Robert Montgomery Horne-Payne | The Canadian Encyclopedia

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Robert Montgomery Horne-Payne

Robert Montgomery Horne-Payne, financier (b in Eng; d at Brentwood, Eng 30 Jan 1929). Long an invalid, he rarely visited Canada, but his financial skills left an imprint on the landscape and a northern Ontario town (Hornepayne) bears his name.

Robert Montgomery Horne-Payne

Robert Montgomery Horne-Payne, financier (b in Eng; d at Brentwood, Eng 30 Jan 1929). Long an invalid, he rarely visited Canada, but his financial skills left an imprint on the landscape and a northern Ontario town (Hornepayne) bears his name. He has been credited with directing $500 million of British capital to Canada from 1894-1928, through the British Empire Trust Co, which he founded. So influential was Horne-Payne that when he warned British investors in June 1913 of reckless Canadian municipal borrowing, several western mayors protested. As chief fundraiser for William MACKENZIE and Donald MANN, he was London director of the Canadian Northern Railway from 1901 until the Canadian government took it over in 1918. From its inception in 1897 until its sale to Canadian interests in 1928, he was an active chairman of the board of the BC Electric Railway. He was also a director of other Canadian firms and was associated with Canadian capitalists in Latin American utility companies, notably Brazilian Traction, Light and Power Co, Ltd.