Person Page - 168

OBITUARY.

The Hon. R. R. Dobell, member of the Privy Council of Canada, who had been staying for a week at Folkestone, was out riding on Saturday with his son-ln-law, Major Hull. They were returning from Hythe, and when near Seabrook Mr. Dobell’s horse was startled and the rider was thrown heavily to the ground, death being practically instantaneous. Mr. Dobell was born in Liverpool in 1837, and at the age of 20 emigrated to Canada to embark in the lumber trade. In conjunction with his brother-in-law, Mr. Thomas Beckett, he founded the firm of R. R. Dobell and Co., Quebec, one of the largest establishments of the kind in Canada. Besides attending to the business of his firm, of which he was the head, he took an active interest in public affairs, and was elected to the presidency of the Quebec Board of Trade, and was subsequently appointed one of the Harbour Commissioners for that city. Mr. Dobell was instrumental in promoting the adoption of the cold storage principle in Transatlantic steamers, and was president of the Cold Storage Company of Quebec. He was also a director of the Quebec Railway Bridge Company. He attended as a delegate the Congress of the Chambers of Commerce of the Empire hold in London in 1892, and also the subsequent congress of 1896. Between the dates of those two congresses he went to Cape Town, and addressed meetings there in behalf of the commercial interests of Canada. In 1895 he contested Quebec West for the Canadian House of Commons as an Independent candidate, losing the election on a recount; but at the general election in the following year, when he stood as the regular candidate of the Liberal Opposition, he was returned by a substantial majority. On the formation of the Laurier Cabinet, July, 1896, he was appointed a member of the Government without portfolio. For many years Mr. Dobell was a prominent supporter of the cause of Imperial federation, and he assisted Lord Rosebery in founding the British Empire League. He was strongly in favour of tariff reform, of inter-colonial trade, and also of fair reciprocal trade with the United States, and throughout he was an advocate of preferential trade with Great Britain.
A Reuter telegram from Ottawa, dated January 12, says:-“The death of Mr. Richard Reid Dobell, a member of the Canadian Cabinet, at Folkestone, is deeply deplored by his colleagues in the Cabinet. Mr. Dobell was expected to return next month to his Parliamentary duties. His son, Major Dobell, commanded the Welsh Fusiliers at the evacuation of Pekin." The Times, 13 January 1902.^4,5

Mr. Dobell was educated at the Charterhouse School, Surrey, England. On the completion of his school studies, in 1886, he entered the employ of the firm of Dobell, Beckett & Company, a concern which was founded by his father in the year 1856 and carries on an extensive business in the exportation of timber and lumber to Great Britain and Europe. Always bringing to bear on the solution of difficult commercial and financial problems keen insight and ready discrimination, he was admitted a partner of the firm in 1895. On the death of his father in 1902, he took the leading part in the management of the firm, in which capacity he continued until 1907, when he retired from the business. Mr. Dobell stands for reform, advancement and improvement in all matters pertaining to the welfare of the city of Quebec and of the Province. He has always exhibited a keen interest in shipping matters, and for the last five years has been a member of the Quebec Harbor Commissioners, having been elected to represent those interests. He is also a School Commissioner and a member of the Council of the municipality of St. Colomba of Sillery, near Quebec, where he resides, both of which offices he has held for several years. He also served for several years as an officer in the Eighth Royal Rifles, of Quebec, and retired with the rank of Captain. In religious faith he is an Anglican.
Mr. Dobell is a member of numerous clubs, among which may be mentioned the following: Garrison Club, Quebec, Rideau Club, Ottawa, Montreal Hunt Club, Mount Royal and St. James Clubs, Montreal, and the Junior Athenaeum, London, England. He is also Vice-President of the Turf Club, Quebec. Mr. Dobell has travelled extensively, and has visited Europe, Australia, New Zealand, etc., in order to gain some knowledge of foreign parts of the world.¹