Albert Britnell (1865-1924)
founded Albert Britnell Book Shop on Yonge St., Toronto
passionate temperance advocate - which was the death of him.
Albert Britnell and his brother John emigrated from Yorkshire, England to Toronto.
They ran bookstore together together, then in 1893 Albert opened his own.
starting a hundred-year-long business.
Plot M, Section 44, Lot 3 Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto
Albert Britnell emigrated to Toronto from Yorkshire, England and in 1893 opened a bookstore on lower Yonge Street. When it became obvious that the shop would have to be demolished to make way for Toronto’s new Pantages Theatre, Britnell selected a site further up Yonge Street a short distance north of Bloor Street. This store opened in 1919 and over the next eighty years was run by a succession of Britnell family members.
Albert’s son, Roy (buried here with his father), Roy’s son Barry (Plot 1, Lot 198), and Barry’s widow, Mary Britnell-Fisher.
This Toronto tradition came to an end on March 28, 1999 when the shop went out of business.
[space now used as Starbucks and it uses books in its decorations --- see "Past Pieces of Toronto" blog]
Albert Britnell died on October 24, 1924 at the age of 59.
Mike Filey Mount Pleasant Cemetery: An Illustrated Guide Second Edition Revised and Expanded
Cause of Albert's death - the liquor question
"esides books, Britnell dedicated himself to the temperance movement. Unfortunately, he may have pushed himself too hard crusading against the booze demon: during an October 1924 meeting of the Womens’ Voters League regarding the upcoming provincial plebiscite on alcohol, 60-year-old Britnell suffered a fatal heart attack.
[after Albert's death] The business was taken over by his son Roy, who purchased 675 Yonge Street in 1927 and moved the store there a year later."
from "Past Pieces of Toronto" blog series
Albert's brother John wrote this book:
Books and booksellers in ancient and modern times, with autobiographical experiences of the past sixty years : a lecture delivered by John Britnell in the Art Galleries, 880...
Published 1923
Author John Britnell
[available online at Hathi trust]
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1924 Ontario referendum on liquor question
Ontario voters were offered two choices in the October 23, 1924, plebiscite on the Ontario Temperance Act:
Are you in favour of the Ontario Temperance Act? OR
Are you in favour of the sale as a beverage of beer and spirituous liquor in sealed packages under Government control?
not the first Ontario referendum on liquor question
1916 Prohibition imposed (after a referendum?)
1919 Ontario held vote on prohibition in 1919 majority in favour of prohibition
1921 Ontario held vote on inter-provicnla trade in liquor in 1919 majority in favour of prohibition
1924 Ontario held vote on prohibition in 1919 majority in favour of prohibition (se above)
1924 result 586,000 voted to retain the Ontario Temperance Act
582,000 voted for government sale
government (reluctantly) stayed with temperance but did allow 4.4 percent alcohol beer to be sold.
1926 election -- Conservatives ran on promise of repeal, won and brought in government sale of liquor.
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