Profile of ROBERT GOVAN

After a successful trading career for McLeod in Montreal, Bob moved to the Toronto area so he could trade for McLeod on the TSE floor at 234 Bay Street.

Bob is well known for his caring heart that was open to anyone that needed a sympathetic ear.

Bob was also well know for his sense of fair play and would back it with his unrelenting passion, particularly when it came to those "fading" quotes in Montreal. Ask Bob Maher, McLeod's Montreal Head Trader, his ears are probably still ringing.

Bob passed away this past year and is missed.

Rothmans Listing - April 10, 1961

From left to right: Mike Delgrande, John Huckstep, Ron Steers, Rothmans lady

Photo contributed by John Huckstep

TSE Traders Archive Surpasses 2000 Hits

Thank you to all contributors and readers!

The TSE Traders Archive has surpassed 2000 hits since its release at the beginning of August!

Give us your comments about what you like or would like to see here in the future. Click on the COMMENTS link at the bottom of this posting to submit your feedback.

And remember, the more you contribute in sharing pictures, stories or anything related to the TSE trade floor, the better this blog will be!

Happy Retirement, Bob!

After several decades, Bob Point calls it quits.

Bob's customized keyboard.

Bob's Take on the Markets - Early 80s

Bob Point: This is what I think of the markets today.



Bob Point (to photographer): Why the hell are you still here?

To Bob's left is Smokey, who's gearing to party.





Photos contributed by Owen Ritchie

Wall St. versus Bay St.

David Sears as Bud Fox and Mike Morrison as Gordon Gekko

© Wall Street, Amercent Films

Profile of JAMES (JIMMY) DIMSON

My Stock Market career began in 1955 when I was hired by Ross Knowles & Co. Limited as a Clearing Clerk at their Adelaide Street Office. In December 1957, I was fortunate to fill a Phone Clerk vacancy on the Floor where I remained under the watchful eye and careful guidance of John (Steamer) Lucas. He was well respected on the Floor and he became my mentor for many years to come. Other traders that I remember working with at Ross Knowles were Bob Hamilton, Harold Mayne and Jerry Popplestone. Ross Knowles later merged with Pitfield MacKay and the firm became Pitfiled MacKay Ross, aka PMR. At Pitfield, I remember Frank Dunbar, Walter Summerhill, Don Woods and Don Walker. Other old-timers that I remember working with over the years included Don (Bulgy) Miller, Bob Miller, Jim Moran and Dennis Cannon. Some time later, PMR merged with Dominion Securities Ames and became Dominion Securities Pitfield. When I left DS in 1985, I traded for First Canada Securities until my retirement in 1989.

I continue to miss my daily contact, fellowship and camaraderie I shared with my colleagues and which I continue to miss to this day, some eighteen years later.

Nice Sunroof!

One great passtime on the trading floor was pulling gags on fellow traders. One of the best that I remember involved Doug Scott, the best gagster on the floor and Jim Ackers, one of the most mercurial traders working on the floor.

One Monday, Jim showed up late for work and told many traders that he was getting a sun roof put on his new Cadillac and he was very excited about it. Unfortunately, the word got to Doug Scott, who was exceptional with telephone gags. Sometime in the early afternoon, Doug, with a disguised voice called Jim to tell him the sun roof job was completed and that he was very satisfied with the job he had done and that Jim could come and pick it up anytime. The prankster Doug then told Jim that he must be one of the nicest men in the whole world, which took the mercurial Jim by surprise and Jim wanted to know why he said that. Prankster Doug told him that he had put hundreds of sun roofs on cars and this was the first time a request had come in for a sun roof for the passengers in the back seat.

Needless to say, after a few expletives, the telephone receiver went flying into the air.