Volume 2 - ElectricCanadian.com

1867 TO 1901 75late Robert Wilkes, M.P., 1one of the pioneers in the wholesalejewellery business in Toronto, and prominent in politics as aLiberal. Mr. Wilkes served two years as vice-president andwas succeeded by the Hon. Adam Hope, 2 of Hamilton, whohad just been appointed to the Senate. Mr. Wilkes resignedfrom the Board in the following October. His drowning withtwo of his children a few years later is a tragedy still recalled byolder Torontonians.From time to time during these early years of the bank'sexistence new names appear in the list of the directors. Theplace of Mr. Austin was taken by Mr. Thomas C. Street,M.P., a former president of the Gore Bank. In May, 1871,Mr. John Taylor died, and was succeeded by his brother,George Taylor. At the annual meeting that year the Boardwas increased to eight, and Messrs. F. W. Cumberland (oneof the original charter holders of the Bank of Canada) andRobert Wilkes, already referred to, were the new memberselected. At the same time Mr. William Alexander, one of thefirst directors, retired. On the death of Mr. Street in 1872,Mr. James Michie,3a well-known Toronto merchant, wasRobert Wilkes, M.P. (1832-80), a native of Trilleham, Leitrim county, Ireland,came to Canada with his family in 1848. He commenced his business career with hisuncle, R. H. Brett, a hardware merchant in Toronto, and in 1852 entered the employof Hossin Brothers, jewellers and dealers in fancy goods,Toronto, who later on builtIn 1857 Rossin Brothersthe Rossin House, a well-known local hotel for many years.retired from business and sold out to Mr. Wilkes. As his business grew he openedbranches in Montreal and Hamilton, and in 1872 his travellers went as far as FortGarry (now Winnipeg) and British Columbia. He was the pioneer in the jewellerytrade and in kindred lines in western Canada. He was prominent in municipal andpolitical circles, and in 1872 was elected to represent Centre Toronto in the House ofCommons. An occasional article from his pen on subjects of general interest appearedduring his lifetime in local newspapers and magazines. In August, 1880, he wasaccidentally drowned at Sturgeon Point with two of his children.*The Hon. Adam Hope (1813-82), a native of East Lothian, Scotland, came toCanada in 1834 and entered the mercantile house of Young, Weir and Company, Hamilton,where he later set up a business of his own. He was president of the HamiltonProvident and Loan Society, and was called to the Senate in 1877.3James Michie (1828-83), a native of Aberdeenshire, became a member of thewholesale grocery firm of Alexander Ogilvy and Company, now known as Michie andCompany, Limited.