Diver, Frederick (Toronto, Ont.), was born in London, Eng., and came to this country with his parents when a youth. Mr. Diver learned the business of electrotyping and stereotyping, engraving, designing and “The Art Preservative of All Arts,” namely, printing. Some years ago, Mr. Diver established the Central Press Agency, Limited, of which he is the President. The head offices of the Company are situated at 110-16 York St., Toronto, and the Company has large business connections throughout the Dominion of Canada. Mr. Diver owes his success to his untiring industry, complete knowledge of the details of the various branches of the work of his Company, and to his practical business ability. His wife died a few years ago leaving her surviving children: Lt. F. G. Diver, who was since killed in action at the Battle of the Somme on Oct. 21, 1917; Ethel May, now wife of Halsey Wells of Detroit, U.S.A., and Victor Diver, Vice-President of the Central Press Agency, Ltd. Mr. Diver is a member of the National, Rosedale and Mississauga Clubs; of the Masonic Order, and also of the Church of England.
Bellemare, Adelard (St. Paulin, Que.), was born March 2, 1871, at St. Paulin, County of Maskinonge, P.Q., son of François Bellemare and Delima Julien, both French-Canadians. His grandfather was a teacher in 1845. Was educated at Three Rivers Seminary. Was formerly professor for three years at the College de Joliette and St. Laurent. Married, Feb. 2, 1898, to Parmelia, daughter of Edmond Bourgeois of Joliet, and is the father of six children: Hector, Lucien, Maria, Albert, Jeanne and Cecile. Was lecturer for the C. N. d’Economie. Elected to the House of Commons at the general elections in 1911, as an Independent Conservative, to represent the constituency of Maskinonge. In religion Mr. Bellemare is a Roman Catholic.
Birkett, Thomas, was born in Bytown (now Ottawa), February 1, 1844. He is the son of Miles and Elizabeth (Wren) Birkett, who came to Canada from Cumberland, England, in 1838, and who saw that he received a good education at the Public and Grammar Schools, and that he was thoroughly prepared for commercial business life. That their efforts were not in vain was shown at an early date, in the rapid and successful progress that greeted his efforts and ventures. But, and in addition, they had the good fortune to see their son make his mark in School, Municipal, Provincial and Dominion and other public affairs and to be elected to many public offices of trust where he distinguished himself in various ways and established an enviable record for progressive, reliable and lasting service. In every public office, to which he was elected he devoted the attention and care that was made so evident and pronounced in his private business with the result that he not only made good, but cemented and enlarged the confidence and esteem of those who had selected him as their representative. Whether as director or trustee of a public institution, as member of the city council, mayor of the city, or as member of Parliament, his conduct was the same and the result the same, viz., conscientious devotion to duty attended by successful results. Many a time it has been proclaimed, even by those who were politically opposed to him, that having rendered to the State the continuous and valuable public services that he did, and in a manner so effective, that he would long ago have been called to the Canadian Senate, and great has been the surprise that he has not been. But being still robust in health, mentally and physically, and his activities being as marked as they were in former years, it may not be out of place to say that a seat in the Senate will be honored by his presence at an early date. Having served as an apprentice in the hardware trade to Mr. Isaac, in 1866, Mr. Birkett opened a retail hardware store on Rideau Street, prospered, and soon had to remove to larger premises. For thirty years he kept in the retail business, which year by year assumed larger proportions and supplied goods to the many prosperous and wealthy manufacturing towns and villages and thriving agricultural districts in the Ottawa Valley. Finding the demand for his goods still on the increase in 1896 he converted his private firm into a joint stock company, of which he became president, his son Thomas M. Birkett, vice-president, and other members of the family shareholders, and launched into the wholesale business under the title of Thomas Birkett & Son Company, Limited, of Ottawa. To-day this wholesale firm is one of the most extensive, if not actually the largest hardware house in Eastern Ontario and is known from one end of Canada to the other. The building forms one of the best business blocks in Ottawa and is most advantageously situated, the warehouse doors opening direct on the wharves of the Rideau Canal basin. Mr. Birkett served as School Trustee from 1869 to 1873; as Alderman, from 1873 to 1878; as Mayor, during 1891 and 1892. Since 1900 he has been Trustee, Ottawa Collegiate Institute. In 1893 he declined nomination to the House of Commons, but in 1900 he was elected by a large majority. He ran in 1904 and 1908 and was defeated. Mr. Birkett is President, Thos. Birkett, Son & Co., Ltd., Wholesale Hardware Merchants, Canal St., Ottawa; Director, Pritchard-Andrews Engraving Co.; Life Director, Carleton County Protestant Hospital; Life Director, Protestant Hospital for the aged. He was instrumental in erecting the Lady Stanley Institute for Trained Nurses; is Honorary Director, Central Canada Exposition Association. In 1871 he married Mary Gallagher, daughter of Thomas Gallagher. She died in March, 1902. In August, 1904, he married Henrietta Gallagher, his deceased wife’s half-sister. He is a member of the following clubs: Ottawa Hunt, Rivermead Golf (director), and of the A.F. & A.M. (32nd degree), the Oddfellows, and St. George’s Societies. His recreation is golf. Politics, Conservative. Religion, Methodist, and he resides at 306 Metcalfe Street, Ottawa, Ontario.
Anderson, Alexander James (Toronto, Ont.), was born in Adelaide Township, Middlesex County, July 1, 1863, and was educated at Strathroy High School and Osgoode Hall. Toronto is as famous for its Bar as it is in its commercial and manufacturing industry, and in alluding to its leading members, prominent mention must be made of the subject of this sketch. Mr. Anderson started his professional career with J. S. Fullerton & Co., which partnership continued from 1891 to 1897; from 1894 to 1906 he practised alone; from 1907 to 1909 was a member of the firm of Anderson & Gray, and entered his present partnership as senior member of the firm (Anderson & McMaster) in 1910. Having municipal aspirations, Mr. Anderson was elected to the Council of Toronto Junction from 1899 to 1902; was corporation solicitor for West Toronto until the amalgamation with the city in 1909, when he was elected alderman to represent Ward Seven in the City Council. He was for four years a member of the West Toronto School Board, and was elected Chairman of that body in 1899. During the elections in 1904 he was unanimously selected by the Liberals of South York as the party standard bearer, and though defeated he made a very creditable showing at the close of the polls. Mr. Anderson has many warm friends and supporters in the western portion of the city, and he will show unexpected strength should he again become a candidate. He is a Mason and takes an active interest in the welfare of the Order.
Barnard, Hon. George Henry, K.C., Member of the Senate of Canada (Victoria, B.C.), is a son of Francis Jones Barnard, a Canadian who went to British Columbia from Ontario, when gold was first discovered in the Fraser River, in 1859, and shortly afterwards became the founder of the stage and express line from Yale, head of navigation on the Fraser, to Barkerville, 400 miles to the north. On the famous Yale-Cariboo Road the elder Barnard long operated a line of stages and carried the mail to the mountain settlements of the district. The maiden name of the mother of the subject of this sketch was Ellen Hillman, and he was born at Victoria, B.C., Oct. 9, 1868. Sir Frank S. Barnard, K.C.M.G., Lieut.-Governor of British Columbia, is a brother. He was educated at Trinity College School, Port Hope, and qualified for the law, entering practice at Victoria. He was appointed King’s Counsel on Dec. 24, 1907. Senator Barnard took an active interest in municipal affairs and served as Alderman, 1902-3. In 1904 he was elected Mayor of Victoria and continued in office for two years. He was first elected to the House of Commons for that city at the general elections of 1908, as a Conservative and was re-elected in 1911. On Oct. 23, 1917, he was elevated to the Senate of Canada by the newly-formed Union Government of Sir Robert Borden. Senator Barnard is a prominent social figure both at Victoria and Ottawa, and is a member of the Union Club, Victoria, the Vancouver Club, the Rideau Club, Ottawa and the Constitutional Club, London, Eng. He was married on June 5, 1895, to Ethel Burnham, daughter of Lieut.-Col. H. C. Rogers, Postmaster of Peterboro, Ont., is an Anglican in religion and a Unionist in politics.