Volume 2 - ElectricCanadian.com

1867 TO 1901 71was opened. One of the first officers of the bank was Mr. J. H.Plummer, who entered the service early in 1867. He becamemanager at Barrie, then at Brantford and at Ottawa, and wasappointed inspector in July, 1876. He resigned in July, 1878,to go into business for himself, and a few years later becameassistant general manager of the Merchants Bank of Canada.In 1886 he returned to the service of The Canadian Bank ofCommerce as assistant general manager, but retired againin 1903, and subsequently became president of the DominionIron and Steel Company, Limited. Mr. A. H. Ireland wasfirst appointed to a clerkship in the Toronto office in 1870, but1873 to undertake the managementresigned inof one of thebranches of the short-lived St. Lawrence Bank, whichsubsequently became the Standard Bank of Canada.Returning to The Canadian Bank of Commerce in 1875, heserved as manager of a number of branches, and rose to bechief inspector and superintendent of branches. Anotherofficer of these early days who afterwards attainedprominence in the bank was Mr. John C. Kemp,formerly in the service of the Merchants Bank of Canada.He joined the staff of The Canadian Bank of Commerce asinspector in September, 1868, and after serving as managerat Hamilton, succeeded Mr. Lockie as manager of the Torontobranch, a position he held for many years. A minute of theBoard in June, 1876, records that Alexander Laird, of Sarnia,formerly a clerk in the North of Scotland Bank, had beenappointed to a clerkship at $500 per annum. When Mr.B. E. Walker became general manager in 1886, Mr. Lairdsucceeded him as agent in New York. In 1903 he becameassistant general manager, and in 1907, general manager,holding that position until a short time before his death inNovember, 1915. Sir John Aird, the present general manager,entered the service of the bank as a clerk in the head office inNovember, 1878. His first appointment as manager was atthe Seaforth branch in 1888. He became manager at Winnipegin 1899 and superintendent of the branches in Manitoba,