"Molson's beer is synonymous with Canada, the country's greatest and oldest brewer."

Molson's beer is synonymous with Canada, the country's greatest and oldest brewer.

It all started back in 1782 when an 18-year-old John Molson arrived in Canada from England and by 1785 was the sole proprietor of a brewing enterprise that was located just outside the walls of Montréal. John Molson's three sons, John Jr., Thomas and William joined him in the business in 1816 when a partnership agreement was signed.

John H.R. Molson also known as "Jackey" and son of Thomas eventually inherited the Molson brewery from his grandfather, who apparently had favoured Jackey over his other grandchildren. When Jackey was only fourteen years of age, he and his father Thomas as well as his younger sister Mary Anne travelled to England in 1841 via steamer called the Queen from Montréal to Halifax where they boarded the ship called HMS Britannia.

On His Way In The World, published by Véhicule Press, is a diary written by Jackey that describes his voyage, his experiences and his observations of his first trip abroad. Upon reading the book I was quite impressed with the maturity of this 14 year old who would one day become the sole owner of Molson's Brewery. Perhaps his grandfather had recognized this wonderful trait in his grandson even when Jackey was a tender age. John Molson died when Jackey was only ten years of age and perhaps his grandfather had recognized his gifted grandchild even when the child was young.

His day by day recounting of the gruelling trip that commenced in the morning of Wednesday May 12th, 1841 from Montréal and ended June 9th, 1841 in Liverpool demonstrates his keen eye as well as his astute observations. As an example, when he describes the death of one of the passengers, he writes as follows:

"Weather pleasant, sea smooth, little or no wind, Birds very numerous. Died Mrs Gourlay (a lady having a husband and two children on board) of suffocation she had been ill from the time of leaving Halifax and was found dead in her birth; a coffin was made and her body was sewed up in a bag, and put into it and several cannon-shot put at the bottom. It was covered with the Union Jack and the engines stopped and after a prayer had been said it was dropped into the sea."

He then goes on the state the ship's position in relation to its latitude and longitude distances. This latter commentary is seen throughout the diary's accounting of the voyage.

This is only one example of the many scenes brilliantly and succinctly described by this fourteen-year old lad, who also showed a very profound grasp of English history and geography. It is very rare that we have the opportunity to experience a voyage across the Atlantic as seen through the eyes of a teenager who seemed to be more mature than today's average fourteen year old.

Another interesting feature of this book is the brief introduction to the history of the Molsons and their profound involvement in the various commercial, financial and civic enterprises in Canada.

Perhaps the next time we "gulp" down a glass of Molson's beer we should keep a copy of John H.R. Molson's diary handy to remind us of the fascinating history of this well known Canadian family.

"Copyright 2002, Bookideas.com. Orginally published at Bookideas.com"

Reviewed by Norman Goldman
Courtesy Bookideas
Posted May 19, 2002

Summary

John Henry Robinson Molson was born in Kingston in 1826, a favoured grandchild of the founder of Molson's Brewery in Montreal. He inherited the brewery (land, premises, and equipment) upon John Molson's death in 1836. This hitherto unpublished diary was written by John Henry Molson when he was just fourteen years-old. His grandfather had died when he was ten, and his father and uncles now ran the brewery, as well as a foundry, a ship-yard, and a line of steamships on the St. Lawrence. He was aware that this would be his last real summer as a child; in September his formal apprenticeship at the brewery would begin. In the spring of 1841, JHR, his father Thomas, and younger sister Mary Anne boarded the steamer Queen in Montreal. The three were on their way to Halifax where the would take the HMS Britannia to begin a four-month tour of Britain. By September 3 the family was back in Montreal. The diary was not resumed again until February 1842 when JHR chronicles this journey from Montreal to Toronto. The last entry is dated December 3, 1842. With the eye of a keen observer - sometimes ingenuous, sometimes self-conscious - the boy records the details of their trip including descriptions of the 12,000-ton paddlewheeler, death and storms at sea, and whales and birds that he saw. When the Britannia arrived in Liverpool June 9 they discovered that the ship had been feared lost at sea. During their travels throughout England and Scotland JHR described with great detail the latest transportation and industrial developments of Great Britain (and compared them unfavourably to those in Canada). The trip back to North America was capped by JHR attempting some daring acrobatics from the main-top mast head, alarming the sailors who tried to pursue him.