Hartland Molson
Senator, brewer, Battle of Britain pilot, and Montreal Canadiens owner.
Hartland de Montarville Molson (May 29, 1907 – September 28, 2002) was a Canadian senator, military aviator, and member of the prominent Molson brewing family. Born in Montreal to a wealthy brewing family—his father was Colonel Herbert Molson—he attended Selwyn House School, Bishop's College School, and Charterhouse in England before entering the Royal Military College of Canada in 1924. An all-around athlete, he played hockey for the Kingston Juniors, who reached the 1926 Memorial Cup finals, and also played football, competed in boxing finals, and ran track. After graduating in 1928, the bilingual Molson trained in finance at a Paris bank, then returned home to earn his Chartered Accountant designation and take flying lessons. He served as a reserve officer in the Militia for five years, reaching the rank of lieutenant with the 27th Field Battery.
He married Helen Hogg in 1931; they divorced in 1938 and had a daughter, Zoe, who married Henry Nicholas Paul Hardinge, 5th Viscount Hardinge, and moved to Jersey. His second wife, Magdalena Posner, died in 1982. In 1990, he married Peggy deLancey Robinson, widow of former Senator Theodore Meighen, and remained with her until her death in 2000. Through this marriage, he became stepfather to Senator Michael Meighen.
Molson enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force on September 21, 1939, earned his wings on April 11, 1940, and was assigned to No. 115 Squadron in Montreal. He was among a handful of pilots transferred to No. 1 Squadron that spring to bolster its numbers before shipping to the United Kingdom. Arriving in England in June 1940, the squadron trained in RAF procedures and fought in the Battle of Britain. He damaged a Dornier Do 17 on August 26, damaged two Messerschmitt Bf 110s on September 4, and claimed a Heinkel He 111 destroyed on September 11. On October 5, he was shot down over Canterbury, bailed out wounded, and was hospitalized; his Hurricane crashed at Deering Farm, Smarden. After 62 combat missions, he was repatriated to Canada to convalesce. Declared fit, he was promoted to squadron leader and commanded No. 118 Squadron, flying Grumman Goblins and Curtiss Kittyhawks at RCAF Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, from July 23, 1941, to June 14, 1942. He then commanded No. 126 Squadron, flying Hurricanes, until September 6, 1942. In October, he took command of No.
Quick Facts
- Honorific Prefix
- The Honourable
- Office
- Senator for Alma, Quebec
- Appointer
- Louis St. Laurent
- Predecessor
- Charles Ballantyne
- Successor
- W. David Angus
- Term Start
- July 28, 1955
- Term End
- May 31, 1993
- Birth Date
- 1907-05-29
- Birth Place
- Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Death Date
- 2002-09-28
- Party
- Independent
- Relations
- Michael Meighen, stepson
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Hartland Molson was born into the wealthy Molson brewing family, the son of Colonel Herbert Molson. He played ice hockey for the Kingston Juniors team that reached the 1926 Memorial Cup finals while at the Royal Military College of Canada. After graduating in 1928, he trained in finance at a bank in Paris, became a Chartered Accountant, and took flying lessons. He served as a reserve officer in the Militia, reaching the rank of Lieutenant with the 27th Field Battery between 1928 and 1933.
During World War II, Molson enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force in September 1939. He earned his wings on April 11, 1940, and flew combat missions during the Battle of Britain, damaging a Do 17, two Messerschmitt Bf 110s, and claiming a Heinkel He 111 destroyed. He was shot down on October 5, 1940, wounded, and hospitalized. After convalescence, he commanded No. 118 Squadron, No. 126 Squadron, and later RCAF Station St-Hubert, eventually serving at RCAF Headquarters. He was discharged in September 1945 and made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1946.
In 1957, with his brother Thomas Henry Pentland Molson, he purchased the Montreal Canadiens. As head of the team, he helped build a dynasty that ended the Detroit Red Wings' dominance, winning the Stanley Cup in 1958, 1959, 1960, 1965, 1966, and 1968. He retired from the Canadiens after the 1968 Cup win, and the team was sold in 1972. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1973 in the builders category.
Reader's Guide
Hartland Molson's significance in hockey stems from his ownership of the Montreal Canadiens from 1957 to 1968, during which the team won six Stanley Cups. As a member of the NHL Board of Governors, he raised the profile of both the league and his brewing company through sponsorship of Hockey Night in Canada television broadcasts. His leadership helped develop the personnel that ended the Detroit Red Wings' dominance and built one of the greatest dynasties in sport. His name was engraved on the Stanley Cup six times. Beyond hockey, Molson served as a Canadian senator from 1955 to 1993, was a decorated Battle of Britain pilot, and led the family brewing empire as president from 1953 to 1966. His philanthropic work included co-founding the Molson Foundation in 1958, which dispersed over $120 million in grants. He was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1995 and received the Ordre national du Québec in 2000. His legacy is preserved in the Hockey Hall of Fame, the wall of honour at the Royal Military College of Canada, and buildings named after him at Bishop's College School and 438th Tactical Helicopter Squadron.
Did You Know?
- Molson played ice hockey for the Kingston Juniors team that made it to the 1926 Memorial Cup finals.
- During the Battle of Britain, he damaged a Do 17, two Messerschmitt Bf 110s, and claimed a Heinkel He 111 destroyed.
- His name was found on a terrorists' list of future victims during the 1970 October Crisis.
- He was one of the last senators to serve past the mandatory retirement age of 75, retiring in 1993 at age 86.
More in Hockey Hall of Fame Players, Part 2 1-24
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