An Anglophone World
Most immigrants employed at the Montreal Cotton Co. came from England, Scotland, and Ireland. Many techniques and machines had been developed there, along with trade schools. Therefore, the company recruited English-speaking workers from the British Isles because they had the experience and qualifications needed for sound management and operation of the factory’s machines. For their part, French-Canadians made up a strong labour force. Noteworthy is the fact that the sponsors were partial to their countrymen, giving them management positions and the best-paying jobs.
While all or nearly all management staff was made up of unilingual English speakers, not all English-speaking employees were management. Some of them worked as spinners, weavers, or mechanics. However, for the most part, they did not associate with the local French population, which created friction and sporadic hostility in the younger generation. But generally both sides minded their own business.
Weavers at work at the Montreal Cotton Co., c. 1950.
Suzanne Ménard Collection.
At work, English dominated as the working language, and English vocabulary was francized; for example, strapping machine became strappeuse, and weaved or spun became wivé. Other words were abridged, such as factory ("factri"), Empire ("empy"), and Dominion Textile ("Dompi").
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