In 1869 G. E. Desbarats built a printing office on St. Antoine Street, Montreal, and there founded The Canadian Illustrated News, the first number of which was issued on October 30, of that year, with Alexander Robertson as the first editor and E. Jump as chief artist. The illustrations were at first photo-electrotypes produced by the Leggotype process. In 1870 Mr. Desbarats founded a French companion paper to the Canadian Illustrated News called L’Opinion Publique, a twelve-page paper, the illustrations in which were for the most part the same as those in the English weekly. The editors were J. A. Mousseau and L. O. David. Among the contributors to its pages were P. J. O. Chauveau, L. H. Frechette, Joseph Marmette, J. A. Poisson, Benjamin Sulte, W. Gelinas, Joseph Tassé and many other distinguished French-Canadian writers. By arrangement with Ferdinand Gagnon, L’Opinion Publique absorbed L’Etendard National of Worcester, Massachusetts.
In May, 1871, Mr. Desbarats became proprietor of a weekly literary paper named The Hearthstone. The editorial work of The Hearthstone was performed by J. A. Phillips. Mr. Desbarats owned and conducted The Dominion Telegraph Institute which had been started by Churchill, continuing this for two years, during which time were sent out many capable telegraph operators now at the head of their profession. In 1872 he organized the Graphic Company to publish a daily illustrated paper in the city of New York. This was the first illustrated daily ever published and it came to end in about a year, being too far ahead of its time and lacking the necessary capital. Still the field of his activity and usefulness constantly broadened, and at all times he was in the lead among those who have wrought for advancement and progress in connection with the printing and publishing business. In March, 1873, he founded The Canadian Patent Office Record and Mechanics Magazine, a quarto monthly of thirty-two pages devoted to engineering, manufacturing, mining and other industrial pursuits. With each number was issued the official patent office record, the whole amply illustrated, the two parts together forming a book of from sixty to eighty pages monthly, the subscription price to which was only a dollar and a half a year.
In 1873 it was thought advisable to form a stock company to carry on the Canadian publications and the general Montreal engraving and printing business. The Desbarats Lithographic & Publishing Company was therefore organized by G. E. Desbarats, W. P. Hussey, Luke Moore, William Angus, Jonathan Hodgson, Alexander Buntin and Daniel MacLellan as provincial directors; G. E. Desbarats and W. P. Hussey as managers. In April, 1874, Mr. Desbarats entered into negotiations with G. B. Burland with a view to amalgamating the two concerns and formed The Burland-Desbarats Lithographing Company, from which he retired in 1876. He then opened a small office in the old postoffice building and in 1878 moved to larger premises and laid the foundation of the present Desbarats Printing Company, one of the most important establishments of this character in the Dominion. In 1879 G. E. Desbarats joined with Notman & Sandham in organizing The Artotype Printing Company and went himself to New York to learn the artotype work.
In 1884 W. C. Smillie, founder and first president of The British American Bank Note Company entered into negotiations with G. E. Desbarats & Company to revive the Canada Bank Note Company which absorbed G. E. Desbarats & Company’s business and in which G. E. Desbarats and H. Drechsel were appointed managers. In 1887 Mr. Desbarats admitted his son, William, to a partnership and together they published the Dominion Illustrated, a weekly illustrated paper which also had to be discontinued for lack of capital. Half-tone engraving was then in its infancy and Mr. Desbarats was the first to introduce it into Canada. The process was largely used in the Dominion Illustrated and a photo-engraving plant was installed to meet the paper’s requirements. While all days were not equally bright in his career and indeed in his business experience he saw the gathering of clouds that threatened disastrous storms, yet his rich inheritance of energy, determination and initiative enabled him to turn defeat into victory and promised failures into brilliant successes. His strict integrity, business conservatism and judgment were always so universally recognized that he enjoyed public confidence to an enviable degree and naturally this brought him a lucrative patronage. In early manhood he showed conspicuously the traits of character that made his life brilliantly successful and his mental and physical activity, combined with thorough training, brought him to an eminent position as a representative of the printing and publishing business in Canada.
The business career of Mr. Desbarats with its steps of successive advancement has been given but what of the man and his personality? All who remember him speak of him as of the highest type of gentlemen, his kindly nature and courteous manner winning for him many warm friends. Even now, twenty years after his demise, his old employes mention him with the greatest respect and love. It has been said that there is no better way to judge an individual than by his treatment of those in his employ. Judged by this standard, no man has been more worthy of regard. While in Ottawa his employes presented him a silver goblet and tray as a mark of esteem. The employes of the Canadian Illustrated News presented him with two bronze statues and a necklace for Madame Desbarats and the employes of the Canada Bank Note Company presented him a water pitcher when he severed his connection with that company.
Aside from his extensive printing and engraving business Mr. Desbarats was deeply interested in all that pertained to the city’s welfare, and those things which are a matter of civic virtue and civic pride received his indorsement and cooperation. He took great interest in the Montreal Philharmonic Society of which he was one of the directors. He was captain in the Civil Service Rifle Regiment, of a company composed entirely of men in his employ. During the smallpox epidemic in Montreal in 1885 he was chairman of the citizens’ relief committee and took a leading part in the establishing of a temporary hospital at the exhibition grounds. His political allegiance was given to the conservative party but he took no active part in politics. In religious faith he was a Roman Catholic and in 1867 was president of the Société St. Jean Baptiste in Ottawa.
On the 30th of April, 1860, G. E. Desbarats was married to Miss Lucianne Bossé, eldest daughter of Joseph N. Bossé, advocate who was afterward senator and subsequently judge. Mr. and Mrs. Desbarats were married in Quebec and they became the parents of five sons and two daughters. George J., born January 27, 1861, and now deputy minister in the naval service, married Miss L. Scott, a daughter of Sir Richard Scott. William A., born February 14, 1862, is president of the Desbarats Printing Company, Limited. Edward S. C., born April 24, 1863, is president of the Desbarats Advertising Agency and married Miss M. A. MacCallum, daughter of Dr. D. C. MacCallum. Lucianne, born August 10, 1864, married Lord de Blaquière. Cecile is superior of the Convent of the Sacred Heart at New Orleans, Louisiana. Alexander died in childhood; and C. H. Hullett married Miss J. Henkels of Philadelphia. He is the secretary and treasurer of the Desbarats Printing Company. He and his brother, William, succeeded to the business upon their father’s death and it has since been organized into a joint stock company.
Such in brief is the life history of one who had much to do with shaping the development of the printing and engraving business in Canada. His was largely the initiative spirit that brought about improvement and advancement in methods of printing and of illustration. He ever maintained the highest standards, was quick to adopt any new methods which his judgment sanctioned as of value, and he largely set the standards that others have followed. His life continued one of increasing activity, usefulness and of public benefit to the time of his death which occurred in 1892.