Abraham Calp
Abraham Calp was born in Odessa, Russia in 1905. He came to Saint John in 1926 with his wife Fena, mother Sarah, brother Jack, and sister Celia. They were escaping from Russia after the family’s specialty men’s clothing shop was confiscated by the Bolsheviks. They left Odessa on December 6, 1924 and crossed the border illegally into Romania with the help of relatives. From there they obtained an American visa, but when American borders were closed to Jewish immigration, they were able to get a visa to enter Canada. They were assisted by a relative in Saint John and the Jewish Immigrant Aid Society. The Calp family arrived in Saint John on December 2, 1926
Abe Calp worked briefly for Harry Davis in construction, but soon turned to peddling, selling clothing he was able to get from the People’s Clothing Store, run by Joseph Stekolsky on Main Street. He remembered that his customers liked him and he provided credit to some of those customers, accepting partial payment and returning later for the rest.
He opened his first store on Charlotte Street in 1933 and was one of the first city merchants to arrange for customers to buy on credit. In a 1987 interview with the local newspaper, Abe Calp recounted what life was like in those early days in business: “I found it necessary to initiate credit. At that time most stores who gave credit did so only to persons of means, but we were flexible. We told people to buy what they wanted and pay as they could afford. In many instances it amounted to no more than 25 cents a week … it was a struggle to stay ahead of the bills.”
Calp’s Store, Kings Square North entrance
Calp’s advertisement, The Evening Times Glove, September 10, 1936
He moved to a larger space at 26-28 Charlotte Street and over time the store grew to have frontage on both Charlotte Street and Kings Square North, amounting to about 50,000 square feet. The store was destroyed by fire in 1943, but was rebuilt soon after. When Calp’s closed in 1993, it was one of the largest independent department stores in the Maritime Provinces. The store took out large advertisements in The Evening Times Globe newspaper, usually on page 5, and featured women’s and men’s clothing, shoes, a wedding department and a bargain basement. The store was well known for its quality merchandise, window displays (especially at Christmas) and annual bridal shows. In its heyday the store employed as many as 70 people. His sister, Celia, was a buyer for the store and his son-in-law took over the store’s management in the late 1980s.
Abraham Calp in Calp’s store
Abe Calp was the first Chairman of the Saint John Merchants Association, President of the Associated Stores of Canada and a charter member of the Retail Council of Canada. He was an active member of the Jewish community serving as President of the Shaarei Zedek Congregation from 1975 to 1978 and as President of the Saint John Ezra Lodge of the Zionist Order Habonim. He was Vice-President of the Zionist Organization of Canada and Maritimes Regional Chair for the Jewish National Fund. He chaired many United Jewish Appeal and State of Israel Bonds fundraising campaigns and was honoured with a Negev Dinner in 1955.
Abe Calp also gave his efforts to a number of cultural, service and recreational organizations in the city including the Saint John Community Concert Association, New Brunswick Competitive Festival of Music, the Union Club, the Masonic Lodge No. 2, Rotary Club, Westfield Golf Club and Riverside Golf and Country Club. Calp’s sponsored an annual fundraising fashion show for the Saint John Symphony Orchestra. He volunteered for the Canadian National Institute of the Blind, Saint John General Hospital and St. Joseph’s Hospital. He founded and chaired Fundy Linen Services, a non-profit laundry service for hospitals in south-western New Brunswick. In 1992, he was presented with a Canada 125 medal in recognition of his contributions in the community.
Fena Calp and Bertie Elman in Pamdenec
Fena Calp came to Saint John from Russia with her husband, Abraham Calp and other members of the Calp family in 1926. She married Abe Calp in 1924, just before they escaped – she was then 17 years old and Abe was 19. She was an active member of Hadassah.
Fena, Marie and Lucy Calp
Abraham and Fena Calp moved from Spring Street in the “valley” to 78 Orange Street in the early 1940s where they remained until the 1990s.
They had three daughters – Marie, Lucille, and Francine.
Marie Calp Bornstein (1927-2002)
Marie Calp Bornstein moved to Toronto and owned an antique store.
Lucille Calp Kerr
Lucille Calp Kerr was the first young woman in the Jewish community to train and practice as a lawyer. She received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of New Brunswick and a law degree from Dalhousie in Halifax. She was called to the Nova Scotia Bar in 1953 and began her career in 1954. During her career she did legal research for Dalhousie University, made presentations on Land Registration in the Maritime Provinces and was co-author of the 1974 edition of the Canadian Hospital Law Book with Lorne Rozovsky (his father Hyman Rozovsky grew up in Saint John). Lucy married Donald Kerr, another lawyer, and had two children.
Francine Calp Goldsmith
Francine Calp Goldsmith (1934-2019) received a Bachelor of Arts in English and Philosophy from McGill University. She met her husband Lloyd Goldsmith in New York City and they returned to Saint John. She was an avid sportswoman, playing basketball while a student at Saint John High School, curling on a rink that came second in the NB curling championship, golfing at Westfield and Riverside and playing bridge, reaching the level of Life Master. She was on the boards of the Boys and Girls Club and the St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation and was a member of Henrietta Szold Chapter of Hadassah, the Sisterhood of the Shaarei Zedek Synagogue and the Saint John Jewish Historical Society. They had two children – Mark and Renée.
Jack (1912-1992) and Teresa (Ross) Calp (1913-1996)
Jack Calp arrived as part of the Calp family group in 1926. He worked alongside his brother Abraham until opening his own shop – Jack Calp’s Men’s Wear – in 1948. He learned about the quality of cloth from his father, Marcus. He, in turn, passed that knowledge on to his son, Norman as reported in the newspaper in 2000: “From the age of 8, [Norman] Calp was brought to showrooms and tutored on the art of distinguishing fine cloths and clothing. ‘He told me then that you have to develop your fingering to the touch and feeling of the cloth,” Mr. Calp explained. ‘You have to develop your fingers like a violinist would develop their fingers. I’ve learned from a great teacher, and hopefully, I’ve kept up the tradition my father started.’”
The focus of his shop was on quality – including top of line suits and shirts from well known and respected companies, both from Canada and Europe – and customer service – “‘The whole staff can wait on one person to make sure they get what they need,’ Mr. Calp said, referring to the importance of the right fit and choice. ‘Having quality on the shelf means nothing without the service.’ “
Jack Calp moved his men’s wear store to 8 Charlotte Street from 78 King Street in 1973 and the store remained here until it closed in September 2003. Norman Calp had followed in his father’s footsteps to own and manage the store.
He married to Teresa Ross. She was a daughter of John and Rachel Ross and had two brothers – Harry and Max – and two sisters, Ethel (Sharpe) and Aida (Fritz). She graduated from Saint John High School and Modern Business College and worked in her husband’s store, Jack Calp Men’s Wear Ltd. She was a life member of the Henrietta Szold Chapter of Hadassah WIZO. She was a member of Sisterhood and the Saint John Regional Hospital Auxiliary. She was known for her baking and handiwork skills.
They had two sons – Mark and Norman.
Jack Calp’s advertisement – The Evening Times Globe, April 22, 1981
Mark, Bonnie, Keiver, Norman and Keri Calp
Norman Calp was married to Bonnie and they had two children – Keiver and Keri. Norman took over the management of Jack Calp’s from his father. On his retirement in the early 2000s, the store closed.
References:
Louis I. Michelson Archives and Research and Exhibition Files, Saint John Jewish Historical Museum
Marcia Koven – Weaving the Past Into the Present (Saint John: 1989 and 2008)
The Evening Times Globe / The Telegraph Journal (Saint John newspapers)
This project is made possible with funding from the Archaeology and Heritage Branch, Province of New Brunswick through their Exhibit Renewal Digital Component program and the unwavering support of the Jewish families who made Saint John their home.
