John Sackville Labatt Former president of Labatt Brewing Co. And victim of one of the most sensational crimes in Canadian history
On a walk through Woodland Cemetery in London, Ontario, with a Labatt Blue beer in hand, I visited the family grave of John Sackville Labatt, grandson of John Kinder Labatt, founder of the Labatt Brewing Company, established in London in 1847.
Born in London, Ontario, John S. Labatt assumed the presidency of the family brewery following his father’s death in 1915. A McGill University graduate, he was only 35 years old when he stepped into the role—just as Canada and the United States were heading toward Prohibition.
Facing the enormous challenges ahead, Labatt helped keep the company afloat by producing “near beer,” a malt beverage with very low alcohol content that was legal under Prohibition laws. The company also exported to regions without Prohibition restrictions. Under his leadership, Labatt Brewing modernized its production facilities, positioning the company to meet growing demand once Prohibition ended.
Photo of founder John K. Labatt and his family plot. He had 14 children (five sons and nine daughters).
At the height of his success, John S. Labatt became most famously known for being kidnapped in 1934, in what was then one of the most sensational crimes in Canadian history. On August 14, while driving from his cottage on Lake Huron, he was abducted at gunpoint by four men. Forced to write a ransom note demanding $150,000 to his brother, Labatt was driven to a cottage in the Muskoka area, where he was held for three days. The kidnapping became a national news sensation, which ultimately panicked the kidnappers and contributed to his release.
In the aftermath, three of the kidnappers were arrested and sentenced to fifteen years in prison, while the fourth was later killed in the United States. Although Labatt survived physically unharmed, the experience deeply affected him. Sadly, he became reclusive and withdrawn, and friends and colleagues noted that the ordeal left him shaken, guarded, and cautious. He remained president of the Labatt Brewing Company but increasingly delegated responsibilities and avoided public-facing roles for the remainder of his life.
John Sackville Labatt died on July 8, 1952, in London, Ontario. He was 72.
1880-1952
See my related site on another Canadian brewing giant, Eugene O’Keefe.
