Silverwood Dairy
Encyclopedia
Silverwood Dairy was a London, Ontario
, Canada, dairy company that operated in the early 20th century and later acquired as a brand name by Ault Foods
.
) and attended Oakwood Public School and Lindsay Collegiate Institute.
In 1901, he married Eva M. Ferris, of Lindsay and had one son (Edward Gordon), and one daughter (Dorothy Marie).
Silverwood was President and Managing Director of Silverwood Industries Limited of London, Ontario. The company was dealers in cold storage products and manufacturers of ice cream and butter began operations in London and provided services across Ontario
. In 1966 it acquired Calgary
-based United Dairies
. Over the course of Silverwood's existence it acquiring a number of smaller dairies and other assets:
Later in life Silverwood established the A.E. Silverwood Foundation (1948). Silverwood died in 1961.
's Faculty of Music and School of Business Administration. The Tudor Revival A.E. Silverwood Building is now called Dante Lenardon Hall. Silverwood Skating Rink in London was also named for him.
owned Ault Foods
and the name was carried on as milk brand. While the dairy disappeared, the Silverwood brand continued on. It was sold in the 1990s to Agropur
and slowly disappeared. The now dairy part of Silverwood was renamed Silcorp Limited (1978) and became a Toronto
-based operator of the Mac's Convenience chain. The Silverwood name and brand disappeared for good in 1999 when the company was acquired by Couche-Tard.
, Saskatchewan
in 1907. He became a successful cattle rancher and operated a bottling plant north of the city. The present-day neighbourhood of Silverwood Heights
, which occupies his former farmland, bears his name.
Les Mandelbaum formerly of Westgrove Avenue remembers horse drawn delivery from Silverwoods in the early 1950's.
London, Ontario
London is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, situated along the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. The city has a population of 352,395, and the metropolitan area has a population of 457,720, according to the 2006 Canadian census; the metro population in 2009 was estimated at 489,274. The city...
, Canada, dairy company that operated in the early 20th century and later acquired as a brand name by Ault Foods
Ault Foods
Ault Foods Limited was a Toronto-based dairy processor and Canada's largest dairy company acquiring other dairy companies across Canada. Ault sold off parts of their business in the mid-1990s; milk division was sold to Agropur...
.
Founding owner and early years
Silverwood Dairy was founded by Albert Edward Silverwood (b. February 15, 1876, d. December 2, 1961). Silverwood was born on a farm near the village of Oakwood (near Lindsay, OntarioLindsay, 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...
) and attended Oakwood Public School and Lindsay Collegiate Institute.
In 1901, he married Eva M. Ferris, of Lindsay and had one son (Edward Gordon), and one daughter (Dorothy Marie).
Silverwood was President and Managing Director of Silverwood Industries Limited of London, Ontario. The company was dealers in cold storage products and manufacturers of ice cream and butter began operations in London and provided services across 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....
. In 1966 it acquired Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
-based United Dairies
United Dairies
This article is about the former dairy products manufacturing and distribution company. For the United Dairies record label, see Steven Stapleton...
. Over the course of Silverwood's existence it acquiring a number of smaller dairies and other assets:
- Willards Cream Top Dairy (Toronto) 1929
- Mac's Convenience Stores 1972 (40% in 1963)
- Royal Oak Dairy 1976
Later in life Silverwood established the A.E. Silverwood Foundation (1948). Silverwood died in 1961.
Legacy
Silverwood's name used in his home town of London was home to the University of Western OntarioUniversity of Western Ontario
The University of Western Ontario is a public research university located in London, Ontario, Canada. The university's main campus covers of land, with the Thames River cutting through the eastern portion of the main campus. Western administers its programs through 12 different faculties and...
's Faculty of Music and School of Business Administration. The Tudor Revival A.E. Silverwood Building is now called Dante Lenardon Hall. Silverwood Skating Rink in London was also named for him.
Growth and demise
Silverwood Dairy continued to grow after the departure of A.E. Silverwood. The company expanded in beyond Ontario and acquired a number of smaller dairies. By 1984, Silverwood was taken over by John Labatts LimitedLabatt Brewing Company
Labatt Brewing Company Ltd. is a Canadian beer company founded by John Kinder Labatt in 1847 in London, Ontario. In 1995, it was purchased by Belgian brewer Interbrew; it is now part of Anheuser-Busch InBev...
owned Ault Foods
Ault Foods
Ault Foods Limited was a Toronto-based dairy processor and Canada's largest dairy company acquiring other dairy companies across Canada. Ault sold off parts of their business in the mid-1990s; milk division was sold to Agropur...
and the name was carried on as milk brand. While the dairy disappeared, the Silverwood brand continued on. It was sold in the 1990s to Agropur
Agropur
Agropur is a Canadian Agricultural cooperative headquartered in Longueuil, Quebec, Canada.Founded in 1938, the Agropur cooperative is the Canadian dairy industry leader, with $3 billion in annualized sales...
and slowly disappeared. The now dairy part of Silverwood was renamed Silcorp Limited (1978) and became a 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...
-based operator of the Mac's Convenience chain. The Silverwood name and brand disappeared for good in 1999 when the company was acquired by Couche-Tard.
Trivia
Albert's brother, William Alexander Silverwood, moved to SaskatoonSaskatoon
Saskatoon is a city in central Saskatchewan, Canada, on the South Saskatchewan River. Residents of the city of Saskatoon are called Saskatonians. The city is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Corman Park No. 344....
, Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
in 1907. He became a successful cattle rancher and operated a bottling plant north of the city. The present-day neighbourhood of Silverwood Heights
Silverwood Heights, Saskatoon
Silverwood Heights is a mostly residential neighbourhood located in north-central Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. It is a suburban subdivision, composed mostly of single detached dwellings and some multiple-unit apartment and semi-detached dwellings. As of 2009, the area is home to 10,786 residents...
, which occupies his former farmland, bears his name.
See also
- Parmalat CanadaParmalat CanadaParmalat Canada is a Toronto, Ontario based company that sells dairy products. It is owned by Parmalat SpA of Italy.The Canadian unit was established in 1997 with the purchase of Beatrice Foods Canada and Ault Foods...
- Beatrice Foods Canada Ltd.Beatrice Foods Canada Ltd.Beatrice Foods Canada Ltd. is a dairy unit of Parmalat Canada based in Toronto. The Canadian unit of Beatrice Foods was founded in 1969 and separated from its American parent firm, Beatrice Foods in 1978....
- Ault FoodsAult FoodsAult Foods Limited was a Toronto-based dairy processor and Canada's largest dairy company acquiring other dairy companies across Canada. Ault sold off parts of their business in the mid-1990s; milk division was sold to Agropur...
- Sealtest DairySealtest DairySealtest Dairy was a division of National Dairy Products Corporation of Delaware. The brand name was later acquired by Ault Foods of Toronto, Ontario and used on dairy products sold in Canada. The Sealtest plant in Toronto took over operations of Silverwood Dairy, the local dairy, in the 1980s...
- Beatrice Foods Canada Ltd.
Les Mandelbaum formerly of Westgrove Avenue remembers horse drawn delivery from Silverwoods in the early 1950's.