J. Aird Nesbitt
Encyclopedia
James Aird Nesbitt was a Canadian
department store
owner. Born in Westmount, Quebec
, he was the first of the two sons of the prominent stock broker
, Arthur J. Nesbitt. Known as Aird, when his father purchased Ogilvy's Department Store
on Saint Catherine Street
in downtown Montreal in 1927, the twenty-year-old Aird Nesbitt took over management of the store. He proved to be a very capable merchandiser whose marketing skills made Ogilvy's one of Montreal's most popular stores.
In 1935 Aird Nesbitt married Honor Graham Mathewson of Montreal. In 1936, he cofounded the Westmount High Old Boy's Association. Following the outbreak of World War II, In 1939, he joined the Canadian Army and served overseas. Nesbitt fought in the Italian Campaign
and participated in the liberation of The Netherlands. The recipient of a number of service decorations, by the time he was decommissioned after the end of the war, Aird Nesbitt had earned the rank of Brigadier General
.
An art collector, he owned Thomas Gainsborough's
Portrait of Mrs James Unwin completed in 1771. In 1929, he published a biography of Canadian artist, John A. Hammond
.
James Aird Nesbitt remained active in the running of the Ogilvy department store until his death in 1985. On his passing he was interred with other family members in the Mount Royal Cemetery
in Montreal. The executors of his estate sold the Olgivy store that year.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
department store
Department store
A department store is a retail establishment which satisfies a wide range of the consumer's personal and residential durable goods product needs; and at the same time offering the consumer a choice of multiple merchandise lines, at variable price points, in all product categories...
owner. Born in Westmount, Quebec
Westmount, Quebec
Westmount is a city on the Island of Montreal, an enclave of the city of Montreal, in southwestern Quebec, Canada; pop. 20,494; area 4.02 km²; population density of 5,092.56 inhabitants/km²....
, he was the first of the two sons of the prominent stock broker
Stock broker
A stock broker or stockbroker is a regulated professional broker who buys and sells shares and other securities through market makers or Agency Only Firms on behalf of investors...
, Arthur J. Nesbitt. Known as Aird, when his father purchased Ogilvy's Department Store
Ogilvy (Montreal)
La Maison Ogilvy, commonly known as Ogilvy's , is a prominent department store in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, where its store at 1307 Saint Catherine Street West is a retail landmark...
on Saint Catherine Street
Saint Catherine Street
This article is about the street in Montreal called the rue Sainte-Catherine in French. For other streets of this name, see Rue Sainte-Catherine ....
in downtown Montreal in 1927, the twenty-year-old Aird Nesbitt took over management of the store. He proved to be a very capable merchandiser whose marketing skills made Ogilvy's one of Montreal's most popular stores.
In 1935 Aird Nesbitt married Honor Graham Mathewson of Montreal. In 1936, he cofounded the Westmount High Old Boy's Association. Following the outbreak of World War II, In 1939, he joined the Canadian Army and served overseas. Nesbitt fought in the Italian Campaign
Italian Campaign (World War II)
The Italian Campaign of World War II was the name of Allied operations in and around Italy, from 1943 to the end of the war in Europe. Joint Allied Forces Headquarters AFHQ was operationally responsible for all Allied land forces in the Mediterranean theatre, and it planned and commanded the...
and participated in the liberation of The Netherlands. The recipient of a number of service decorations, by the time he was decommissioned after the end of the war, Aird Nesbitt had earned the rank of Brigadier General
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
.
An art collector, he owned Thomas Gainsborough's
Thomas Gainsborough
Thomas Gainsborough was an English portrait and landscape painter.-Suffolk:Thomas Gainsborough was born in Sudbury, Suffolk. He was the youngest son of John Gainsborough, a weaver and maker of woolen goods. At the age of thirteen he impressed his father with his penciling skills so that he let...
Portrait of Mrs James Unwin completed in 1771. In 1929, he published a biography of Canadian artist, John A. Hammond
John A. Hammond
John A. Hammond was a Canadian adventurer, photographer artist, printmaker and art educator.Born in Montreal, Quebec, at age nine he began working with his father as a marble cutter. As a young man he joined the local militia and was sent to counter attack an expected Fenian raid that never...
.
James Aird Nesbitt remained active in the running of the Ogilvy department store until his death in 1985. On his passing he was interred with other family members in the Mount Royal Cemetery
Mount Royal Cemetery
Opened in 1852, Mount Royal Cemetery is a 165-acre terraced cemetery on the north slope of Mount Royal in the borough of Outremont, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The burial ground shares the mountain with the much larger adjacent Roman Catholic cemetery -- Cimetière Notre-Dame-des-Neiges...
in Montreal. The executors of his estate sold the Olgivy store that year.