John Draper Perrin (August 26, 1890 – September 19, 1967) was a Canadian entrepreneur, mining executive and civic leader.Staff report (19 September 1967). J. D. Perrin dies at his home. ''

Winnipeg Free Press The ''Winnipeg Free Press'' (or WFP; founded as the ''Manitoba Free Press'') is a daily (excluding Sunday) broadsheet newspaper in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It provides coverage of local, provincial, national, and international news, as well as ...

''Edited by Greene, B. M. (1948). Perrin, John Draper. ''Who's Who in Canada (1947-48)''. International Press Limited, TorontoStaff report (7 July 1948). He Mixes Mining, Horses and Fund-Raising. ''

The Winnipeg Tribune ''The Winnipeg Tribune'' was a metropolitan daily newspaper serving Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada from January 28, 1890 to August 27, 1980. The paper was founded by R.L. Richardson and D.L. McIntyre who acquired the press and premises of the old '' ...

Life and career

Perrin was born in

Medicine Hat Medicine Hat is a city in Southern Alberta, southeast Alberta, Canada. It is located along the South Saskatchewan River. It is approximately east of Lethbridge and southeast of Calgary. This city and the adjacent Town of Redcliff, Alberta, ...

North-West Territories The Northwest Territories (abbreviated ''NT'' or ''NWT''; french: Territoires du Nord-Ouest, formerly ''North-Western Territory'' and ''North-West Territories'' and namely shortened as ''Northwest Territory'') is a federal territory of Canada. ...

, to William Perrin, a former British soldier in the

Wolseley Expedition The Wolseley expedition was a military force authorized by Canadian Prime Minister John A. Macdonald to confront Louis Riel and the Métis in 1870, during the Red River Rebellion, at the Red River Colony in what is now the province of Manitoba. ...

, (1st Battalion, 60th King's Royal Rifles) and

Sergeant Sergeant (abbreviated to Sgt. and capitalized when used as a named person's title) is a rank in many uniformed organizations, principally military and policing forces. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and other uni ...

in the

North-West Mounted Police The North-West Mounted Police (NWMP) was a Canadian para-military police force, established in 1873, to maintain order in the new Canadian North-West Territories (NWT) following the 1870 transfer of Rupert’s Land and North-Western Territory ...

and Sarah Lytle; both parents were

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

immigrants. Perrin attended school in Regina and

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 ...

, including Aberdeen School. He worked 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 ...

land office from 1906 to 1908, eventually embarking on a

mining Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the Earth, usually from an ore body, lode, vein, seam, reef, or placer deposit. The exploitation of these deposits for raw material is based on the economic via ...

career. Perrin founded and developed the San Antonio Gold Mine, serving as president from 1931 to 1962. The San Antonio mine was the first dividend paying metal mine between the Great Lakes and the Rocky Mountains in Canada.Staff report (17 February 1934). San Antonio Achieves Position of First Gold Mine In Manitoba To Pay A Dividend. ''

'' He financed development of the mining town of

Bissett, Manitoba Bissett is a community situated on Rice Lake in the southeastern region of Manitoba, Canada, classified as a northern community and designated place. Located two and a half hours northeast of Winnipeg on Provincial Road 304, Bissett is an ...

.Theyer, P. (1994). ''Mineral deposits and occurrences in the Bissett area, NTS 52M/4.'' Manitoba Energy and Mines, Geological Services Branch Having successfully secured the financial support of

Noah Timmins Noah Anthony Timmins (March 31, 1867 – January 22, 1936) was a Canadian mining financier and developer who is now counted among the founding fathers of Canada's mining industry. Early life and family Timmins was born Noé-Antoine, in Mattawa, ...

and

Hollinger Mines The Hollinger Gold Mine was discovered on October 9, 1909, by Benny Hollinger, who found the gold-bearing quartz dike that later became known as Hollinger Mines. With his friend, professional prospector Alex Gillies, Hollinger had travelled to the ...

Perrin took the stock public in 1934, one of the first in Manitoba on the

Toronto Stock Exchange The Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX; french: Bourse de Toronto) is a stock exchange located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is the 10th largest exchange in the world and the third largest in North America based on market capitalization. Based in t ...

.Staff report (5 April 1934). San Antonio looks big; has untalked of chances. ''

The Northern Miner ''The Northern Miner'' is a weekly trade journal (formerly part of the Hollinger group) that reports on the mining industry. ''The Northern Miner'' began publication in Cobalt, Ontario, Canada, in 1915, and has since moved publication to Toront ...

'' The offering made him one of Canada's wealthiest citizens. He was also an early adopter of commercial aviation, organizing charter service Wings Limited, later purchased by Canadian Pacific Airways. Perrin has been credited as the first person in the world to use an aircraft to access a remote mining site.Cole, George E. ''Mining in Manitoba.'' MHS Transactions, Series 3 (1948-49 Season). Manitoba Historical Society He was financier and president of the minor pro Winnipeg Warriors Hockey Club in the 1950s.Stott, Jon C. (2011). ''Ice Warriors: The Pacific Coast/Western Hockey League 1948-1974.'' Heritage House Publishing, Perrin was inducted with the 1955-56 Warriors team into the

Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame The Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame and Museum is a hall of fame and museum for ice hockey in Manitoba, located on the main level of the Canada Life Centre in downtown Winnipeg. It was established in 1985, when the first honoured members were named an ...

in the Champions category as winners of the

Edinburgh Trophy The Edinburgh Trophy was a trophy given to the winners of a series played between the champions of the Western Hockey League and the Quebec Hockey League professional ice hockey leagues. It was contested in the years 1954 to 1957. Donation The trop ...

.Beck, Dallis (4 May 1956).The Perrins Gave It A Try - And Now They're Champs. ''The

Winnipeg Tribune ''The Winnipeg Tribune'' was a metropolitan daily newspaper serving Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada from January 28, 1890 to August 27, 1980. The paper was founded by R.L. Richardson and D.L. McIntyre who acquired the press and premises of the old '' ...

''Staff report (4 May 1956).Warriors Whip Royals To Win Cup.''

'' Perrin was Chairman and a key leader in the Greater Winnipeg Victory Loan organization,Staff report (7 May 1941). J. D. Perrin Named To Lead Victory Drive. ''

'' which put on

If Day If Day (french: "Si un jour", "If one day") was a simulated Nazi German invasion and occupation of the Canadian city of Winnipeg, Manitoba, and surrounding areas on 19 February 1942, during the Second World War. It was organized as a war bond pr ...

on February 19, 1942. He also served during the

Second World War 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 ...

as National Vice Chairman of The

Canadian Red Cross The Canadian Red Cross Society ()Staff report (25 November 1942). War Prisoner Parcel Total Now 100,000. ''

''Staff report (2 February 1944).Millionth Red Cross Parcel Slides Off The Assembly Line. ''

'' (the only such facility in western Canada) which packaged 2,604,990 parcelsStaff report (8 January 1945). 2 Millionth Red Cross Parcel for Prisoners Packed Monday. ''

''Staff report (20 February 1946). Perrin Delegate To Red Cross Parley Overseas. ''

'' for shipment overseas to POW's. Beginning in 1948 he was also Chairman of

The Children's Hospital of Winnipeg The Children's Hospital of Winnipeg is a children's hospital in Winnipeg, Manitoba. It is located on the campus of the Health Sciences Centre near downtown Winnipeg and is expressly devoted to the health care of children. History The hospita ...

Building Committee,Staff report (24 April 1948). Children's Hospital Drive Opens May 10. ''

'' which successfully raised the funds necessary to build the Children's Hospital on William Avenue, opened in 1958 and now part of the Health Sciences Centre. Perrin served as a Director on the Board of the Children's Hospital from 1946Staff report (22 March 1946). Mrs. Filmore Heads Childrens' Hospital Board.''

'' until his death in 1967. He was President of 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 ...

in 1953-54. At one time he owned the rural property that now makes up the largest portion of Beaudry Provincial Park (Manitoba), on the

Assiniboine River The Assiniboine River (''; french: Rivière Assiniboine'') is a river that runs through the prairies of Western Canada in Saskatchewan and Manitoba. It is a tributary of the Red River of the North, Red River. The Assiniboine is a typical meand ...

near Winnipeg. Perrin died in Winnipeg and is buried at St. Johns Cathedral Cemetery. He is commemorated by John Perrin Marsh at Beaudry Provincial Park (Manitoba) and in the

Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame and Museum The Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame and Museum is a Canadian museum in Winnipeg, Manitoba, dedicated to honoring the history and achievements of sports in Manitoba. The organization began in 1980, and then opened a museum in The Forks in 1993. Afte ...

and the

as president of the

champions Winnipeg Warriors Hockey Club.

Family

Perrin was married for 53 years to Ruth Taylor Litle; they had one son and three daughters, Alix Elizabeth, Sarah "Sally" Ruth and Marion Joan. His son J. D. "Jack" Perrin Jr. worked in the family businesses and in their hockey operations, for which he was inducted into the

and the

. He owned Winnipeg's

Olympic Rink Olympic or Olympics may refer to Sports Competitions * Olympic Games, international multi-sport event held since 1896 ** Summer Olympic Games ** Winter Olympic Games * Ancient Olympic Games, ancient multi-sport event held in Olympia, Greece b ...

and Fort Garry Hotel.Purser, Richard (30 November 1979). Jack Perrrin seeks hotel's revival. ''

'' Perrin's son-in-law Duncan Jessiman served as Chair of the Board of Regents of the

University of Winnipeg The University of Winnipeg (UWinnipeg, UW) is a public research university in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, that offers undergraduate faculties of art, business and economics, education, science and kinesiology and applied health as well as gr ...

and was appointed to the

Senate of Canada The Senate of Canada (french: region=CA, Sénat du Canada) is the upper house of the Parliament of Canada. Together with the Crown and the House of Commons, they comprise the bicameral legislature of Canada. The Senate is modelled after the B ...

from Manitoba. Perrin's son-in-law W. J. "Jack" Hopwood served in the 1967 Winnipeg Pan American Games organizing committee and as President of the St. Charles Country Club and the Winnipeg Squash Racquet Club. Musician

Johnny Perrin Johnny Perrin is a Canadian punk rock musician from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. He is the former frontman of the Winnipeg ska band Grandpa's Army (1998–2000), which released an album in 2000 called ''G Sides and A Sides''. In 2002, two members ...

is his great grandson.

References

External links

Memorable Manitobans: John Draper Perrin (1890-1967)
via Manitoba Historical Society *
Cole, George E. Mining in Manitoba MHS Transactions (1948-49)
via Manitoba Historical Society
Memorable Manitobans: John Draper "Jack" Perrin (1915-1992)
via Manitoba Historical Society

via Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame {{DEFAULTSORT:Perrin, John Draper 1890 births 1967 deaths Canadian mining businesspeople People from Medicine Hat Businesspeople from Alberta Businesspeople from Winnipeg St. Andrew's College (Aurora) alumni