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Timeline: Sleeman Family History and Events

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DateEvent
1805 John H. Sleeman born in England
1827 The village of Guelph is founded
1834 John H. Sleeman moves from Cornwall, England to Upper Canada
1836 John H. Sleeman settles in St. David’s and opens the Stamford Spring Brewery
1841 George Sleeman born in St. David’s, Upper Canada
1845 John H. Sleeman moves to Lockport, NY to craft brew beer
1847 John H. Sleeman sells the Stamford Spring Brewery and moves to Guelph
1847-1850 Sleeman leases Hodgert’s Brewery on Bedford Street
1850 John H. Sleeman purchases land on Waterloo Avenue
1851 John H. Sleeman builds a 24’ x 40’ building on Waterloo Avenue and opens the Silver Creek Brewery
1859 The first Sleeman home, a two-story family house, is built at 501 Waterloo Avenue
1859 George Sleeman (Sr.) takes over the day-to-day operations of the brewery at age 18
1862 The business renamed Sleeman and Son and George Sleeman (Sr.) manages the family business
1863 The Guelph Maple Leaf Base Ball Club started in Guelph
1864 The Canada Temperance Act passed, allowing counties and municipalities to prohibit the retail sale of alcohol if supported by a majority vote
1865 George Sleeman (Sr.) becomes a partner in the family business
1865 George Sleeman (Sr.) purchases family home from his parents
1867 John H. Sleeman retires from the brewing industry and George Sleeman (Sr.) becomes the sole owner of the family business. Establishes agencies in Hamilton, Brantford, Owen Sound, Stratford, and Palmerston
1867 George A. Sleeman born
1869 Guelph Maple Leafs win the Canadian Championship in London, Ontario
1874 George Sleeman (Sr.) elected president of the Guelph Maple Leafs Base Ball Club
1874 The Guelph Maple Leafs win the first baseball World Championship in Watertown, N.Y.
1874 George Sleeman (Sr.) introduces bisulphate of soda to Sleeman beer, which acts as a stabilizer and preservative
1876 George Sleeman (Sr.) elected to Guelph Town Council (South Ward)
1877 George Sleeman (Sr.) elected Deputy Reeve of Guelph
1879 George Sleeman (Sr.) chairs the Inauguration Committee to transform Guelph from a town to a city
1880 George Sleeman (Sr.) becomes Guelph’s first mayor after the city’s incorporation
1886 George A. Sleeman manages the Brantford agency for four years
1891 The Sleeman residence at 501 Waterloo Ave completed (summer)
1893 John H. Sleeman dies in St. David’s
1894 Sleeman beer is available in Quebec through an agency in Montreal
1894 The development of the Guelph Railway Company begins
1898 George A. Sleeman finishes writing his recipe book
1898 George A. Sleeman becomes an agent in Ottawa for Sleeman Brewing and Malting
1900 Sleeman Brewing and Malting is incorporated and a second brewery, Spring Bank Beverages, is erected on Edinburgh Street
1901 P.E.I. becomes the first province to enact prohibition
1902 The bank takes over the Guelph Railway Company and the Silver Creek Brewery
1903 The Sleeman family starts a small rival operation called Spring Bank Brewery
1905 George Sleeman (Sr.) retires from the family business
1906 The Sleeman's buy Silver Creek Brewery back from the bank and merge it with Spring Bank Brewery
1916 The Ontario Temperance Act is passed and prohibits the sale of alcohol, but not the act of brewing or distilling liquor or alcohol
1919 The US government enacts national prohibition
1921 Spring Bank Beverages name changed to Canadian Malt Products
1926 George Sleeman (Sr.) dies
1927 Spring Bank Brewery incorporated and managed by Henry O. Sleeman
1927 The Ontario Temperance Act repealed. Ontario becomes the last southern province to end prohibition and switch to a provincial control system known as the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO)
1933 Henry O. and brothers charged with smuggling and not paying their taxes
1933 Sleeman family's brewing license suspended
1933 Spring Bank Brewery sold to the Jockey Club Brewery Ltd
1933 Prohibition ends in the U.S.A.
1934 Standard Brands purchase the lands where the Silver Creek Brewery stood
1938 Jockey Club Brewery bought by Ace High Brewery Ltd
1953 John W. Sleeman born
1955 The incorporated company, Sleeman Brewing and Malting registered as inactive
1957 Last year that 501 Waterloo Avenue occupied by a Sleeman descendent
1960 George A. Sleeman dies
1969 The City of Guelph purchases the lands of the original Silver Creek Brewery from Standard Brands
1975 John W. Sleeman moves to England
1976 John W. Sleeman moves back to Canada
1978 John W. Sleeman builds and runs a British-style pub called "The Major Oak" in Oakville, ON until 1979
1979 John W. Sleeman becomes a partner of The Imported Beer Company (stays a partner until 1992)
1984 John W. Sleeman receives the historical leather bound book of family recipes and an original heritage bottle from his Aunt Florian, leading the way to rebuilding the family brewing legacy
1985 John W. Sleeman restarts original Sleeman business with original patent, bottles, labels and recipes
1985 Sleeman Brewing and Malting Co. Ltd. once again incorporated
1988 John W. Sleeman reopens the family brewery to recreate all-natural ales and lagers based on the family recipes
1988 The first pints of Sleeman Cream Ale are sold for public consumption at Churchill's Landing, Guelph, Ontario, June 17th
1988 October 14th at 6:15pm the first Sleeman bottle product filled on line since 1933 (Sleeman Cream Ale)
1988 Sleeman Cream Ale available in Ontario based on the family recipe over 100 years old
1991 Sleeman doubles its brewing capacity to 200,000 hectolitres (60,000,000 bottles) and attains 1% of the Ontario beer market
1994 Sleeman Brewing & Malting Co. Ltd. receives the "Canada's 50 Best Managed Private Companies" Award
1996 Sleeman Brewing & Malting Co. Ltd. and Okanagan Spring Brewery merge to become Sleeman Breweries Ltd
1996 John W. Sleeman becomes Chairman, President and CEO of the new Sleeman Breweries Ltd
1996 Sleeman Breweries Ltd. goes public and is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under trading symbol "ALE" June 3rd
1996 Sleeman Breweries Ltd. acquires Upper Canada Brewing Company (March) and Brasserie Seigneuriale Inc. (June). Sleeman brands available in the United Kingdom
1998 Sleeman Breweries Ltd. acquires Shaftebury Brewing Company, British Columbia's third largest craft brewer (January)
1999 Licensing agreement signed to distribute Stroh brands in Canada
1999 George Sleeman inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum for his contributions to the sport
2000 Sleeman Breweries Ltd. acquires The Maritime Beer Company
2002 Sleeman Breweries Ltd. signs an agreement with Sapporo Breweries Ltd. to provide contract production for Sapporo products in the United States
2004 Sleeman Breweries Ltd. acquires Unibroue Inc
2006 Sapporo Breweries reaches a deal to purchase Sleeman for approximately $400 million
2012 Sleeman Brewery Ltd. in Guelph produces a record 1,157,420 hectolitres of finished goods, approximately 40,000 hL more than previous year
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