
  • 1823-1873

Alexander Logie, son of William Logie and Anne Smith, was born in Rosefield, Nairnshire, Scotland, in 1823. He emigrated with his family to Canada. Alexander was admitted to the Law Society of Upper Canada in 1843 as a Student-at-Law. He was called to the Bar in 1848 and practiced law in Hamilton, Ontario. On October 19th, 1854, he was appointed Judge of the County Court of the United Counties of Wentworth and Halton, where he served from 1854 to 1873. He married Mary Ritchie Crooks (1827–1900), from the town of Niagara. They had three children: Anna Barbara (b.1856), Alexandra Helena, and William Alexander (1866–1933). Alexander was for many years an Elder and Trustee of Saint Andrews (now Saint Paul’s) Presbyterian Church. He was one of the church leaders who personally guaranteed the loan for the building of the new church in 1854. Alexander Logie died December 10, 1873.

Logie, William

  • Person
  • 1782-1853

Major William Logie was born in Scotland in 1782. William married Mary McNair (1784-1818) in 1808. After the death of his first wife, he married Anne Smith (1784-1868), of Pitgair, Scotland in 1822. There were six Logie children: William, Alexander (1823–1873), James Alexander, Margaret, Mary, and Barbara, who died as a child in 1838. Major William Logie retired from the army in 1832, and the family emigrated from Scotland to Canada, leaving behind eldest son, William, who chose to remain in Glasgow. The Major and Anne Smith Logie lived near Kingston, Ontario in their home, Glenlogie, until 1852 when they moved to Hamilton. Major William Logie died in 1853 and Anne Logie died in 1868.

Logie, William Alexander

  • Person
  • 1866-1933

William Alexander (1866–1933), son of Alexander Logie, was called to the bar in 1890, and entered into legal practice in the firm of Chisholm, Logie and McQuesten. In 1918, he was elevated to the bench. William Alexander wed Mary Hamilton Wylie in 1892 and they had one son and two daughters.

Lomax, James

  • Person
  • 1950-2006

James (Jimmy) Lomax was

Lomax, James

  • Person
  • 1950-2006

James (Jimmy) Lomax was

Lomax, James William

  • Person
  • 1943-2011

James (Jimmy) William Lomax (1943-2011), was best known as Hamilton's Santa Claus. As a child, Jimmy spent many Christmases in the hospital because of a lung disease that doctors originally diagnosed as likely being fatal. While in the hospital, a visit from Santa changed his young life. Jimmy survived his lung disease and it was this second chance at life that inspired him to become Santa to other less fortunate people, especially children. After attending Delta Secondary School, Jimmy worked as a steelworker at Stelco to support his family and to help support his volunteer job as Santa Claus. He and his wife Susan, who was often referred to as Mrs. Claus, would volunteer their time to a project they called Operation Santa Claus. Along with their young son Ryan, they visited thousands of children and adults annually, distributing gifts and holiday cheer. Jimmy's role as Santa began as a teenager in 1958 with a small bag of candy, a Santa suit and a big heart. Over the years, Operation Santa Claus grew to become a full-scale operation with numerous volunteers and donors. From 1958 until 2010, Lomax volunteered countless hours to fundraise for Operation Santa Claus, raising thousands of dollars annually to buy presents for those in need. The recipients of his generosity were mostly low-income families, children with intellectual challenges, hospital patients, group home residents, nursing home residents, and individuals living in shelters.

Jimmy's selfless dedication and generosity to his community earned him awards and recognition, including the Outstanding Young Hamiltonian Award, the Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship, the Queen's Jubilee Medal, as well as membership in the Order of Canada. Even after the death of his son Ryan in 1987, as well as his own health issues, Lomax's dedication to Operation Santa Claus never wavered until he was forced to retire the role in 2010 due to health complications, after more than 5 decades as Santa. Lomax retired from Stelco after 38 years and he died in 2011. The city of Hamilton honoured him by establishing the Jimmy Lomax Beach Boulevard Park near where he and his family lived. However, Lomax's true legacy as Hamilton's Santa lives forever in the minds and hearts of many Hamiltonians, who personally experienced his kindness and generosity during the holiday season.

MacKay, Graeme

  • Person
  • 1968-

Graeme MacKay was born in 1968, and grew up in Dundas, Ontario where he attended Parkside High School. MacKay graduated from the University of Ottawa, majoring in History and Political Science. During his undergrad, MacKay became the graphics editor for the student newspaper, "The Fulcrum". In 1997, MacKay began his professional career at the Hamilton Spectator as a full-time editorial cartoonist. MacKay was President of the Association of Canadian Editorial Cartoonists from 2008 to 2010.

McIlwraith, Thomas

  • Person
  • 1824-1903

Thomas McIlwraith was born December 25, 1824 in Ayr, Scotland. As a youth, he was apprenticed as a cabinet-maker and was employed by a gas works company in Edinburgh. In 1853, he married Mary Park Forysth and immigrated to Canada, settling in Hamilton, Ontario. That same year he became the manager of the Hamilton Gas Works Company where he remained for eighteen years. He lived in a home called “Cairnbrae” on MacNab Street North with his wife and their four sons and three daughters. In 1871 he purchased a coal business and ran this operation until his retirement in 1893. McIlwraith served on the boards of directors of several banks and insurance companies, as well as serving as President of the Hamilton Mechanic’s Institute and as an alderman for St. Mary’s Ward where he resided. His prominence came from his devotion to ornithology (the study of birds). McIlwraith was a founding member of the American Ornithological Union and wrote extensively on the subject of birds, from his observations of bird species, nesting patterns and eggs. He was particularly interested in birds within the region of Hamilton and identified hundreds of species in the surrounding area. He published two books, including the Birds of Ontario (1886) and the Birds Observed in the Vicinity of Hamilton (1860). McIlwraith died at his home in January of 1903 and is buried in the Hamilton Cemetery.

McIlwraith, Thomas G.

  • Person

Thomas McIlwraith was born December 25, 1824 in Ayr, Scotland. As a youth, he was apprenticed as a cabinet-maker and was employed by a gas works company in Edinburgh. In 1853, he married Mary Park Forysth and immigrated to Canada, settling in Hamilton, Ontario. That same year he became the manager of the Hamilton Gas Works Company where he remained for eighteen years. He lived in a home called “Cairnbrae” on MacNab Street North with his wife and their four sons and three daughters. In 1871 he purchased a coal business and ran this operation until his retirement in 1893. McIlwraith served on the boards of directors of several banks and insurance companies, as well as serving as President of the Hamilton Mechanic’s Institute and as an alderman for St. Mary’s Ward where he resided. His prominence came from his devotion to ornithology (the study of birds). McIlwraith was a founding member of the American Ornithological Union and wrote extensively on the subject of birds, from his observations of bird species, nesting patterns and eggs. He was particularly interested in birds within the region of Hamilton and identified hundreds of species in the surrounding area. He published two books, including the Birds of Ontario (1886) and the Birds Observed in the Vicinity of Hamilton (1860). McIlwraith died at his home in January of 1903 and is buried in the Hamilton Cemetery.

McIlwraith, Thomas G.

  • Person
  • 1824-1903

Thomas G. McIlwraith was born December 25, 1824 in Ayr, Scotland. As a youth, he was apprenticed as a cabinet-maker and was employed by a gas works company in Edinburgh. In 1853, he married Mary Park Forysth and immigrated to Canada, settling in Hamilton, Ontario. That same year he became the manager of the Hamilton Gas Works Company where he remained for eighteen years. He lived in a home called “Cairnbrae” on MacNab Street North with his wife and their four sons and three daughters. In 1871 he purchased a coal business and ran this operation until his retirement in 1893. McIlwraith served on the boards of directors of several banks and insurance companies, as well as serving as President of the Hamilton Mechanic’s Institute and as an alderman for St. Mary’s Ward where he resided. His prominence came from his devotion to ornithology (the study of birds). McIlwraith was a founding member of the American Ornithological Union and wrote extensively on the subject of birds, from his observations of bird species, nesting patterns and eggs. He was particularly interested in birds within the region of Hamilton and identified hundreds of species in the surrounding area. He published two books, including the "Birds of Ontario" (1886) and the "Birds Observed in the Vicinity of Hamilton" (1860). McIlwraith died at his home in January of 1903 and is buried in the Hamilton Cemetery.

McQuesten, Isaac Baldwin

  • Person

Isaac Baldwin, son of Dr. Calvin McQuesten, studied law and was admitted to the firm of Proudfoot & Jones. When Proudfoot was elevated to the bench, the firm became Jones & McQuesten until the partnership with Chisholm in 1882. Jones retired in 1886 and the firm became known as McQuesten & Chisholm. Isaac Baldwin was married to Mary Jane Baker (ca. 1848-1934). They lived at number 1 Bold St. until the death of Dr. Calvin in 1885, at which time Isaac and Mary and their six children moved to Whitehern. The six children were Mary Baldwin (1874-1964), Calvin (1876-1968), Hilda Belle (1877-1967), Ruby Baker (1879-1911), Thomas Baker (1882–1948) and Margarette Edna (1885-1935). None of the children married.

Metcalfe, Gwen

  • Person
  • 1913-1997

Margaret Gwendolyn Carley was born in Fort Dodge, Iowa on March 23, 1913. The family returned to Canada shortly after and settled in Kitchener, Ontario, where Gwen later attended the Business School. She married Albert E. Metcalfe (1901-1963) on July 27, 1937, and they had one son John David (J.D.) Metcalfe (1939-2007). Gwen began her career a museum curator at Dundurn Castle in Hamilton, where she started as a receptionist in the 1950s. In May 1955, Gwen was appointed curator with no formal training as a museum specialist. In her role as curator, she advocated for a complete restoration of Dundurn Castle to the period during Allan MacNab’s tenure. The City of Hamilton chose the Dundurn Castle restoration project as their 1967 Centennial Project. While the museum was closed for restorations, Gwen she kept a photographic record of the renovation process. On June 30, 1971, Gwen retired.

Gwen was an active member of the Canadian Museums Association, serving on their council and editing their newsletter. She also served as the chairman of the museums section of the Ontario Historical Society. In June 1972, she was appointed a Fellow of the Canadian Museums Association, an honour as being the first for Hamilton.

Gwen Metcalfe died on July 6, 1997.

Morris, John

  • Person

John Morris was an amateur photographer, first in Grimsby, (his birthplace), then in Toronto, where as a member of the Toronto Camera Club he became actively involved in salon exhibition work during the 1920s and exhibiting in such salons as the Toronto International, the Pittsburgh, and the Buffalo. In the 1930s, he worked in several Toronto professional studios; during the Second World War he was responsible for the RCAF, Ontario Command photographic operations; and after the War he settled in Hamilton where he operated his own professional studio until the early 1970s. He died in 1978.
In 1980, the bulk of his collection (approximately 3330 photographic prints and negatives dating from the 1920s to the 1970s, including glass plate negatives, salon prints and some colour negatives and slides, representing John Morris’ artistry and interests as an amateur and professional photographer) was transferred to the National Archives in Ottawa.

Mortimer, Winslow

  • Person
  • 1919-1998

James Winslow Mortimer was a Canadian comic book and comic strip artist, best known for his illustrations on the Superman comic. He was born in Hamilton on May 1, 1919. He attended the Stinson Street School and Central Collegiate. He studied art at the New York Art League and later studied anatomy under George Bridgeman in New York. In 1940, Mortimer enlisted into the Canadian Army, but was discharged after a brief training period for medical reasons. In 1943, he was employed at Otis Elevators in Hamilton where he illustrated propaganda posters for the company. After the Second War World, Mortimer moved to New York where he joined DC Comics and ghosted the Superman daily comic strip. He became the cover artist for Superman, Batman and Superboy comics. In 1955, Mortimer began his own comic strip entitled "David Crane" a story about a young minister and his wife and their difficulties in building a parish in a rural community. In 1960, he illustrated the strip "Larry Brannon" for The Toronto Star. He returned to DC Comics to illustrate. In 1983, Mortimer left comics for advertising and commercial art to work for Neal Adam's studio at Continuity Associates. Winslow Mortimer died on January 11, 1998. In 2006, Mortimer was inducted into the Joe Shuster Hall of Fame.

Mowat, Bruce

  • Person
  • N/A

Bruce “The Mole” Mowat was a prominent member of the Hamilton music scene in the 1990s. Bruce was on the pulse of obscure, new and up-and-coming artists. He was the founder of the defunct record label, Mole Records, which produced three releases, including Cyborg Revisited by Simply Saucer. He was a regular contributor to the EGO section of the Hamilton Spectator throughout the 1990s in addition to other publications in Montreal and Toronto. The focus of his pieces in the Spectator highlighted new band recommendation. He currently resides in Grande Prairie, Alberta.

Nash, Nathaniel

  • Person
  • fl 2018

Hamilton born and raised live music photographer

New, William Bruce

  • Person
  • 1944-

Bruce William New was born in Toronto in 1944. New graduated from Downsview Collegiate and pursued a brief career in industrial accounting before going into several entrepreneurial businesses including trucking, a dealership, a sales agency and a tour company. New lives in Hamilton and Largo, Florida.

Sorbara, George

  • Person
  • N/A

George Sorbara was a graduate of Westdale Secondary School found in Westdale Village, a suburb of Hamilton. He participated in high school activities such as stage productions and the football team. After graduation, George Sorbara joined the Hamilton Hurricanes, a member of the Canadian Junior Football League. He was part of the Championship winning 1972 team which defeated the defending champs Regina Rams in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

Stevens, Peter

  • Person
  • 1981-2006

Peter Stevens (March 16, 1963 – February 25, 2015), was a freelance photographer, graphic designer, art director and magazine editor. Peter studied Graphic Design at Sheridan College and worked in the design and advertising field for almost 20 years. He served as Art Director with Wordsmith Design and Advertising (Part of the Pier 8 Group). Peter was a founding member of the Hamilton Photo Union and served the organization as a board member from 1982-1986. He was also the Photo Editor for Broadway Magazine (an alternative news source for Hamilton), Style Magazine and The Hammer Magazine. Peter Stevens spent 25 years capturing the essence of the arts scene in Hamilton and had a very large impact on the arts community. His work was exhibited at the Hammer Gallery, the b Contemporary Gallery, Broadway Gallery, Gallery on 4, the Photo Union Gallery and the Transit Gallery.

Stevens, Peter, 1963-2015

  • CaOHStevensPeter19632015
  • Person
  • 1963-2015

Peter Stevens (March 16, 1963 – February 25, 2015), was a freelance photographer, graphic designer, art director and magazine editor. Peter studied Graphic Design at Sheridan College and worked in the design and advertising field for almost 20 years. He served as Art Director with Wordsmith Design and Advertising (Part of the Pier 8 Group). Peter was a founding member of the Hamilton Photo Union and served the organization as a board member from 1982-1986. He was also the Photo Editor for Broadway Magazine (an alternative news source for Hamilton), Style Magazine and The Hammer Magazine. Peter Stevens spent 25 years capturing the essence of the arts scene in Hamilton and had a very large impact on the arts community. His work was exhibited at the Hammer Gallery, the b Contemporary Gallery, Broadway Gallery, Gallery on 4, the Photo Union Gallery and the Transit Gallery.

Strathy, Henry George Gordon

  • Person
  • 1846 - 1932

Henry George Gordon Strathy was born in London, Ontario 1846. He was the son of James Brakenridge Strathy. In 1835, James Strathy went into business in Dundas, Ontario owning various flour and paper mills. They moved back to London, where James Strathy became the District Clerk for the County of Middlesex.
Henry Strathy joined the Bank of Montreal in Hamilton in 1864. In 1866, he joined the 13th battalion to fight the Fenian Raids. In 1867 he moved to Montreal, where he married his wife and lived until his death in 1932.

Sutherland, Captain James

  • Person
  • 1085-1857

Captain James Sutherland (1805-1857), was born in Hoy, Orkney Islands, Scotland to a sea-faring family. He began his sailing career at the age of seventeen starting as a low-ranking mate and climbing the ladder to captain. He immigrated to Toronto, Canada in 1831 and sailed the steamboat Queenston, owned by John Hamilton. He married Margaret Robinson in 1833 and moved to a house on Hughson Street in Hamilton, Ontario. During his sailing career, Sutherland commanded some of the newest and most prestigious steamers to sail the Great Lakes such as the Traveller and the Niagara. By partnering with wealthy Hamilton investors, Sutherland who was of modest means, was able to co-own and command a fleet of steamships, including his most notable steamboat the Magnet. He retired from sailing in 1853 to work for the Great Western Railway Company. On March 12, 1857, Captain James Sutherland became the most notable Hamiltonian to lose his life in a train wreck on the Desjardins Canal Bridge.

Sutherland, James (Captain)

  • Person
  • 1805-1857

Captain James Sutherland (1805-1857), was born in Hoy, Orkney Islands, Scotland to a sea-faring family. He began his sailing career at the age of seventeen starting as a low-ranking mate and climbing the ladder to captain. He immigrated to Toronto, Canada in 1831 and sailed the steamboat Queenston, owned by John Hamilton. He married Margaret Robinson in 1833 and moved to a house on Hughson Street in Hamilton, Ontario. During his sailing career, Sutherland commanded some of the newest and most prestigious steamers to sail the Great Lakes such as the Traveller and the Niagara. By partnering with wealthy Hamilton investors, Sutherland who was of modest means, was able to co-own and command a fleet of steamships, including his most notable steamboat the Magnet. He retired from sailing in 1853 to work for the Great Western Railway Company. On March 12, 1857, Captain James Sutherland became the most notable Hamiltonian to lose his life in a train wreck on the Desjardins Canal Bridge.

Tinkl, Viktor

  • Person
  • 1937-

Viktor Tinkl was born in Czechoslovakia in 1937. He attended Galt Collegiate Institute from 1952 to 1955. Upon graduation, Viktor studied drawing and painting at the Ontario College of Art from 1955-1959 and continued his studies in Munich, Germany. He was the recipient of the West German Government Painting Scholarship and the McLean’s Traveling Scholarship. During 1962 to 1964, Tinkl was an advisor to the print program in Povungituk, Quebec where he met and worked with Inuit art as Joe Talirunili. He is a sculptor and 'amateur architect'. His work has been shown at the Art Gallery of Ontario, the University of Toronto Art Centre, the Bronfrnan Centre ofMontreal, as well as the Merton and Isaacs galleries of Toronto. Viktor and his wife Judith live in Sunderland, Ontario.

Waldon, Freda F.

  • Person
  • 1898-1973

Freda Farrell Waldon was born August 29, 1898 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Her family moved to Hamilton, Ontario about a year later, and she remained there for the majority of her life. Waldon attended Central Public School and Hamilton Collegiate Institute. She obtained a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Toronto (1919), then went on to complete her M.A. in English at Columbia University (1931). Waldon attended the School of Librarianship at the University of London before becoming Chief Librarian of the Hamilton Public Library, a position which she held from 1940 to 1963. Waldon developed an interest in the Wesleyan Ladies' College, located on King Street East in Hamilton, Ontario, due in part to the fact that her mother, Lillie Hardy, was a graduate (1887). In 1952, Waldon sent a letter to the Toronto periodical Saturday Night, with a request to its readers for all available information on the College, including recollections, reminiscences and information from former students and teachers. Waldon also searched among her own papers and brought together a great deal of material on the College, its staff and students.

Webb, George Frederick

  • Person
  • May 6, 1865 – June 6, 1942

George Frederick Webb (May 6, 1865 – June 6, 1942) was born in Folkestone, Kent, England to John and Sarah Jane Webb. His family came to Hamilton in 1871. In the 1881 census there were 9 children mentioned. George Webb later went into business as a contractor, building such structures as Central Collegiate, the new Armouries, the Wellington Street buildings of the Steel Company of Canada, Ryerson School and Robert Land School. In June of 1906 he purchased the East End Incline Railway located at the head of Wentworth Street South, which he ran until its operation ceased on August 15, 1936. He lived in his home, Belmont Place, located at 1 Mountain Park Avenue and became quite involved in promoting development on the mountain. He was elected Reeve of Barton Township in 1913 and served until 1919. He was the President of the Hamilton Lamp Company which was later sold to the General Electric Company. In 1929 he was appointed to the Board of the Hamilton General Hospital and served three years. In 1936 he was elected President of the Board of St. Peter’s Hospital and served until the year prior to his death. He never married.

Wilkinson, Thomas Harrison

  • Person
  • 1847-1929

Thomas Harrison Wilkinson, a watercolour artist, was born in Bradford, Yorkshire, England in 1847. He studied art in London. In 1870, Wilkinson immigrated to Canada where he lived in London, Ontario. In 1872, he married Carrie O’Cochrane of Kingston and made a home in Toronto. During his career, Wilkinson traveled and painted throughout Canada from Muskoka, Parry Sound, Georgian Bay, Montreal, Quebec, Lake Louise, the Rocky Mountains and British Colombia. He also traveled to North Carolina, England, Italy and Spain. Wilkinson was best known for his landscapes, seascapes, pastorals and streetscapes, working in watercolor and oil. He spent the last twenty years of his life living in Hamilton. Wilkinson died in 1929.