FOOD HISTORY CORNER

  • October 1, 2019

PEI Museum & Heritage Foundation – Davis and Fraser

Davis and Fraser Pork Packers and Provision Merchants was a meat packing and processing plant in Charlottetown. It was first located on Kent Street, but later moved to Grafton Street. The original plant was in operation as early as 1895, although the business was only incorporated in 1905.

It all began when Fraser, an Islander born in North Lake, moved to Halifax in 1898. There, he began a partnership with A.J. Davis, a local businessman. At that time, Davis appears to have been operating a drink manufacturing factory on McNabs Island. Davis and Fraser’s new company would grow to have assets in both Charlottetown and Halifax.

In 1934, Davis passed away, and in 1942, Fraser passed away. The company was then given to Fraser’s son Cecil. In November 1946, a fire broke out at the plant in Charlottetown, destroying about two-thirds of the building. It also demolished most of the processing machinery, and caused an estimated loss of half-a-million dollars.

A few months after the fire, Canada Packers Ltd. purchased the plant—keeping all of the former staff members employed. The change in ownership was reported on in newspaper articles, including one that stated Davis and Fraser Pork Packers and Provision Merchants was “one of the city’s more important industrial plants” for most of the early 20th century.

About Molly Pendergast

As a self-proclaimed "broke bon vivant," Molly spends a lot of time thinking about food, talking about food, and trying new food. She is a recent graduate of Carleton University's Journalism School and loves nothing more than telling/listening to a good story. If you ever need to chat with her, the topic of baked goods is usually a great place to start.

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