Famed Canadian tailors established Bruce Beauchamp Memorial Award in Science

Terry Beauchamp and his younger brother Bruce were the third generation to take over the family business, Walter Beauchamp Tailors, Inc. — renowned for keeping folks well dressed, from prime ministers to industry titans, from the Canadian Armed Forces plus high-ranking members of the Jamaican military, to anyone in need of an exceptionally tailored suit. 

In honour of Bruce, who died of pancreatic cancer in 1988 on his 31st birthday, Terry, his sister Julie Slater, their parents Walter Jr. and Elinor, along with Terry’s wife Helen and the Beauchamp family established the Bruce Beauchamp Memorial Award in the Faculty of Science at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU). Every year, the award grants $1,000 to an undergraduate student in Biomedical Science or Medical Physics who demonstrates academic or research excellence in the life sciences, especially related to cancer knowledge and research.

“When Bruce passed away,” said Terry, “I was a young man with a young family and a mortgage. My dad was retired. Still, we wanted to create a memorial for Bruce that would live on and have an impact.” In lieu of flowers, they asked family and friends to donate to help establish the Bruce Beauchamp Memorial Fund, an endowment that funds the TMU award. “The fund is a fitting tribute to Bruce, whose generosity of spirit touched everyone that he met.”

The 2023 award recipient was fourth-year Biomedical Sciences student Michelle Morgovsky. Her undergraduate thesis in Dr. Costin Antonescu’s lab focused on cell signalling in triple-negative breast cancer, a highly aggressive form. She hopes to continue her journey in academia and become a leader in the health-care sector.

“As an individual who finances their education entirely through government assistance, scholarships, and part-time work, the Bruce Beauchamp Memorial Award has significantly aided me in pursuing my goals,” said Michelle. “Thank you to the Beauchamp family. Their generosity empowered me to stay involved in TMU Science while preparing for post-graduate education.” Michelle graduated in June 2024 and is now pursuing a Master of Health Science in Medical Physiology.

Terry’s connection to TMU extends beyond the award named after his brother. In the early 1980s he studied business at the university. And during his 35-year tenure as the owner of Walter Beauchamp Tailors, he hired many of the university’s School of Fashion co-op students. One of his most notable co-op students is Lawrence Cortez, now an international fashion photographer. Lawrence took photos for Terry’s book, Walter Beauchamp: A Tailored History of Toronto, which is co-written by Pedro Mendes and includes a foreword by Gordon Lightfoot, a patron of the shop.

In the book, Terry recounts the storied past of his family’s tailor shop and legacy, intertwined with the history of Canada. His grandfather Walter opened the business in 1908 and ran it for 35 years before passing it on to Terry’s father, Walter Jr., who also ran it for 35 years. When Terry closed the shop’s final location on Wellington Street in 2014, an era of Canadian history and fashion came to an end. 

“We did First World War uniforms — survived the Depression — we did Second World War uniforms, and then began doing business suits for both men and ladies. I started in 1984, and then Bruce joined me 10 years later, and we bought the company from my dad. But when Bruce passed away, I was the last man standing,” said Terry.

One of the shop’s most famous clients was Colonel Harland Sanders of Kentucky Fried Chicken fame, who would come to Walter Beauchamp Tailors to purchase his trademark double breasted white suits.

Terry still occasionally receives calls from clients decades after he first served them. “About 20 years ago, I got a call out of the blue from a woman asking me to make uniforms for senior officers within the Jamaican Defence Force. They used to visit the Queen’s tailor, but then they heard about this little company in Toronto named Walter Beauchamp’s who makes the best uniforms in the world. They ended up coming to Canada,” said Terry. “A couple weeks ago, I got a call from the same lady saying, ‘Terry, we need more uniforms.’ She was really disappointed to hear that we were no longer in business, but I was really honoured by her call and request.”

Despite the shop’s closure, the legacy of the Beauchamps remains tied to TMU — through the students Terry has mentored and those supported by the Bruce Beauchamp Memorial Award.

Photos: A morning coat tailored by Beauchamp & How in 1954; Captain P.J. VanAuken wearing the frock coat given to music directors of the Governor General’s Horse Guards; Detailed look at Captain VanAuken’s frock coat. Photos by Lawrence Cortez.

All photos in this article are from Walter Beauchamp: A Tailored History of Toronto written by Pedro Mendes and Terry Beauchamp.