ROBIN, JONES & WHITMAN, LIMITED

Robin, Jones & Whitman, Limited has a very _inter-
esting history. It is the third oldest Company in Canada
having been established in the year 1766 by Charles Robin
on the Gaspe Peninsula.

He sailed from the Island of Jersey for the Bay of
Chaleur in his own vessel, the “Sea Fiower”, bringing
with him one other vessel. It is thought that he selected
Paspebiac, P. Q. as his headquarters, although there is no
definite records showing this; but in the year 1778 he had
establishments both at Paspebiac and Perce in the _ Pro-
vince of Quebec.

The property which the present Company owns at
Grand River was deeded to Charles Robin by a deed dat-
ed June 18, 1798. This property was first granted to
Sieur Jacques Sochu by Frctenac, the Governor of Can-
ada, in May 1697. After three transfers, the property
was finally deeded to Charles Robin by Duncan Anderson
in London. The affidavit of the witness to Mr. Ander-
son’s signature, W. Shackley, was signed by Sir James
Sanderson, Lord Mayor of the City of London.

Philip Robin, a brother of Charles, had a fishing
establishment in Cape Breton believed to be at Chetican,
now Cheticamp, probably as early as 1764. This was
later added to Charles Robin’s firm.

Charles Robin was a strict disciplinarian, and held re-
ligiously to his rules regarding his employees. None of
his Managers were allcwed to marry unless their wives
lived in Europe, and they were allowed to visit them six
months every two years.

The business of Charles Robin was greatly extended
and he retired in the year 1802. He placed the Paspebiac
and Perce businesses in the hands of his nephews.

The firm continued under the name of Charles Robin
and Company until the year 1891 when it was amalgamat-
ed with John and Elias Collis to form Charles Robin,
CoLis & Co. Ltd. In 1904 was known as the C. Robin,
Collis Co. Ltd. In 1910 the C. Robin, Collis Co. Ltd.; The
A. G. Jones & Company, of Halifax; and the Atlantic Fish
Companies, Ltd., of Lunenburg, amalgamated to form
Robin, Jones & Whitman, Limited with the Head Office
at Halifax. 3