D'Alton Corry Coleman (July 9, 1879October 17, 1956) was a Canadian railway executive and businessman. He began working for the
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway (french: Chemin de fer Canadien Pacifique) , also known simply as CPR or Canadian Pacific and formerly as CP Rail (1968–1996), is a Canadian Class I railway incorporated in 1881. The railway is owned by Canadi ...
(CPR) in 1899, and was promoted through its ranks until serving as president from 1942 to 1947. He oversaw expansion which added of
branch line
A branch line is a phrase used in railway terminology to denote a secondary railway line which branches off a more important through route, usually a main line. A very short branch line may be called a spur line.
Industrial spur
An industri ...
s in the
Canadian Prairies
The Canadian Prairies (usually referred to as simply the Prairies in Canada) is a region in Western Canada. It includes the Canadian portion of the Great Plains and the Prairie Provinces, namely Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. These provin ...
, and guided
Western Canada
Western Canada, also referred to as the Western provinces, Canadian West or the Western provinces of Canada, and commonly known within Canada as the West, is a Canadian region that includes the four western provinces just north of the Canada†...
railways through the
Great Depression
The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...
. He developed the CPR to support logistics during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, including manufacture of
munitions
Ammunition (informally ammo) is the material fired, scattered, dropped, or detonated from any weapon or weapon system. Ammunition is both expendable weapons (e.g., bombs, missiles, grenades, land mines) and the component parts of other weap ...
, expanded shipbuilding and established one of the country's first private
blood donation
A blood donation occurs when a person voluntarily has blood drawn and used for blood transfusion, transfusions and/or made into biopharmaceutical medications by a process called Blood fractionation, fractionation (separation of whole blood com ...
clinics.
Canadian Pacific Air Lines
Canadian Pacific Air Lines was a Canadian airline that operated from 1942 to 1987. It operated under the name CP Air from 1968 to 1986. Headquartered at Vancouver International Airport in Richmond, British Columbia, it served domestic Canadian a ...
was established under his leadership, and he became chairman of the
Canadian Pacific Steamship Company
Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
,
Canadian Pacific Hotels
Canadian Pacific Hotels (CPH) was a division of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) that primarily operated hotels across Canada. CPR restructured the division as a subsidiary in 1963.
Early hotels
Since passenger revenue made a significant co ...
and other subsidiaries. He maintained good relations between the CPR and its unionized workers and believed in promoting from within the company.
Coleman developed a love for reading history at a young age, became city editor of '' The Belleville Intelligencer'' by age 18, and kept a large personal library on
Canadiana
Canadiana is a term used to describe things (e.g., books, historical documents, and artifacts), ideas, or activities that concern or are distinctive of Canada, its people, and/or its culture, especially works of literature and other cultural pro ...
. He was the father of sports journalist Jim Coleman, served as the vice-president of the
horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its basic p ...
stable which produced the winner of the 1943
Canadian Derby
The Canadian Derby is a Canadian Thoroughbred horse race run annually at the Century Mile Racetrack and Casino in Leduc County, Alberta. A Grade III event held in August, it is open to three-year-old horses and is raced on dirt over a distance of ...
. Coleman had a long association of community service with the
Navy League of Canada
The Navy League of Canada (french: Ligue navale du Canada) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1895 and incorporated in 1918. Originally formed to promote maritime issues to Canadians, the Navy League is the non-governmental partner of the De ...
, and served in executive positions on multiple financial institutions including the
Metropolitan Life Insurance Company
MetLife, Inc. is the holding corporation for the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (MLIC), better known as MetLife, and its affiliates. MetLife is among the largest global providers of insurance, annuities, and employee benefit programs, wi ...
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is a British order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George IV, George IV, Prince of Wales, while he was acting as prince regent for his father, George III, King George III.
...
in 1946.
Early life and education
D'Alton Corry Coleman was born on July 9, 1879, in
Carleton Place
Carleton Place is a town in Eastern Ontario
Eastern Ontario (census population 1,763,186 in 2016) (french: Est de l'Ontario) is a secondary region of Southern Ontario in the Canadian province of Ontario which lies in a wedge-shaped area between ...
, Ontario. He was the oldest son in a family including six boys and one girl, to parents James Coleman and Mary Jane Doherty, who were first generation
Irish Canadians
ga, Gael-Cheanadaigh
, image = Irish_Canadian_population_by_province.svg
, image_caption = Irish Canadians as percent of population by province/territory
, population = 4,627,00013.4% of the Canadian population (2016)
, po ...
. At age four, his family relocated to
Braeside Braeside, meaning ''hillside'' in the Scots language, may refer to:
*Braeside, Aberdeen, Scotland
*Braeside, Greenock, Scotland
*Braeside, Victoria, Australia
* Braeside, Ontario, Canada
*Braeside Observatory, Flagstaff, Arizona
* Breaside, Chicago, ...
, where he attended elementary school. As a youth, he enjoyed reading history books, ''
Blackwood's Magazine
''Blackwood's Magazine'' was a British magazine and miscellany printed between 1817 and 1980. It was founded by the publisher William Blackwood and was originally called the ''Edinburgh Monthly Magazine''. The first number appeared in April 1817 ...
'', and had a subscription to ''
The Times of London
''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper ''The Sunday Times'' (fo ...
'' by age 13.
Coleman attended Arnprior District High School by walking five miles each day, and played football and baseball at school. During summers he worked 11 hours per day at a local
lumber yard
A lumber yard is a location where lumber and wood-related products used in construction and/or home improvement projects are processed or stored. Some lumber yards offer retail sales to consumers, and some of these may also provide services suc ...
tallyman
A tallyman is an individual who keeps a numerical record with tally marks, historically often on tally sticks.
Vote counter
In Ireland, it is common for political parties to provide private observers when ballot boxes are opened. These ''tally ...
checking freight on
flatcar
A flatcar (US) (also flat car, or flatbed) is a piece of rolling stock that consists of an open, flat deck mounted on a pair of trucks (US) or bogies (UK), one at each end containing four or six wheels. Occasionally, flat cars designed to carry ...
s. He left school at age 15 to work full-time at the lumber yard with a raise to $30 per month.
Coleman saved his money from work then attended Belleville Business College to learn
shorthand
Shorthand is an abbreviated symbolic writing method that increases speed and brevity of writing as compared to longhand, a more common method of writing a language. The process of writing in shorthand is called stenography, from the Greek ''ste ...
. After completing business college, he worked one year as a secretary for
George Albertus Cox
George Albertus Cox (May 7, 1840 – January 16, 1914) was a very prominent Canadian businessman and a member of the Senate of Canada.
Life and career
He was born in Colborne, Upper Canada, in 1840. He began work as a telegrapher for the Mont ...
and
Edward Rogers Wood
Edward Rogers Wood (May 11, 1866 – June 16, 1941) was a prominent financier in Canadian business. He was notable for his role in the development of the Brazilian Traction, Light and Power Company Limited (later Brascan Limited, then amalgamated ...
at Central Canada Loan and Savings Company in
Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
.
Coleman turned to
journalism
Journalism is the production and distribution of reports on the interaction of events, facts, ideas, and people that are the "news of the day" and that informs society to at least some degree. The word, a noun, applies to the occupation (profes ...
and became a reporter for '' The Belleville Intelligencer''. Six months later, he was promoted to be city editor at age 18. He later worked for the '' Port Huron Times'' as an editor.
Coleman quit the newspaper business after two years and was accepted for an advertised position in
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of New York (behind only New York City) and the seat of Erie County. It is at the eastern end of Lake Erie, at the head of the Niagara River, and is across the Canadian border from South ...
. He spent his life savings on a rail ticket to get there, and turned down the job when he found out it was for selling pills. After a night of roaming the streets Buffalo to keep warm, he visited a restaurant where the female owner listened to his story, fed him a large breakfast and gave him money for a rail ticket to get to his relatives in
Sarnia
Sarnia is a city in Lambton County, Ontario, Canada. It had a 2021 population of 72,047, and is the largest city on Lake Huron. Sarnia is located on the eastern bank of the junction between the Upper and Lower Great Lakes where Lake Huron fl ...
.
Canadian Pacific Railway career
Early years in Western Canada
Coleman began working for the
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway (french: Chemin de fer Canadien Pacifique) , also known simply as CPR or Canadian Pacific and formerly as CP Rail (1968–1996), is a Canadian Class I railway incorporated in 1881. The railway is owned by Canadi ...
(CPR) on November 4, 1899, as an assistant engineer's clerk in Fort William. From 1899 to 1907, he moved around as a clerk and accountant based in
Winnipeg
Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the province of Manitoba in Canada. It is centred on the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, near the longitudinal centre of North America. , Winnipeg had a city population of 749,6 ...
Kootenay
Kootenay, Kootenai, and Kutenai may refer to:
Ethnic groups
*The Kutenai, also known as the Ktunaxa, Kootenai, or Kootenay, an indigenous people of the United States and Canada
**Kutenai language, the traditional language of the Kutenai
**Ktunaxa ...
Division based in
Nelson
Nelson may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Nelson'' (1918 film), a historical film directed by Maurice Elvey
* ''Nelson'' (1926 film), a historical film directed by Walter Summers
* ''Nelson'' (opera), an opera by Lennox Berkeley to a lib ...
in 1907, then superintendent of railcar service in
Vancouver
Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...
then Winnipeg in 1908. He was promoted to general superintendent in Winnipeg in 1912, then held the same position in
Calgary
Calgary ( ) is the largest city in the western Canadian province of Alberta and the largest metro area of the three Prairie Provinces. As of 2021, the city proper had a population of 1,306,784 and a metropolitan population of 1,481,806, makin ...
in 1913, and return to Winnipeg in 1915 as the assistant general manager.
In October 1918, Coleman was appointed the vice-president of Western Lines. Then CPR president Lord Shaughnessy predicted that Coleman would one day become president of the company. Coleman was in charge of all CPR
trackage
A railway track (British English and UIC terminology) or railroad track (American English), also known as permanent way or simply track, is the structure on a railway or railroad consisting of the rails, fasteners, railroad ties (sleepers, ...
from the
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes, also called the Great Lakes of North America, are a series of large interconnected freshwater lakes in the mid-east region of North America that connect to the Atlantic Ocean via the Saint Lawrence River. There are five lakes ...
to the
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the continen ...
and oversaw expansion which added of
branch line
A branch line is a phrase used in railway terminology to denote a secondary railway line which branches off a more important through route, usually a main line. A very short branch line may be called a spur line.
Industrial spur
An industri ...
s in the
Canadian Prairies
The Canadian Prairies (usually referred to as simply the Prairies in Canada) is a region in Western Canada. It includes the Canadian portion of the Great Plains and the Prairie Provinces, namely Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. These provin ...
. He guided the Western Lines through the
Great Depression
The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...
making adjustments to services due to declining revenues.
CPR executive in Montreal
Coleman became vice-president of the CPR in October 1934 and relocated to
. He gradually assumed more responsibilities as the health of president
Edward Wentworth Beatty
Sir Edward Wentworth Beatty (October 16, 1877 – March 23, 1943) was the first Canadian-born president of the Canadian Pacific Railway (1918–1943). He was responsible for building the Royal York Hotel and RMS Empress of Britain, and lat ...
worsened. As the senior vice-president during the beginning of
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, he oversaw expansion of CPR operations and upgrade of equipment to meet increased demand by war time logistics.
Coleman also served as chairman of the Consolidated Mining and Smelting Company of Canada, and as a director of the
West Kootenay Power and Light
FortisBC is a Canadian owned, British Columbia based regulated utility focused on providing safe and reliable energy, including natural gas, Renewable Natural Gas, electricity and propane. FortisBC has approximately 2,600 employees serving more th ...
, both as part of the CPR supply chain. He was involved in the management of multiple railroad partners, including as director of
Northern Alberta Railways
Northern Alberta Railways was a Canadian railway which served northern Alberta and northeastern British Columbia. Jointly owned by both Canadian National Railway and Canadian Pacific Railway, NAR existed as a separate company from 1929 until 19 ...
,
Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railroad
The Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railroad (MStP&SSM) was a Class I railroad subsidiary of the Canadian Pacific Railway in the Midwestern United States. Commonly known since its opening in 1884 as the Soo Line after the phonetic spe ...
Toronto, Hamilton and Buffalo Railway
The Toronto, Hamilton and Buffalo Railway was a railway based in Hamilton that ran in Southern Ontario from 1892 to 1987. It never reached the other two cities in its name, although it did have branch lines extending to Dunnville and Port Maitl ...
and the
Calgary and Edmonton Railway The Calgary and Edmonton Railway (C&E) was an early pioneer railway in what was then the Northwest Territories, now Alberta, Canada. It connected the towns of Calgary and Strathcona (also called South Edmonton). Construction started in April 18 ...
. He was president of the ground transport division of CPR, known as the Canadian Pacific Express Company, and was chairman and director of Associated Screen News of Canada which was operated by the CPR.
In May 1942, Coleman became the fifth president of CPR when he was appointed at age 63. A year later he was named chairman of the board of governors on May 5, 1943. He was the first CPR president who was not listed in ''
Burke's Peerage
Burke's Peerage Limited is a British genealogical publisher founded in 1826, when the Irish genealogist John Burke began releasing books devoted to the ancestry and heraldry of the peerage, baronetage, knightage and landed gentry of Great Br ...
'', and was described by ''
Maclean's
''Maclean's'', founded in 1905, is a Canadian news magazine reporting on Canadian issues such as politics, pop culture, and current events. Its founder, publisher John Bayne Maclean, established the magazine to provide a uniquely Canadian perspe ...
'' as "the Great
Commoner
A commoner, also known as the ''common man'', ''commoners'', the ''common people'' or the ''masses'', was in earlier use an ordinary person in a community or nation who did not have any significant social status, especially a member of neither ...
".
Coleman also became chairman of the
Canadian Pacific Steamship Company
Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
, and president of the Canadian Australasian Line which was formerly the Canadian-Australian Royal Mail Steam Ship Company. He oversaw the establishment of
Canadian Pacific Air Lines
Canadian Pacific Air Lines was a Canadian airline that operated from 1942 to 1987. It operated under the name CP Air from 1968 to 1986. Headquartered at Vancouver International Airport in Richmond, British Columbia, it served domestic Canadian a ...
in 1942, and became its chairman after the CPR absorbed
Canadian Airways
Canadian Airways Limited was a Canadian regional passenger and freight air service based in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
It was founded by James Armstrong Richardson Sr. in 1926 as Western Canada Airways (WCA), was fully established in 1930 following ...
and nine other companies.Canadian Pacific: Our History , cpr.ca. Retrieved April 12, 2020.
During World War II, Coleman oversaw manufacturing of
munitions
Ammunition (informally ammo) is the material fired, scattered, dropped, or detonated from any weapon or weapon system. Ammunition is both expendable weapons (e.g., bombs, missiles, grenades, land mines) and the component parts of other weap ...
at the
CPR Angus Shops
The CPR Angus Shops in Montreal were a railcar manufacturing, repairing and selling facility of the Canadian Pacific Railway. Production mainly consisted of passenger cars, freight cars and locomotives. Built in 1904 and named for founder, Richard ...
in Montreal and CPR Ogden Shops in Calgary, and expanded shipbuilding to assist the
Allies of World War II
The Allies, formally referred to as the United Nations from 1942, were an international military coalition formed during the Second World War (1939–1945) to oppose the Axis powers, led by Nazi Germany, Imperial Japan, and Fascist Italy. ...
and replacement of steamships lost to enemy attacks. He also used the Angus Shops to establish one of the country's first private
blood donation
A blood donation occurs when a person voluntarily has blood drawn and used for blood transfusion, transfusions and/or made into biopharmaceutical medications by a process called Blood fractionation, fractionation (separation of whole blood com ...
clinics in co-operation with the
Canadian Red Cross
The Canadian Red Cross Society () The CPR replaced 12 of its ships that were sunk, flew its planes on the Atlantic Bridge, moved of freight, and produced
Valentine tank
The Tank, Infantry, Mk III, Valentine was an infantry tank produced in the United Kingdom during World War II. More than 8,000 of the type were produced in eleven marks, plus various specialised variants, accounting for approximately a quarter ...
s at its Angus Shops until 1943.
The CPR owned and operated a chain of
Canadian Pacific Hotels
Canadian Pacific Hotels (CPH) was a division of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) that primarily operated hotels across Canada. CPR restructured the division as a subsidiary in 1963.
Early hotels
Since passenger revenue made a significant co ...
across the country. Coleman served as president of the
Hotel Vancouver
The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, formerly and still informally called the Hotel Vancouver, is a historic hotel in Vancouver, British Columbia. Located along West Georgia Street the hotel is situated within the city's Financial District, in Downtown ...
Company, a director of the
Château Frontenac
The Fairmont Le Château Frontenac, commonly referred to as the Château Frontenac, is a historic hotel in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. The hotel is situated in Old Quebec, within the historic district's Upper Town, on the southern side of Place d ...
Company, and president of the Seigniory Club based at the
Château Montebello
The Fairmont Le Château Montebello, formerly and commonly known as the Château Montebello, is a historic hotel and resort complex in Montebello, Quebec, Canada. The resort complex includes a large game reserve and a large wooden structure. The w ...
. In 1943 and 1944, the
Government of Canada
The government of Canada (french: gouvernement du Canada) is the body responsible for the federal administration of Canada. A constitutional monarchy, the Crown is the corporation sole, assuming distinct roles: the executive, as the ''Crown ...
wanted exclusive use of the Château Frontenac for war time meetings that became the
First Quebec Conference
The First Quebec Conference, codenamed "Quadrant", was a highly secret military conference held during World War II by the governments of the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States. It took place in Quebec City on August 17–24, 1943, at ...
and the
Second Quebec Conference
Princess Alice, and Clementine Churchill">Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone">Princess Alice, and Clementine Churchill during the conference.
The Second Quebec Conference (codenamed "OCTAGON") was a high-level military conference held during ...
. Coleman negotiated usage by the government via the under
Secretary of State for Canada
The Secretary of State for Canada, established in 1867 with a corresponding department, was a Canadian Cabinet position that served as the official channel of communication between the Dominion of Canada and the Imperial government in London. Scot ...
who was his younger brother, Ephraim Herbert Coleman, and requested not be told any
classified information
Classified information is material that a government body deems to be sensitive information that must be protected. Access is restricted by law or regulation to particular groups of people with the necessary security clearance and need to know, ...
nor why the hotel was wanted.
Coleman maintained good relations between the CPR and its unionized workers. He felt that the company should "treat all employees with fairness, frankness and consideration". His experience in working up the ranks of CPR led him to believe that, "the great majority resent being patronized, want to be recognized as self-respecting citizens, and treated accordingly". He believed in building human resources from within the CPR and giving authority to the right men.
Coleman retired from the CPR on February 1, 1947, and remained a company director for life.
Other business interests
Coleman maintained other business interests including the financial sector. He was a president and director of The Scottish Mortgage and Trust Company Limited when it ventured into North America. He served as a director of the
Metropolitan Life Insurance Company
MetLife, Inc. is the holding corporation for the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (MLIC), better known as MetLife, and its affiliates. MetLife is among the largest global providers of insurance, annuities, and employee benefit programs, wi ...
and Royal Trust.
He also served as a director for the
Canadian Marconi Company
CMC Electronics Inc. (french: CMC Électronique) is a Canadian avionics manufacturer. The company's main manufacturing facility is located in Montreal, Quebec with additional facilities located in Ottawa, Ontario and Sugar Grove, Illinois.
His ...
which operated
wireless telegraphy
Wireless telegraphy or radiotelegraphy is transmission of text messages by radio waves, analogous to electrical telegraphy using cables. Before about 1910, the term ''wireless telegraphy'' was also used for other experimental technologies for ...
, and was a member of the Canadian committee for the
Hudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company (HBC; french: Compagnie de la Baie d'Hudson) is a Canadian retail business group. A fur trading business for much of its existence, HBC now owns and operates retail stores in Canada. The company's namesake business div ...
.
When the
Western Canada Hockey League
The Western Canada Hockey League (WCHL), founded in 1921, was a major professional ice hockey league originally based in the prairies of Canada. It was renamed the Western Hockey League (WHL) in 1925 and disbanded in 1926.
The WCHL's Victoria C ...
was in financial trouble during 1926, Coleman offered assistance to the league but his letter to
Lester Patrick
Curtis Lester Patrick (December 31, 1883 – June 1, 1960) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and coach associated with the Victoria Aristocrats/Cougars of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association (Western Hockey League after 1924), and t ...
and Frank Patrick arrived too late and the league disbanded.''Kidd, Bruce (2017)'', p. 209 After moving to Montreal, Coleman became a director of the Canadian Arena Company and was a vice-president of the
. The company had built the Montreal Forum which was the home arena to the Canadiens.
Coleman owned a
horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its basic p ...
stable and several
thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are c ...
s. He owned Western Prince which won the
Canadian Derby
The Canadian Derby is a Canadian Thoroughbred horse race run annually at the Century Mile Racetrack and Casino in Leduc County, Alberta. A Grade III event held in August, it is open to three-year-old horses and is raced on dirt over a distance of ...
in 1943 at the
Polo Park Racetrack
The Polo Park Racetrack was a Canadian horse racing facility in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Considered one of the finest racetracks in Western Canada, it was built by Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame inductee R. James Speers. The six-furlong track op ...
in Winnipeg. According to an article in ''
Maclean's
''Maclean's'', founded in 1905, is a Canadian news magazine reporting on Canadian issues such as politics, pop culture, and current events. Its founder, publisher John Bayne Maclean, established the magazine to provide a uniquely Canadian perspe ...
'', his horses were supported by fellow CPR employees and a porter once reportedly said to a passenger "See, sir, our horse won today".
Governor of universities
Coleman served as chairman of the board of governors of the
University of Manitoba
The University of Manitoba (U of M, UManitoba, or UM) is a Canadian public research university in the province of Manitoba. His leadership coincided with guiding the university through the financial strain of the Great Depression. After relocating to Montreal in 1934, he served as a governor of
and was on the executive committee of University of Bishop's College. He stated in a 1944 interview that, "humanities should be sacrificed to so-called practical courses" and that "our medical men, engineers and others should have the best training obtainable in the world".
Community involvement
Coleman served as president of the Manitoba division of the
Navy League of Canada
The Navy League of Canada (french: Ligue navale du Canada) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1895 and incorporated in 1918. Originally formed to promote maritime issues to Canadians, the Navy League is the non-governmental partner of the De ...
for 10 years. He also served as a governor for the Montreal division of the Navy League of Canada. Under his leadership, the Canadian
Navy League Cadet Corps
The U.S. Navy League Cadet Corps (also known as the United States Naval League Cadet Corps or "NLCC") is a junior version of the United States Naval Sea Cadet Corps (NSCC) program developed for younger cadets, aged 11 through 13, under the auspices ...
was described by British naval officer
Gordon Campbell
Gordon Muir Campbell, (born January 12, 1948) is a retired Canadian diplomat and politician who was the 35th mayor of Vancouver from 1986 to 1993 and the 34th premier of British Columbia from 2001 to 2011.
He was the leader of the British Co ...
as the "best cadet corps in the
British Empire
The British Empire was composed of the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It began with the overseas possessions and trading posts esta ...
".
Coleman was a member of several gentlemen's clubs across Canada including the
Manitoba Club
The Manitoba Club is private club in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Established as a gentleman's club in 1874, the Manitoba Club is the oldest private club in Western Canada.
History
On 16 July 1874, ten men met at the St. James Restaurant in Wi ...
. He was a president of the Canadian Club of Winnipeg, a non-profit speakers' forum. He served as vice-president of the City Improvement League of Montreal, and was a chairman of the Canadian committee of the
Newcomen Society Newcomen may refer to:
People
*John Newcomen (c.1613–1630), English first white settler murdered by another white settler in Plymouth Colony, Massachusetts
*Matthew Newcomen (c. 1610–1669), English nonconformist churchman
*Thomas Newcomen (1663 ...
. He was a patron of the
Royal Canadian Legion
The Royal Canadian Legion is a non-profit Canadian ex-service organization (veterans' organization) founded in 1925. Membership includes people who have served as military, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, provincial and municipal police, Royal ...
and the
Royal Commonwealth Ex-Services League
The Royal Commonwealth Ex-Services League (RCEL) represents the interests of Commonwealth citizens who have served with either the British or Commonwealth Forces. It was founded in 1921 (as the British Empire Service League) by Field Marshals Ea ...
Coleman married Anna Grant in 1906, and they had two sons including Rowan and Jim Coleman. Anna died in 1920, and Coleman was remarried in 1922, to Florence Lynch. He moved frequently with his work and lived in suites at Canadian Pacific Hotels from Vancouver to Montreal. He spent eight years at the
Royal Alexandra Hotel
Royal may refer to:
People
* Royal (name), a list of people with either the surname or given name
* A member of a royal family
Places United States
* Royal, Arkansas, an unincorporated community
* Royal, Illinois, a village
* Royal, Iowa, a ci ...
in Winnipeg from 1922 to 1930.
Coleman attending sports events in Canada and the United States with his sons, including the
1925 Stanley Cup Finals
The 1925 Stanley Cup Finals saw the Western Canada Hockey League (WCHL) champion Victoria Cougars defeat the National Hockey League (NHL) champion Montreal Canadiens three games to one in a best-of-five game series. The Canadiens were substitute N ...
, horse races at
Saratoga Springs, New York
Saratoga Springs is a city in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 28,491 at the 2020 census. The name reflects the presence of mineral springs in the area, which has made Saratoga a popular resort destination for over 2 ...
, and games at the
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, contested since 1903 between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winner of the World ...
. His sons would ride across the country in the care of a
train conductor
A conductor (North American English) or guard (Commonwealth English) is a train crew member responsible for operational and safety duties that do not involve actual operation of the train/locomotive. The ''conductor'' title is most common in Nor ...
to meet their father, often with a limousine waiting. Jim Coleman recalled that he and his brother took turns sitting beside their father at games, and stated "It was a painful business. Dad didn't shout much but he body checked all through the game".
Coleman made a hobby of
recreational fishing
Recreational fishing, also called sport fishing or game fishing, is fishing for leisure, exercise or competition. It can be contrasted with commercial fishing, which is professional fishing for profit; or subsistence fishing, which is fishing ...
at the
Lake of the Woods
Lake of the Woods (french: Lac des Bois, oj, Pikwedina Sagainan) is a lake occupying parts of the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Manitoba and the U.S. state of Minnesota. Lake of the Woods is over long and wide, containing more than 14,55 ...
. He gave up playing golf and
contract bridge
Contract bridge, or simply bridge, is a trick-taking card game using a standard 52-card deck. In its basic format, it is played by four players in two competing partnerships, with partners sitting opposite each other around a table. Millions o ...
since he felt they were "a waste of time". Jim Coleman stated that his father had a good memory, and could recall the minutes and seconds of world records held in horse racing, and knew statistics for British
cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by striki ...
players despite not seeing a match in person.
Coleman kept a personal library on
Canadiana
Canadiana is a term used to describe things (e.g., books, historical documents, and artifacts), ideas, or activities that concern or are distinctive of Canada, its people, and/or its culture, especially works of literature and other cultural pro ...
and the history of
Western Canada
Western Canada, also referred to as the Western provinces, Canadian West or the Western provinces of Canada, and commonly known within Canada as the West, is a Canadian region that includes the four western provinces just north of the Canada†...
. The collection was reported by
The Canadian Press
The Canadian Press (CP; french: La Presse canadienne, ) is a Canadian national news agency headquartered in Toronto, Ontario. Established in 1917 as a vehicle for the time's Canadian newspapers to exchange news and information, The Canadian Pre ...
to be the best in the country at the time. He encouraged his sons to read about history and world events and started them with the ''
New York Herald Tribune
The ''New York Herald Tribune'' was a newspaper published between 1924 and 1966. It was created in 1924 when Ogden Mills Reid of the ''New-York Tribune'' acquired the ''New York Herald''. It was regarded as a "writer's newspaper" and competed ...
''. His son Rowan became a soldier and served with the
Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI, generally referred to as the Patricia's) is one of the three Regular Force infantry regiments of the Canadian Army of the Canadian Armed Forces. Formed in 1914, it is named for Princess Patrici ...
during World War II. His son Jim became a syndicated
sports journalist
Sports journalism is a form of writing that reports on matters pertaining to sporting topics and competitions. Sports journalism started in the early 1800s when it was targeted to the social elite and transitioned into an integral part of the n ...
who credited his father for a love of horse racing,
ice hockey
Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice hock ...
and
Canadian football
Canadian football () is a team sport, sport played in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete for territorial control of a field of play long and wide attempting to advance a pointed oval-shaped ball into the opposing team's sco ...
.
Coleman's brother Ephraim Herbert Coleman served as the under Secretary of State for Canada from 1933 to 1949, was the Canadian Ambassador to Cuba and then Brazil between 1950 and 1954, and later was the Dean of Law at the University of Manitoba.
Coleman died at home in Montreal on October 17, 1956, after an illness of several months. His funeral was held on October 20, 1956, at Douglas Church in Montreal, followed by burial in
Arnprior
Arnprior is a town in Renfrew County, in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario, Canada. It is located west of Downtown Ottawa, at the confluence of the Madawaska River and the Ottawa River in the Ottawa Valley. Arnprior has experienced sign ...
, Ontario.
Honours and legacy
''The Winnipeg Tribune'' described Coleman as "modest" and "affable" which "won him the affection of thousands of fellow workers and fellow citizens", and also credited him for developing the CPR into an efficient means of war time logistics for Canada.
Coleman received an honorary Legum Doctor, Doctor of Law degree from the University of Manitoba in 1932, and an honorary Doctor of Civil Law degree from the University of Bishop's College in 1937.
Coleman was invested as a Knight of Grace in The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem in October 1943, by the Governor General of Canada the Alexander Cambridge, 1st Earl of Athlone, Earl of Athlone in recognition of contributions towards home nursing in Canada. He was appointed a Companion of the
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is a British order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George IV, George IV, Prince of Wales, while he was acting as prince regent for his father, George III, King George III.
...
in June 1946.
Coleman was an honorary president of the Navy League of Canada and the Association of Canadian Clubs of Canada. He was a life member of the Canadian Club of Winnipeg, and was given the honorary tribal chief title of "Chief of the Iron Trails" by the Piapot.
Bibliography
*
*
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Coleman, Dalton Corry
1879 births
1956 deaths
19th-century Canadian journalists
20th-century Canadian businesspeople
Bishop's University
Burials in Ontario
Businesspeople from Ontario
Canadian airline chief executives
Canadian businesspeople in shipping
Canadian Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George
Canadian energy industry businesspeople
Canadian hospital administrators
Canadian hoteliers
Canadian mining businesspeople
Canadian newspaper editors
Canadian Pacific Air Lines
Canadian Pacific Railway executives
Canadian people of Irish descent
Directors of Bank of Montreal
Hudson's Bay Company people
Ice hockey people from Ontario
Knights of Grace of the Order of St John
McGill University people
MetLife people
Montreal Canadiens executives
People from Carleton Place
People in horse racing
Scouting and Guiding in Canada
University of Manitoba