George Laidlaw
Encyclopedia
George Laidlaw was a businessman who promoted the development of narrow gauge railways
and was invaluable in the charter
ing of the Toronto & Nipissing
(with which his own Victoria Railway
would soon compete) and the Toronto Grey & Bruce Railways in 1868. From then until his retirement in 1881, he continued to promote the initiation or extension of several other local railways, and proposed a grand plan for uniting the independent railways of southern Ontario
into a competitive alternative to the Grand Trunk Railroad. Though it was met with minimal success at the time, the idea was the backbone of what was to become the Canadian Pacific Railway
.
Born in Scotland
, Laidlaw moved to Canada in 1855 at the age of 37 and took a position with Gooderham and Worts
Distillery in Toronto
, Ontario
. Seeing the potential market for local railways in the midst of the Grand Trunk Railroads monopoly, and the lack of accessibility into rural Upper Canada
by road and water, Laidlaw began to promote the idea of a 3 foot, 6 inch railway as an alternative to the more expensive standard gauge
of 5 feet, 6 inches. Following the formation of the Toronto & Nipissing Railway and the Toronto Grey and Bruce Railway, Laidlaw sought out investment for the railways, while also promoting the initializations and extensions of several independent railways, such as the Credit Valley Railway
which was planned from Toronto to St. Thomas
and the Victoria Railway
, an extension of the Port Hope Lindsay & Beaverton Railway (Later the Midland Railway
before being absorbed by the Grand Trunk Railroad) which was planned from Lindsay
to the Upper Ottawa Valley
.
His son, colonel
George E. Laidlaw (b. 1860, d. 1927), originally a railbuilder, fought in the Riel Rebellion
, as well as in the Boer War
as an officer. During his time in South Africa, he collected artifacts for the Toronto Normal School
and its curator David Boyle
. Laidlaw had previously donated many archaeological and ethnographic artifacts from across Canada to Boyle.
George Laidlaw retired to his estate at St. Mary's
on Balsam Lake
in 1881, one station from the northern terminus of the Toronto and Nipissing Railway at Coboconk. He died there in 1889.
Rail transport
Rail transport is a means of conveyance of passengers and goods by way of wheeled vehicles running on rail tracks. In contrast to road transport, where vehicles merely run on a prepared surface, rail vehicles are also directionally guided by the tracks they run on...
and was invaluable in the charter
Charter
A charter is the grant of authority or rights, stating that the granter formally recognizes the prerogative of the recipient to exercise the rights specified...
ing of the Toronto & Nipissing
Toronto and Nipissing Railway
The Toronto and Nipissing Railway was chartered in 1868 to build a narrow gauge railway in Ontario, Canada from Toronto to Lake Nipissing, via York, Ontario, and Victoria Counties. It opened in 1871, with service between Scarborough and Uxbridge. By December 1872 it was extended to Coboconk...
(with which his own Victoria Railway
Victoria Railway
The Victoria Railway is an historic long Canadian railway that operated in Central Ontario. Construction under Chief Engineer James Ross began in 1874 from Lindsay, Ontario with authority to build through Victoria County to Haliburton, Ontario, to which it opened on...
would soon compete) and the Toronto Grey & Bruce Railways in 1868. From then until his retirement in 1881, he continued to promote the initiation or extension of several other local railways, and proposed a grand plan for uniting the independent railways of southern Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
into a competitive alternative to the Grand Trunk Railroad. Though it was met with minimal success at the time, the idea was the backbone of what was to become the Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
.
Born in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, Laidlaw moved to Canada in 1855 at the age of 37 and took a position with Gooderham and Worts
Gooderham and Worts
Gooderham and Worts was a Canadian company that was once the largest distiller of alcoholic beverages in Canada. Its former manufacturing facilities on the Toronto Waterfront are today the well known Distillery District....
Distillery in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. Seeing the potential market for local railways in the midst of the Grand Trunk Railroads monopoly, and the lack of accessibility into rural Upper Canada
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
by road and water, Laidlaw began to promote the idea of a 3 foot, 6 inch railway as an alternative to the more expensive standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
of 5 feet, 6 inches. Following the formation of the Toronto & Nipissing Railway and the Toronto Grey and Bruce Railway, Laidlaw sought out investment for the railways, while also promoting the initializations and extensions of several independent railways, such as the Credit Valley Railway
Credit Valley Railway
The Credit Valley Railway was a shortline railway that operated in Southern Ontario, Canada from 1871 to 1883. Engineered by James Ross, its mainline went from Toronto to Orangeville with branchlines from Cataract to Elora and Streetsville to St. Thomas. It was acquired by the Ontario and Quebec...
which was planned from Toronto to St. Thomas
St. Thomas, Ontario
St. Thomas is a city in southern , Ontario, Canada. It is the seat for Elgin County and gained its city charter on March 4, 1881.-History:...
and the Victoria Railway
Victoria Railway
The Victoria Railway is an historic long Canadian railway that operated in Central Ontario. Construction under Chief Engineer James Ross began in 1874 from Lindsay, Ontario with authority to build through Victoria County to Haliburton, Ontario, to which it opened on...
, an extension of the Port Hope Lindsay & Beaverton Railway (Later the Midland Railway
Midland Railway
The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
before being absorbed by the Grand Trunk Railroad) which was planned from Lindsay
Lindsay, Ontario
Lindsay is a community of 19,361 people on the Scugog River in the Kawartha Lakes region of south-eastern Ontario, Canada. It is approximately west of Peterborough...
to the Upper Ottawa Valley
Ottawa Valley
The Ottawa Valley is the valley along the boundary between Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec along the Ottawa River. The valley is the transition between the Saint Lawrence Lowlands and the Canadian Shield...
.
His son, colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
George E. Laidlaw (b. 1860, d. 1927), originally a railbuilder, fought in the Riel Rebellion
North-West Rebellion
The North-West Rebellion of 1885 was a brief and unsuccessful uprising by the Métis people of the District of Saskatchewan under Louis Riel against the Dominion of Canada...
, as well as in the Boer War
Boer War
The Boer Wars were two wars fought between the British Empire and the two independent Boer republics, the Oranje Vrijstaat and the Republiek van Transvaal ....
as an officer. During his time in South Africa, he collected artifacts for the Toronto Normal School
Toronto Normal School
The Toronto Normal School was a teachers college in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Opened in 1847, the Normal School was located at Church and Gould streets in central Toronto, and was a predecessor to the current Ontario Institute for Studies in Education...
and its curator David Boyle
David Boyle
David Boyle may refer to:*David Boyle , English professional footballer*David Boyle, 1st Earl of Glasgow , Scottish nobleman*David Boyle , economics author and journalist...
. Laidlaw had previously donated many archaeological and ethnographic artifacts from across Canada to Boyle.
George Laidlaw retired to his estate at St. Mary's
St. Mary's, Kawartha Lakes, Ontario
St. Mary's was the site of a planned village within early Victoria County, in the Canadian province of Ontario. The site was laid aside in the surveying of the county in the 1830s, but was later found to be unusable when limestone was discovered two inches below the ground...
on Balsam Lake
Balsam Lake (Ontario)
Balsam Lake is a lake located in the Kawartha lakes region of south central Ontario, Canada. It is 16 km long and averages 3 km wide, though its actual width varies due to the many large bays the carve its shoreline...
in 1881, one station from the northern terminus of the Toronto and Nipissing Railway at Coboconk. He died there in 1889.