In 1854, Frederick Garner Beckett established the Atlas Works foundry and machine shop in Hamilton, Ontario. By 1861, the Works were being operated by F. G. Beckett & Co., manufacturing steam engines, metalworking machinery, and sawmill machinery. The company survived until at least 1873 but appeared out of business in 1881 when the Works were renovated to become a cotton mill. In 1889, Mr. Beckett partnered with Joseph H. Killey to establish the Killey-Beckett Engine Works in Toronto.

Born in 1900, Horace Noel Fieldhouse was a history professor at the University of Manitoba and McGill University. He was named as Kingsford Professor of History at McGill in 1945 and held a variety of academic administrative posts including chair of the History Department, 1947-1960, Dean of the Faculty of Science, 1948 1962 and Vice-Principal Academic, 1962-1966.