William Mellis Christie

William Mellis Christie (5 January 1829 – 14 June 1900) is the namesake for the Canadian Mr. Christie brand of cookies and biscuits.

Christie was born in Huntly, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, the only child of John Christie and Jane Grant. He apprenticed as a baker before arriving in Canada in 1848.

With Alexander Brown, Christie co-founded a city bakery, which became Christie, Brown and Company in 1853. By the 1880s, Christie's was considered to be the largest manufacturer of biscuits in Canada.

The firm's primary plant in Toronto covered 300,000 square feet (28,000 m²). The business opened a $1 million biscuit factory in Winnipeg, Manitoba, a region of spring wheat, in February 1932.

The product had a market base in all parts of the country but does not appear to have penetrated export markets to any degree before his death. The product line, of which there were more than 400 varieties of cakes and biscuits, was carefully monitored for quality by Christie himself. "Pirate cookies", with an oatmeal and peanut butter combination, was the most popular of all brands.

In October 1934, George Morrow and his brother Frederick K. Morrow owned the Christie, Brown Company, and had controlling interest in the Gold Dust Corporation, the American Linseed Company, the Standard Milling Company, the Ward Baking Company, United Cigar Stores Limited, and United Stores, Inc.

The no par of the Christie, Brown Company was removed from the list on the in March 1932.

Today Mr. Christie is a brand under Nabisco and as part of Mondelez International with products in the Canadian market. Mr. Christie Bakery and Outlet was located at 23 Park Lawn Road in Etobicoke before closing.

1848 September – Age 19 - Christie gets his first job working as a baker in Toronto for a company called William McConnell. The shop is located on Yonge street at what was then the north end of Toronto. He is paid $4.00 per month plus given room and board. He does his baking at night and delivers the baked goods by handcart to customers in nearby Yorkville.

1850 - Age 21 – Christie leaves his job at William McConnell and goes to a neighbouring bakery managed by Alexander Mathers and Alexander Brown.

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