LogoutMr. Argue Martin
This interview features D’arcy Argue Counsell Martin, an 87-year-old retired Hamilton lawyer reflecting on his legal career and family history. Born in 1898 to a prominent legal family, Martin discusses the Martin & Martin law firm established by his grandfather and grand-uncle around 1860, and his Irish ancestry tracing back to Galway. He describes his education at Trinity College School and University of Toronto, followed by legal training at Osgoode Hall where he formed study groups with fellow students rather than attending lectures regularly.
After articling at Watson, Smoke, Smith and Sinclair and graduating in 1923, Martin chose to return to Hamilton rather than accept a lucrative Toronto offer, preferring to remain a Hamiltonian. Throughout his career, he developed a preference for corporate creation and served as director of 40-50 corporations, finding this work more creative and satisfying than litigation. The interview provides insights into early 20th century legal practice in Ontario, family law firm traditions, and the evolution of corporate law practice in Hamilton.
This description was written by AI and may contain some inaccuracies.
References
The following are a selection of topics discussed in this oral history.
- Osgoode Hall
- Trinity College School
- University of Toronto
- Conservative Association
- Hamilton City Council
- Hamilton Harbour Commissioners
- Ontario Legislature
- Great Depression
- Irish potato famine
- Prohibition
- World War I
- Ballynahinch
- Canada
- Chicago
- Dublin
- Galway
- Hamilton
- Ireland
- Ontario
- Ottawa
- Toronto
- Martin & Martin
- McFarlane and McFarlane
- Watson, Smoke, Smith and Sinclair
- Dick murder
- Kinrade murder
- Barbara Anne Scott
- Charlie Bell
- Chris Kates
- D'arcy Argue Counsell Martin
- Darcy Richard Charles Martin
- Don McFarlane
- Dorothy Catherine Luxton
- Douglas Ross
- Edward Martin
- Frank Waddell
- Fred Torrance
- Freeman Treleaven
- George Luxton
- George Lynch-Staunton
- Grayson Smith
- Harry Hutson
- Hubert Anthony Martin
- Hugh McKenna
- Humanity Dick Martin
- Jim Hill
- John Peebles
- Kirwan Martin
- Lady Borden
- Lloyd D. Jackson
- Maitland MacIntosh
- Margaret Elizabeth Stinson
- Marshall Field
- Melville Rogers
- Orville Walsh
- Potter Palmer
- Richard Martin
- Robert Fraser
- Sir Oliver Martin
- Sir Robert Borden
- William Burton
- Alpha Delta Phi fraternity
- Osgoode Society for Canadian Legal History
- Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
- 1860s
- 1890s
- 1900s
- 1910s
- 1920s
- 1930s
- 1980s
- Corporate Law
- criminal work
- estate work
- Family Law
- Foreclosures
- Labour Law
- Litigation
- Mortgages
- trial law
Some of these references were generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies.
Archive Details
Files consist of oral history records documenting the life and career of D'Arcy Argue Martin (b. 1898), former senior partner of Martin & Martin in Hamilton, Ontario. Interview topics include: World War I; University of Toronto; Osgoode Hall Law School; M.P.P. for Hamilton West, 1931; Chancellor, McMaster University; corporate law. Interview conducted by Christine J.N. Kates and Bob Fraser. File includes six audio cassette recordings from a series of three interviews and a transcript with index (237 p.).