McGill Libraries
McLennan Library Building3459 rue McTavish
Montreal, Quebec
H3A 0C9
Identity area
Type of entity
Person
Authorized form of name
Dobell, Richard Reid, 1837-1902
Parallel form(s) of name
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Other form(s) of name
Identifiers for corporate bodies
Description area
Dates of existence
1837-1902
History
Canadian businessman and politician Richard Reid Dobell was born in Liverpool, England and educated at Liverpool College, He came to Quebec in 1857 and started a lumber business with his brother-in-law, Thomas Beckett, he founded the firm R. R. Dobell & Co, Quebec, at one time one of the largest of its kind in Canada. He took an active interest in public affairs, was elected President of the Quebec Board of Trade, and was a Harbour Commissioner for that city. He actively promoted the cold storage principle in transatlantic steamers and was President of the Cold Storage Company of Quebec. Other appointments included Director of the Quebec Railway Bridge Company.
In the 1896 federal election he was elected as the Liberal candidate for the riding of Quebec West and was re-elected in 1900. From 1896 to 1902, he was a Minister without Portfolio in the cabinet of Wilfrid Laurier. He was a prominent supporter of the cause of Imperial federation and was a founder of the British Empire League.
He died in 1902 in a riding accident while visiting his son-in-law at Folkestone, England.