John Kinder Labatt

Who was John Kinder Labatt?

John Kinder Labatt was an Irish-Canadian brewer, and the founder of the Labatt Brewing Company.

Born in County Laois, Ireland to Valentine Knightley Chetwode Labat, an Irish-Huguenot and Jane Harper Labat and little is know of his early years.

Labatt immigrated to Canada in the 1830s and initially established himself as a farmer near London, Upper Canada. In 1847 he invested in a brewery with a partner, Samuel Eccles, launching "Labatt and Eccles". When Eccles retired in 1854, Labatt acquired his interest, and renamed the interest the "London Brewery". He was assisted by his sons Ephraim, Robert, and John.

Beyond the brewery, Labatt was a town councillor for St David’s Ward from 1850 to 1851 and a member of the London Board of Trade, as well as founding the London and Port Stanley Railway

Upon his death his son John Labatt purchased the brewery, which grew eventually to one of the largest in Canada.