Jack Bickell
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John Paris Bickell, also known as Jack Bickell, (September 26, 1884 – August 22, 1951) was a Canadian businessman, philanthropist, and sports team owner. He is best known for his long-time association with the
Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Div ...
professional
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 h ...
team as the owner, president, chairman and director 1924–1951.


Early life

Bickell's parents were Rev. David Bickell and Annie Paris, who was a teacher. Born in Molesworth, near
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, and raised in
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, Bickell was their second child of four. His father died when he was six years old; his younger brother died when John was eight years old; and his older brother died in 1898 when John was 12 years old. Bickell attended St. Andrew's College, where he was one of the first 100 graduates.


Brokerage interests

Bickell started his own brokerage firm, J. P. Bickell & Co., at the age of 23 and was a millionaire by 30. He sold his firm in 1919 to concentrate on his various movie and mining interests. His hiatus from the industry did not last long as on April 15, 1926 he was a senior partner in the New York brokerage firm of Thomson McKinnon. He left the firm in to take on his WWII responsibilities in late 1939.


Movie interests

Bickell was a key player in the development of the movie industry in Canada. He served as president of both Eastern Theatres Limited and Hamilton United Theatres Limited. Eastern Theatres oversaw the construction of Toronto’s Pantages Theatre, which specialized in the era's vaudeville acts. Similarly, Bickell also served as vice-president of the Select Pictures Corporation, a Canadian distribution company, and was also part of the team that acquired Montreal’s Théâtre St-Denis in October 1917. Bickell was vice-president of the Regent Theatre Company, one of Toronto’s first large movie theatres which stood on Adelaide between Yonge and Bay Streets. The theatre’s company was formed in 1916 by a group of Toronto financiers including; P. W. Cushman, E. L. Ruddy, W. J. Sheppard, J. B. Tudhope and, of course, Bickell. Anticipating the ever-increasing interest in moving pictures, the company sought to acquire and transform J. Ambrose Small’s theatre, The Majestic, into a deluxe movie theatre. In 1920 Famous Players Canadian Corporation Limited was founded in Bickell's office and he served as the vice president with Nathan Nathanson as managing director. Bickell's friend W.D. Ross, head of the Bank of Nova Scotia and later Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario, Izaak Walton Killam of Royal Securities, Sir Herbert Samuel Holt of the Royal Bank, and Bickell, were all members of the Board of Directors that underwrote the necessary million of the company's initial share offerings. He ultimately sold out his interests in the movie industry in 1930 to the president of the corporation, Adolph Zukor of New York. Bickell then concentrated on his mining interests.


Mining interests

Bickell's initial involvement in mining was in the early 1900s in Cobalt, Ontario. In 1911 he invested in McIntyre Porcupine Mines Ltd. in
Schumacher, Ontario The city of Timmins, Ontario, Canada contains many named neighbourhoods. Some former municipalities that were merged into Timmins continue to be treated as distinct postal and telephone exchanges from the city core. According to Barnes, "With the ...
. He became the president and later chairman, a position he held until his death. His work in mining earned him a place in the
Canadian Mining Hall of Fame The Canadian Mining Hall of Fame was conceived by Maurice R. Brown as a way to honor Canada's mine finders and builders, in recognition of accomplishments by leaders in the Canadian mining industry. The Hall was established in 1988; in 2022 it ha ...
. McIntyre Mine was formed in 1911, adding land staked by Sandy McIntyre to nearby ground obtained by Bickell. The initial assays were lean, but Bickell kept the faith and the company afloat through these tough times. Later, as grades improved, he obtained additional ground. The result was the McIntyre Porcupine Mine Limited, which has earned a place in Canadian mining history as one of the nation’s most important mines. Between 1912 and 1955, total production was valued at $230 million, and the company paid $62 million in dividends to shareholders. McIntyre also controlled the Belleterre gold mine in Quebec and the Castle-Trethewey silver mine near Gowganda, Ontario.


Involvement in sports


Boxing

In 1919, Bickell’s sponsorship of boxing was with a belt that he put forth for Canada’s featherweight champion, known as the Bickell Belt. *Boat racing - In 1920, Bickell was associated with the Toronto Syndicate, a group that built and sponsored racing boats in both Canada and the United States, including the hydroplanes Miss Toronto I and Miss Toronto II. Not surprisingly, the syndicate included some heavy hitters in the financial world, including; Bickell’s friend Alfred Rogers, the coal and cement baron, as well as: F. Ericson, Thomas Rea, S.A. Sylvester, Fred Miller, Cecil Allison, W.B. Cleland, and others. The Syndicate made several entries into various high-profile races on both sides of the U.S.-Canada border. At the Thousand Island Gold Cup in Alexandria Bay, New York, Miss Toronto II, with Bickell and Ericson at the helm, represented the Toronto Motor Boat Club: Miss Toronto II logged the fastest five miles ever recorded in competition up until that point. In doing a five-mile lap in five minutes flat, Miss Toronto II set a new North American record, and she was dubbed "the mile-a-minute boat".


Hockey

In 1924, Jack came into the hockey business when
Charlie Querrie Charles Laurens Querrie (July 25, 1877 – April 5, 1950) was the first General Manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, at the time called the Toronto Arenas (1917–20) and the Toronto St. Patricks (1920–27). Querrie was born in Markham, Ontario ...
needed to financially reorganize his hockey team in Toronto called the
Toronto St. Patricks The Toronto St. Patricks (colloquially known as the St. Pats) were a professional ice hockey team which began playing in the National Hockey League (NHL) in 1919. The Toronto NHL franchise (league membership) had previously been held by the Arena ...
. They had previously won a Stanley Cup in 1922. Bickell initially invested in the St. Pats in 1924 as a favor to his friend Charlie Querrie. When Querrie needed to sell the team in 1927, Bickell arranged for a group to buy the shares in the team and hired
Conn Smythe Constantine Falkland Cary Smythe, Military Cross, MC (; February 1, 1895 – November 18, 1980) was a Canadian businessman, soldier and sportsman in ice hockey and horse racing. He is best known as the principal owner of the Toronto Maple Leafs ...
to be the managing director, which kept the team in Toronto. Bickell owned the majority stake in the team, which was renamed the
Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Div ...
. With Smythe, Bickell helped in the organization and financing of the construction of the arena, named Maple Leaf Gardens, for the Leafs in 1931. "You could say, without exaggerating, that Bickell was the cornerstone of the whole project," said Smythe. He was to be the first president of Maple Leaf Gardens Ltd. and also served as chairman, until a board of directors meeting on November 19, 1947 when Bickell made arrangements for Conn Smythe to have controlling interest and become the president. Bickell then served as a director until his death. His name is on the Stanley Cup six times: 1932, 1945, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1951. He was not included on the Cup with 1942 Toronto, as he was overseas serving in
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 opposing ...
. Bickell died in 1951, and work was underway to appropriately honor his contribution to the organization. In 1953, the
Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Div ...
board of directors established the
J. P. Bickell Memorial Award The J. P. Bickell Memorial Award is named after the late Toronto businessman and hockey executive J. P. Bickell. The award was created by the Maple Leaf Gardens board of directors to honor Mr. Bickell's involvement as owner, president, chairman an ...
. Bickell was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1978 in the Builders category.


Golf

In 1922, he built a mansion, adjacent to the
Mississaugua Golf & Country Club The Mississaugua Golf & Country Club is a mixed club featuring an 18-hole championship golf course, curling facilities with six sheets, pro shop and lounge, tennis courts, fitness centre, and an active bridge club. It was founded in 1906 and is ...
, in the town of
Port Credit, Ontario Port Credit is a neighbourhood in the south-central part of the City of Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, located at the mouth of the Credit River on the north shore of Lake Ontario. Its main intersection is Hurontario Street and Lakeshore Road, ...
where he would live for the rest of his life. Bickell's involvement in the club was significant as he had sat on the board of directors, and he loaned the club $50,000 during the depression and was a life member. On the morning of August 15, 1925, Bickell made a 215-yard hole-in-one on the third hole, the first person to ever "ace" the hole. On November 15, 1924, it was J.P. Bickell who gave Ada Mackenzie the final $8,000 two hours before her deadline to secure the land for the Ladies Golf Club of Toronto. "it was Mr. Bickell who saved our life". - Ada Mackenzie


Baseball

In 1931, Bickell also served as a director of the
Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Div ...
baseball club, owning an interest and joining the board of directors when George Oakley took control of the team.


General

In 1939, Bickell bought the 2600-acre island in Georgian Bay, Ontario. He formed Griffith Island Estates Inc., as the president with his friends; Bernard E. Smith, R.S. "Sam" McLaughlin, Thomas Seagram, Francis Farwell, J.L Sullivan, W. Anderson. The estate was for the purpose of a hunting and fishing retreat entertaining various dignitaries as the island boasted pheasants, deer, and wild game. They were also raising Hereford cattle on the island. As an avid fisherman Bickell also had shares in the Hillsburgh Fishing Club.


Second World War

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 opposi ...
, Bickell was a key member of a group under Canadian Max Aitken, 1st Baron Beaverbrook, the British
Minister of Aircraft Production The Minister of Aircraft Production was, from 1940 to 1945, the British government minister at the Ministry of Aircraft Production, one of the specialised supply ministries set up by the British Government during World War II. It was responsible ...
, which ensured an adequate supply of airplanes for the British forces. On July 24, 1940 in London, UK he was appointed the Controller of the
Air Transport Auxiliary The Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA) was a British civilian organisation set up at the start of the Second World War with headquarters at White Waltham Airfield in Berkshire. The ATA ferried new, repaired and damaged military aircraft between factori ...
] (ATA), in July 1941 the ATA became the
RAF Ferry Command RAF Ferry Command was the secretive Royal Air Force command formed on 20 July 1941 to ferry urgently needed aircraft from their place of manufacture in the United States and Canada, to the front line operational units in Britain, Europe, North Af ...
and subsequently The Atlantic Ferry Organization (ATFERO). Bickell served two years with the British Airplane Supply Board. Along with other important businessmen and industrialists known as the "4 Busy B's" with Beaverbrook, (former Prime Minister) R. B. Bennett and Beverly Baxter (M.P.). Bickell was recruited by his friend Lord Beaverbrook to become one of the famous "dollar-a-year" men who headed up wartime industry and special projects. In 1942, he returned to Canada to become the president and chairman of the board of
Victory Aircraft Victory Aircraft Limited was a Canadian manufacturing company that, during the Second World War, built mainly British-designed aircraft under licence. It acted as a shadow factory, safe from the reach of German bombers. Initially the major wa ...
Ltd. in
Malton, Ontario Malton is a neighbourhood in the northeastern part of the city of Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, located to the northwest of Toronto. Malton is bounded by Highway 427 to the east, the Brampton city limits (a Canadian National Railway (CN) rail l ...
, the largest airplane manufacturer in Canada. Bickell was tasked with increasing the Avro Lancaster bomber production resulting in one per day rolling off the assembly line. This effort was credited with ultimately having a dramatic influence on winning the war. It was no secret that Bickell was not a fan of the federal government of the day. Regardless, Bickell’s sense of duty to the nation prevailed, and his commitment to the war effort on both sides of the Atlantic was unassailable. Bickell’s personal actions at the outbreak of the Second World War were very generous. On September 12, 1939, Bickell donated his
Grumman Goose The Grumman G-21 Goose is an amphibious flying boat designed by Grumman to serve as an eight-seat "commuter" aircraft for businessmen in the Long Island area. The Goose was Grumman's first monoplane to fly, its first twin-engined aircraft, and i ...
G21A CF BKE to the RCAF, which took it on strength with the military serial ''RCAF924''. On November 1, 1940, J.P. donated his other plane, a Grumman Goose G-21A CF-BQE, which became RCAF 941 on November 1, 1940. The Grumman Goose G-21A aircraft were amphibious planes and during that time known as the rich man’s aircraft. In 1942 Bickell wrote a cheque for five thousand dollars, which he donated to the RCAF’s Benevolent Fund. In a letter that accompanied the cheque, Bickell wrote


Aviation history

After the war, Bickell co-founded A. V. Roe Canada Limited (AVRO), Avro Canada with Sir Roy Dobson which took over the Victory Aircraft Plant and was a wholly owned subsidiary of Hawker Siddeley. He paid the $1,200 incorporation fee out of his own pocket, and personally backed a $2.5 million dollar line of credit at the Canadian Bank of Commerce, of which he was a director. Dobson became the President and Bickell became the Chairman, a position he held until his death in August 1951.


Directorships

In business, Bickell served as the Chairman of McIntyre-Porcupine Mines Limited, Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto Maple Leafs and A. V. Roe Canada Limited (AVRO) He was also a director of Canadian Bank of Commerce, International Nickel Company of Canada (INCO), Imperial Life Assurance, and National Trust. He was also an active in healthcare, serving on several boards, including that of Wellesley Hospital, St. John's Ambulance Association and he was the honorary president of the Health League of Canada.


Philanthropy

In the late 1930s, the radio station and newsprint building burnt down in Timmins. It was owned by Roy Thomson and it was J.P. Bickell who loaned him the necessary funds to re-build. In 1945, he provided the loan
Jack Kent Cooke Jack Kent Cooke (October 25, 1912 – April 6, 1997) was a Canadian-American businessman in broadcasting and professional sports. Starting in sales, Cooke was very successful, eventually becoming a partner in a network of radio stations and news ...
needed to buy Toronto radio station CKEY. During his life, Bickell gave generously and in death, he willed $13 million of his $14.6 million estate to the creation of the J.P. Bickell Foundation managed by National Trust Company (now ScotiaTrust a division of Scotiabank). He established it to donate half of its interest income each year at; 50% to the Hospital for Sick Children, 10% for bursaries aiding in Medical Research, 5% to Mining scholarships and 35% to be distributed to general charities in Ontario at the discretion of the J.P. Bickell Foundation Management Committee. The Foundation has generated over $300M and contributed $160 million to charity from 1953-2017. Upon his death he bequeathed a multi-million dollar collection of approximately 112 pieces of original artwork and artifacts to the
Art Gallery of Ontario The Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO; french: Musée des beaux-arts de l'Ontario) is an art museum in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The museum is located in the Grange Park neighbourhood of downtown Toronto, on Dundas Street West between McCaul and Bev ...
(AGO),of which he was a founder-member. Camp Bickell is a non-profit children's camp that was established on Chapman Lake initially in 1939 with the assistance of Mr. Bickell and in 1949, he provided the necessary funds of $5,000 to permanently secure the land. The camp near Iroquois Falls is still in operation today (2017) and receives approximately 600 campers per season.


Death

J.P. Bickell died in
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
on August 22, 1951 at age 66 and was buried in the Mausoleum at Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Toronto. Bickell’s life work and philanthropy isn’t well known because he was a private man who did not seek self promotion. His self-built business empire allowed him to be extremely charitable, a legacy that has continued after his death.


References


Further reading

*
J.P. Bickell, The Life the Leafs and the Legacy
, Dundurn Press, 2017.


External links

* * Canadian Mining Hall of Fam

* Camp Bickel

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bickell, Jack 1884 births 1951 deaths 20th-century Canadian businesspeople Hockey Hall of Fame inductees Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment People from Huron County, Ontario Stanley Cup champions Toronto Maple Leafs executives Burials at Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto