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Hay, Robert, M.P. for
Centre Toronto is a Scotchman by birth. His parents were Robert Hay and
Elizabeth Henderson, and he was born in the parish of Tippermuir,
Perthshire, on the 18th of May, 1808. His father was a small farmer in
anything but affluent circumstances, and had a family of nine children. At
the age of fourteen, Robert had to push for himself, and he became an
apprentice to a cabinetmaker in the town of Perth. After faithfully
serving his apprenticeship, he worked for some time as a journeyman, and
then in 1831 he sailed for Canada, and landed in Montreal, in June, and
after spending two months in that city, he came to Toronto on the 11th of
September the same year, where he found employment. In 1835, he formed a
partnership with John Jacques, a native of Cumberlandshire, England, under
the name and style of Jacques & Hay, and commenced business as
cabinetmakers, etc. The capital possessed at this time by the firm only
amounted to about eight hundred dollars, but they had pluck, and with two
apprentices and their own willing hands, they laid the foundations
of a business which at this time is one of the largest of its kind in
Canada. After being in business about twenty years, they were twice burnt
out, and lost about two hundred thousand dollars worth of property and
machinery. But this did not discourage these persevering men. They rebuit
their workshops, and since then fortune has smiled on them. In 1870, Mr.
Jacques retired from the business with a competency, and Charles Rogers
and George Craig, two worthy men who had long worked for the old firm,
were taken into partnership, and the name changed to R. Hay & Co. This
partnership continued until 1885, when Messrs. Rogers and Craig
retired, leaving Mr. Hay in entire possession of the business, which is
still carried on in the extensive workshops on the Esplanade; and the
magnificent show rooms, corner of King and Jordan streets. The furniture
manufactured by the firm is of the finest description, and not only finds
a ready market in Canada, but a good deal of it finds its way to Great
Britain. Some prominent English families have adorned their homes with the
furniture made by R. Hay & Co. in Toronto, among others Lord Abinger and
Mr. Bass, M.P., the great English brewer. Mr. Hay, though always a busy
man, yet he finds time to do something outside his workshops and office.
In September, 1878, he was elected to represent Centre Toronto in the
Dominion Parliament, and again at the last general election he was
returned by the same constituency. Mr. Hay at one time allied himself with
the Reform party, but during the depression in trade, he supported the
National Policy, and since then has cast in his lot with the
Liberal-Conservatives. Mr. Hay favours the temperance reform, and would
rejoice to see a prohibitory measure passed by parliament. On November
18th, 1847, Mr. Hay married Mary Dunlop, a native of Glasgow. This lady
died in 1871, having borne eight children, six of whom at the time of her
death survived. Of these, one son and three daughters still live. Mr. Hat
is in all respects a self-made man. Relying on his own strong arm and
indomitable will, he set out in the world, and has by frugality and
untiring industry raised himself to a position which ought to merit the
crown of well-earned success. |
