C.B.H.F.
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Class of 1981
Right Hon. John Molson became the sole owner of Montreal brewery in 1786. He was a vital force in the development of steamboat transportation in North America having launched the “Accommodation” in 1807. His “Swiftsure,” launched in 1812, was the first steamboat in the world used for military purposes.
Although Molson was a compelling force in many elements of the commercial and industrial community of Montreal, the brewery was the focal enterprise which had originally financed his other ventures. John Molson was a discerning and energetic businessman who combined an imaginative boldness with an unyielding adherence to conservative business practices. First and foremost he was a brewer.