New Brunswick Black History Society
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Business

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The Iron Duke Restaurant
Saint John, NB

In 1976 David Peters opened Saint John's first elegant dining room, combining excellent food with exquisite surroundings. The Iron Duke on Leinster Street was the forerunner of today's heritage inns. The home was built in 1878 for Andrew J. Armstrong, offered the charm and beauty of Victorian architecture and design with his specialty of the house, Creole cuisine. The house even came with the ghostly image of a young girl's face on the metal basement door. This restaurant was recommended in the 1978 book "Where To Eat In Canada".


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Ralph's Action Centre
Saint John, NB

Owner and operator of an Esso Service Station from 1975 to 1980, Ralph Thomas operated 3 service bays and employed 6 people at Ralph's Action Centre on Manawagonish Road, in Saint John, NB. Home of the Action Rabbit!

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Sidney Nash
Lakeville Corner, NB

Sidney Nash owned and operated a garage with gas pumps before WWII. It was located in Lakeville Corner, NB. He was married to Amy Holmes (Nash). After the passing of Sidney, the garage was left to his son Earl, who eventually removed the pumps. The garage is now owned by Earl's son Brian Nash. 


Three Generations of Business Owners

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East End Second Hand Furniture 
& 
Skinners Stove Hospital
Saint John, NB

Nicodemus Skinner came from Halifax, Nova Scotia to become one of the only two Black merchants of his day in Saint John to operate a business in the year of 1921. This business was located at 257-259 City Road and was in operation for many years. 

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C.P.A. Building

Saint John, NB

The C.P.A. (Coloured People Association) was purchased by Nick Skinner for the Black people to have a place of their own to host weddings, dances etc. as many places would not allow Black's to attend their locations for such events. This building was located on Main Street in Saint John where the Lord Beaverbrook is now located.

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Denturist 
Saint John, NB

Robert Skinner is the son of the late Clifford (Nick) Skinner. The Skinner family has owned and operated businesses within the City of Saint John for many years.




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Joseph Seale
Saint John, NB

Joseph Seale came to Saint John in 1922 from Barbados. By 1940 Mr. Seale had a very successful wholesale fish business in the City of Saint John. His business covered most of the Maritimes and other parts of the world, including the USA, Barbados and Jamaica. His fish plants were in Saint John and Nova Scotia.  This is where the fish were kept in cold storage and were fresh, salted and smoked in the smokehouse. The fish were then shipped to various buyers. Mr. Seale was known to be a shrewd business man and a man of great integrity.

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John Seale followed in his fathers footsteps, only he chose to be in the contract trucking business, Seale's Trucking. John was also a hard nose business man who demanded respect from the people he worked with. Being a person of color during John's time in the trucking industry was not easy. He had to work very hard at breaking some of the barriers, but soon John was looked upon as a man with hard work ethics, with the determination of right and wrong. John soon won large contracts from very important customers, including the City of Saint John. John's motto is " You must always expect to win the contract".  


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McIntyre's Trucking
Saint John, NB

McIntyre's Trucking was founded by Clarence & Olive McIntyre in 1968. Their son Bob McIntyre joined his parents in 1975 and they chose to change their name to C.W. McIntyre & Son. After the passing of Clarence on April 23, 1990 the business was passed down to Bob and his family, who continue to run the business today as McIntyre's Moving & Storage.

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The Royal Salon
Saint John, NB

The Royal Salon was located at 18 Charlotte Street, and owned and operated by Cornelius Sparrow. He was an ex-slave who arrived in Saint John, NB in 1851. He operated his first saloon in 1862, a restaurant that specialized in local fruits and vegetables and also offered a ladies and gentleman's hair salon.

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