This file contains deeds of sale and ownership from 1864-1912 for property on Rachel Street.

This series contains records related to the various business ventures of J.W. McConnell.

The records are broken down into five subseries according to function: Company Promotions, 1900-1930; Commercial Trust, 1936-1972; Montreal Star, 1925-1971; St. Lawrence Sugar Refineries, 1912-1977; and Property Holdings (St. Lawrence Sugar Refineries), 1917-1962. Material found in this series includes ledgers, financial statements and reports, tax documents, meeting minutes, memos and correspondence.

This subseries contains records related to properties owned by J.W. McConnell or by companies that he worked for.

Material in this subseries includes deeds of sale, correspondence, blueprints, indurance documents and other related documents.

Photo reproduction of first Montreal Star offices, 64 St. James Street. Original photograph from 1869.

This folder contains a prepared report of the history of the refinery operations of the St. Lawrence Sugar Refining Company (later St. Lawrence Sugar Refineries Co., Ltd.) from 1879-1932. The majority of the information contained within the report concerns the state of sugar markets, the technical and scientific processes used by the refineries as well as the development of the physical grounds of the refinery. Includes table of contents, index and a map of the refinery buildings.

This file contains a subscription listing for the original shareholders of the St. Lawrence Sugar Refineries, Ltd. Dated 1879.

This series contains journals, scrapbooks and numerous agendas and address books belonging to both J.W. McConnell and his wife Lily. This series also includes an agenda used by Kathleen McConnell Laing. The material in this series dates between 1887 and 1960.

The journals written by J.W. McConnell and his wife were almost all started before a major trip (e.g. the Coronation trip taken in 1952) but do not contain detailed narratives and were never continued for any lengthy period. The notes and entries that were recorded discuss both business and personal/family observations. The many scrapbooks contain newspaper clippings and letters concerning J.W. McConnell’s business interests, accomplishments, the Montreal Star and family members. The McConnells also kept many articles and ephemera related to British Royal Family members and the McConnells’ involvement in Montreal society and fundraising efforts. There also exists a significant scrapbook compiled after J.W. McConnell’s death containing obituaries from Canadian and international newspapers.

This diary contains an account of the European tour taken by J.W. McConnell’s father-in-law, Reverend Thomas Griffith in 1887. Rev. Griffith’s descriptions cover the ocean crossing on the Dominion as well as travels in Preston, Ulverston, Glasgow and Edinburgh, Brussels, Cologne, Paris and then again London.

Photo reproduction of McConnell family portrait. Original photograph from approximately 1890s.

Portrait of John Wilson McConnell and a clerk at Goulding’s in Toronto.