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Mercury Mills was established in 1912 by John Penman who was an innovative knitting industry leader who moved to Hamilton from Paris, Ontario. Mercury Mills first had a plant on Park Street North. At its peak, it employed over 1,100 people at three sites in the province with the main plant built in 1916 on Cumberland Avenue between Gage and Prospect avenues.

During wartime, Mercury Mills produced materials used in military uniforms and parachutes. In later years, it faced increasing competition and eventually closed down in 1955. The building was demolished in 1983.

The Royal Court Entertainers were an amateur concert party consisting of nine members: Mary Hanson, Dorothy Sommerville, Hazel Phillips, Mary Grant, Ethel Morris, Frederick Davidson, Howard Wilson Jerome, Richard Fairs, and Leslie Sommerville. From 1937-1941, they performed old fashioned choruses, humorous sketches and dances for personal parties, garden parties and group events.

Love Your City, Share Your Stories began in 2014 and is an ongoing digital storytelling project featuring stories about Hamilton and Hamiltonians both past and present. Love Your City, Share Your Stories is an inclusive project with a focus of bringing together citizens and community organizations to build a collection of both personal and historically factual stories about the City of Hamilton. This project is led by the Hamilton Public Library’s Local History and Archives department and partnered with McMaster University, Hamilton Arts Council, City of Hamilton Culture Division, Hamilton Community Foundation and is supported by the Hamilton Future Fund and by the Ontario Trillium Grant. The initiative consists of four phases: Phase 1: Hamilton Cultural Icons and Music, Phase 2: Immigration in Hamilton, Phase 3: Water in Hamilton, and Phase 4: Hamilton’s Visual Art. HPL is now leading the digital storytelling project and the goal of the project is to capture individual and firsthand accounts of Hamiltonians by creating oral histories to preserve and make accessible Hamilton’s local history.

The Hamilton Cotton Company was a primary cotton producer, starting its operations with raw cotton from the United States, Mexico and Brazil. It was founded in 1880 but its history reaches back to the early 1870s in Dundas where brothers James M. Young, the eldest son of a prominent Hamilton merchant family, and Hamilton Young learned the business at the Dundas Cotton mills. Production expanded in the 20th century. The Young family strengthened its holdings in Hamilton and added plants in Marysville, New Brunswick, Montreal, Quebec, Trenton and Woodbridge, Ontario. Some of the products of the company included cotton yarns, dyed or undyed, blend yarns, woven cloth, wrapping twines, cotton and synthetic braided cords, twisted ropes, and laces. The numerous buildings of the Hamilton Cotton Company stood behind the Malcolm & Souter plant on Mary Street. The main plant of the company was located on Mary Street North in Hamilton, Ontario and was sub-divided into three separate mill units: The Yarn and Cloth division, the Dyeing division, and the Narrow Fabrics Division. By 1970, the name of the business changed to Hamilton Group Limited.

Grafton & Co. Ltd. was a clothing manufacturer located in Dundas. It was established in May 1853 when James Beatty Grafton and his business partner, Andrew V. Gregson, established Gregson & Grafton, a small dry goods and millinery shop on the corner of King and Ogilvie in Dundas. In 1858, Mr. Gregson retired from the business and the Grafton/Gregson partnership was dissolved. Later the same year, James and his brother, John Stewart Grafton, formed a partnership, and the company of Grafton & Co. Ltd. was born a year later when James’ son, James J., joined the company. The company prospered commercially in the 1800s. Grafton brothers purchased the adjacent property in 1887 and they built the three-storey brick building on the corner of King and Main streets in Dundas. By 1900, Grafton and Company had expanded to further locations in Hamilton, Brantford, London, Peterborough and Owen Sound, with a sixth location opening in Woodstock in 1905. The company always had the most modern equipment to handle clothing products from manufacturing to shipping to retail. By 1967, Grafton and Company had merged with the Jack Fraser Stores, which provided the company with 85 store locations across Canada. But business at the Dundas Grafton's store declined and, by 1976, had ceased business.

The Hamilton Active Service Canteen was established on May 2, 1941, by the volunteers of the Hamilton Citizens’ Committee for War Services, with the purpose of supporting and entertaining military service personnel stationed in Hamilton during World War Two. After a meeting to discuss the logistics of operation, the Active Service Canteen opened its doors on May 17, 1941. The building was located right downtown at 20 King Street East, just east of James Street, occupying the entire second floor of the building. In the early days of the canteen, attendance was low, so financing came from various sources including donations from local clubs. After a year in operation with over 160,000 visitors, the canteen became self-sufficient and even opened another location specifically geared to female service members at 10 James Street North.

The Hamilton Active Service Canteen was staffed entirely by volunteers, many of whom were women, who served in the kitchen, the games room, and as dancing partners for the servicemen. The canteen served light refreshments with a menu including salads, soups, sandwiches, bread, pies, ice cream, coffee and cokes, all at reasonable prices. Entertainment included weekly Saturday night dances, as well as a games room with card tables, ping pong tables and a billiards table, along with a few pianos. There was also a reading room that was stocked with books, magazines and local newspapers, as well as notepads for writing home to family and friends. When the war in Europe ended, the canteen was no longer needed, so it closed its doors on November 17, 1945. Over the 5 years the canteen was in operation, it served close to 1 million service members, and provided a comfortable, sociable and entertaining home away from home for those who served their country during the war.

During the First and Second World Wars, the City of Hamilton and its various departments contributed to the military operations by purchasing Victory Bonds, which helped the Canadian government finance the war efforts without having to raise taxes on citizens. The City of Hamilton also kept records of casualties, both killed and wounded, as well as created Honour Rolls for those who made the ultimate sacrifice. The city also kept insurance records of soldiers who had purchased insurance policies on behalf of their dependents in case of death overseas. Realizing that many soldiers could not afford this luxury, the city made an effort to financially insure the lives of the local enlisted men with the help of insurance companies and money from the city departments. City Council created the Soldiers Benefit Fund Committee to administer the money and determine who was eligible to receive assistance. By 1920, 551 residents were receiving payments to lessen the hardships faced by the dependents of those who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

The Fernleigh Lawn Bowling Club had it start as a group of carpet bowlers from the Hannah Street Methodist Church looking for a place to bowl outside. After first bowling on the property of club president A. W. Semmens in 1904, the club later moved to a location on Aberdeen and Mountain in 1908. Eventually, due to rising cost of land, the club found its permanent residence at 17 1/2 Fairmount ave. It remained at that location until the club’s dissolvement in 1997. The land used by the club and subsequently rezoned by the city for residential use. The club takes its name from A. W. Semmens designation for his homestead, the club’s original home.

The Player’s Guild of Hamilton was founded in 1875 as the Hamilton Garrick Club after founder David Garrick. After a period of decline post-World War 1, the club was re-established by Caroline Crerar in 1929 under the name ‘The Player’s Guild’. In 1951 the guild bought the property at Queens Street South and Jackson Street West and remained at the location ever since.

The First Battalion Incorporated Militia was established in 1838 to protect the Hamilton area (formerly known as Head-of-the-Lake), and the surrounding region from any possible uprisings or raids stemming from the Rebellions of 1837-1838. The British army couldn’t continue to provide protection for a growing colony, and part-time militias were often ill-prepared to cope with the issues of the time. The region of Hamilton was seen as a strategic point of defense for Upper Canada due to its location, so a decision was made to create a force for regular service. On October 24, 1838, the Lieutenant Governor signed the order to raise a battalion in Hamilton and in November of 1838 it was formed and commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Sir Allan Napier MacNab (1798-1862), a veteran of the War of 1812, with Colonel William Gourlay (1794-1867), a former British officer, as second in command.

Unlike earlier militias where the men wore their own clothes and provided their own musket, the First Battalion Incorporated Militia soldiers wore the uniform of the British Army and were provided with military-issued weapons. Non-commissioned officers were required to be able to read and write, as they would be the mainstay of the unit, ensuring that the enlisted men behaved and practiced their drill instruction. Unfortunately, records indicate that desertion, drunkenness and disorderly conduct were sometimes the reality for the battalion. The 300 men that enlisted by the end of the first year of the battalion’s existence received the same pay as the British soldiers, which was one shilling a day for a regular private, minus the expenditures for their personal kits. The battalion was headquartered in Hamilton with a daily town guard of one officer and twelve men, but often sent companies of men to places such as Fort Eire, Cobourg and Penetanguishene. While stationed in Hamilton, the men engaged in daily drills and chores, and patrolled the area. After five years of service, monotonous barracks life, and with no action from any rebellions or uprisings, the regiment was disbanded in 1843.

The Hamilton Naturalists’ Club is a not-for profit organization dedicated to preserving, protecting and promoting the natural environment of Hamilton, Ontario and the surrounding areas, through education and activism. The Club was first established in 1918, and was officially incorporated as the Hamilton Bird Protection Society in 1919. The Club’s original function was to protect and preserve birds and bird habitats from extinction. Over time, members of the Club broadened their scope to include all aspects of the natural world, changing their name to the Hamilton Nature Club. This name remained in place until 1959, when they officially became known as the Hamilton Naturalists’ Club. Since the early days of the organization, members have been instrumental in raising awareness and securing the protection of the environment such as the 1927 designation of Cootes Paradise as a wildlife sanctuary by a Provincial Government order. In 1961, the Hamilton Naturalists’ Club became the first conservation society and not-for-profit organization in Canada to purchase land in perpetuity for nature and wildlife sanctuaries. For the past century, the Hamilton Naturalists’ Club and its members have worked to protect and preserve the environment through their conservation projects and programs, playing an active role in environmental issues that affect the local community.

The Levy Brothers Company Limited was started by one of the first members of the Prussian Jewish community to come to Canada in the mid-1800s. Herman Levy, (1833-1902), emigrated from Germany in the 1850s and established a jewellery business in Hamilton in 1857. Within a few years, he had become successful and sent for his future wife Camilla Scheuer, and his brother Abraham (1835-1907), to join him. In 1862, his brother Abraham entered the business, and the company name was changed to H.&A. Levy, eventually becoming the Levy Brothers Company Limited in 1871. The company had a brief partnership with Herman’s brother-in-law, Edmund Scheuer, and at that time was located at 27 King Street East. By 1877, the company had a new location and a prominent presence in downtown Hamilton at 58-60 King Street East, remaining there for many decades. It was a four-story building with showrooms on the first floor and manufacturing on the upper floors. The showrooms featured jewellery pieces such as pins, brooches, rings, earrings, lockets, chains, and bracelets, available in silver, platinum, gold and white gold, as well as diamond rings and various other items such as pipes, ring cases, cutlery, and gold and silver bars.

Although there were many jewellery stores and manufacturers during this time, the Levy Brothers Company was the leading jewellery wholesaler and manufacturer of its kind in British North America, specializing in various jewellery pieces, watches, clocks, optical items, jewellery making materials and watchmaking materials. The company employed around 50 craftsmen who handmade the pieces. Some of these individuals started out as apprentices at the age of 14 and then spent decades with the company honing their skills and becoming experts in their trade before retiring. The quality of craftmanship made the Levy Brothers Company the standard of excellence throughout the country. By 1893, it became a joint stock company whereby investors could buy and sell shares in the business. Abraham took over as President and Herman as Vice President. When Herman passed away in 1901, Abraham ran the operations until he too passed away in 1907. Herman’s son Adolph took over the company at that time and then it was subsequently passed down to his son Herman Herzog Levy (1902-1990), who joined the company in 1923. During the Second World War, Herman H. Levy was appointed the Jewellery Administrator of the War Times Prices and Trade Board, and due to the excellent service he and his company provided during his term as Administrator, he was awarded an Order of the British Empire. In 1945, after 4 years of service as the Jewellery Administrator, he resigned his post and moved the company to its final location at 25 Main Street West. The company was still in business in 1957 to celebrate its centennial, but it is unclear as to when the doors closed permanently, ending over a century of excellent quality and craftsmanship in the jewellery trade.

The Bain Machine Shop was established in Hamilton in 1880 on the corner of Mary and Cannon Streets, by James Dickson Bain (1836-1909), who emigrated from Scotland. The company was originally known as Bain and Colville, advertising as general machinists and engine fitters. The shop produced mostly farm equipment such as tractors but was also well known for machinery repairs of gears, levers, frames and cylinders on many different types of machines, as well as materials including iron and steel. The machine shop was favourably known in the city for its superiority of workmanship and the ability to repair machines back to their original state at low cost. In 1901, the company name changed to James Bain & Sons. Thomas Bain (1866-1950), the eldest son of James, became the manager of the company and remained in this position until the company went out of family hands around 1947. It is unclear if the name officially changed again after Thomas took over, but future references to the business were in the name of Bain Machine Shop.

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.

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.

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.

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.

James (Jimmy) Lomax was

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.

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.

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.

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.

The McAfee family members were United Empire Loyalists who lived in the Hamilton area (formerly known as Head-of-the-Lake), during the War of 1812. The region at the time was agricultural and consisted of various townships including Ancaster, Barton, Binbrook, Glanford and Saltfleet. Most residents were farmers, innkeepers, or labourers in trades such as pottery. These early colonial townships protected themselves with local militias made up of able-bodied men ages 16 to 60 from the nearby communities, who were required to serve as part-time soldiers if needed. These men would assemble for an annual muster call in preparation for a possible future military campaign. With war looming against the Americans in 1812, brothers Angus (1780-1832), Daniel (1791-1878) and Samuel (1793-1870) McAfee enlisted in the 5th Lincoln Militia. The two flank companies of this regiment were commanded by Captain Samuel Hatt and Captain James Durand, and also included Lieutenant Robert Land, son and namesake of one of Hamilton’s first settlers. The brothers saw action in various skirmishes and fought with Major General Isaac Brock during the Siege of Detroit. All three brothers survived the war and returned home. Daniel and Samuel took over a pottery business, and Angus became an innkeeper in Barton Township.

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 they formed a 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) and they had six children: 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 their children married. In 1885, Isaac and his family moved to Whiterhern, the McQuesten's family home.

The Head-of-the-Lake Historical Society was established in 1944, when Lieutenant Colonel Charles R. McCullough convened a meeting of historically-minded residents of Hamilton to discuss the establishment of a new local history society to replace the former Wentworth Historical Society (1889-1925). The Head-of-the-Lake Historical Society exists to promote Hamilton’s history through its motto: Explore, Preserve, Relate. The Society holds regular meetings and annual Heritage Day dinner celebrations, as well as outreach activities such as lectures and day outings to local historical sites. The Society has collected and preserved historical photographs of the Hamilton area, many of which have been included in its publications on Hamilton history. In partnership with the Hamilton Historical Board, the Society has sponsored several historical plaques to commemorate important people and events in the city of Hamilton and the surrounding region. The Society has also been actively involved in restoring important historical landmarks such as the incorporation of the Old City Hall clock into the Hamilton Eaton’s Centre, and the Gore Park Fountain in downtown Hamilton.

The Head-of-the-Lake Historical Society was established in 1944, when Lieutenant Colonel Charles R. McCullough convened a meeting of historically-minded residents of Hamilton to discuss the establishment of a new local history society to replace the former Wentworth Historical Society (1889-1925). The Head-of-the-Lake Historical Society exists to promote Hamilton’s history through its motto: Explore, Preserve, Relate. The Society holds regular meetings and annual Heritage Day dinner celebrations, as well as outreach activities such as lectures and day outings to local historical sites. The Society has collected and preserved historical photographs of the Hamilton area, many of which have been included in its publications on Hamilton history. In partnership with the Hamilton Historical Board, the Society has sponsored several historical plaques to commemorate important people and events in the city of Hamilton and the surrounding region. The Society has also been actively involved in restoring important historical landmarks such as the incorporation of the Old City Hall clock into the Hamilton Eaton’s Centre, and the Gore Park Fountain in downtown Hamilton.