The business of Ham & Motherwell (H&M) Limited was established on 31 January 1907, receiving its charter of incorporation via the Manitoba Joint Stock Companies Act. The founding partnership was comprised of merchant George Victor Motherwell, accountant John Scott, lawyers Daniel Willis McKerchar and David Newlin Wemiss [Wemyss], and articling law student Reginal Edward Hickey, with Albert Edward Ham as a silent partner with prior executive experience as Manager and Director of the Imperial Dry Goods Company. H&M dealt in wholesale general dry goods, small wares, and manufacturing of mens goods. It held an initial capital stock of $50,000 and first opened retail quarters in the Gregg Building in Winnipeg, remaining there until around 1911 when it moved to the Allen Building. With the onset of the First World War, economic circumstances became unprofitable. In December 1914, its Directors (then Stephen S. Cummins, William Stewart LaFresnaye, William Redford Mulock, and William G. Mulock) unanimously voted to wind up the company under the Winding Up Act. This was taken to a shareholder meeting on 4 January 1915 where the choice was confirmed, effective immediately. The next day, H&M was placed into the hands of Charles Henry Newton for purposes of liquidation, with inventory and assets sold off over the following several months.
“Large local wholesale house -- Ham & Motherwell, Ltd.” Winnipeg Tribune, 10 March 1915, page 21.
Companies Office corporation documents (CCA 0059), 52H - Ham and Motherwell Limited, GR6427, Archives of Manitoba.
Court of Queen’s Bench Winding Up Act pockets (ATG 0015), #94 - Ham and Motherwell Limited, GR0195, Archives of Manitoba.
Court of Queen’s Bench Winding Up Act pockets (ATG 0015), #95 - Ham and Motherwell Limited, GR0195, Archives of Manitoba.
Henderson’s Winnipeg and Brandon Directories, Peel’s Prairie Provinces, University of Alberta Libraries.
This page was prepared by Nathan Kramer.
Page revised: 20 January 2020
