Hidden treasures: How soap helped a French-Canadian break into Montreal's Anglo-dominated business world

To mark Montreal's 375th anniversary, curators from Montreal museums showus some of their favourite items hidden in their archives. This is the first installmentin an ongoing series.

In the 19th century, Montreal was the economic centre of Canada, but the majority of companies were owned and controlled by British businessmen.

So for a French-Canadian to enter the scene and make a lastingmark in such an environment was difficult.

That's exactly what Joseph Barsalou did with his soap company.

Barsalou got his start in the world of business with an apprenticeship with an auction company in Montreal in the late 1830s.

He used his growing business acumen to buy a rubber business.

But his biggest success was in suds.

J Barsalou & Co., Montreal was founded in 1875.

Soon, you couldn`t open a newspaper or magazine in Canada withoutBarsalou'sadvertisements inside.

"Barsalou [started] his industry's company at the time when it was very common to publicize the daily life products," said Jean-Franois Leclerc, curator at the Centre D'Histoire, a museum dedicated to the history of Montreal.

The Jacques Cartier Bridge and the stubborn Barsalou family

After founding his company, Barsalou had a factory built near the corner of De Lormier Avenue and De Maisonneuve Boulevard.

Barsalou eventually handed over the business to his sons.

In the 1920s, when talk of building a new connection across the St. Lawrence to alleviate traffic on the Victoria Bridge, they hadto deal with the problem.

Many homes and businesses were asked to leave the area to make way for what would eventually be the Jacques Cartier Bridge, but the Barsalou brothers would not let go of their factory.

"The Barsalou family refused to sell their property. So the consequence was that the bridge had to go beside that company," said Leclerc.

"That's why, when you are entering Montreal, you do that curve, which is a bit strange for that kind of project."

The Barsalou company was eventually sold during the Second World War and became Familex. You can still see the name in faded paint on the side of the factory today.