Here are more Montreal Manufacturing plants known to Verdun old timers, Many Verdunites earned their living and raised their family thanks to the hundreds of jobs they created for a good part of the 20th century.
Here are 3 of these plants on Saint Patrick street:
Charles Orlando Clark built in 1893, 5010 Saint Patrick St., manufactuer of Bells.
The Mount Royal Spinning Co. Ltd, 5524 Saint Patrick St:; Textiles (today Dominion Textile)
Crane Co., 3820 Saint Patrick St., built 1919
Guy
Source: Pignon sur Rue, Les Quartiers de Montréal, by Michèle Benoit and Roger Gratton (Roxboro Sources Public Library)
12 comments:
Hi Guy,
You might be interested in the book "Manufacturing Montreal" It is a history of the development of various industries on the Island during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. I read it about 4-5 years ago. Very interesting.
Here is an amazon site where you could have a closer look at the contents of this book.
http://www.amazon.com/Manufacturing-Montreal-Industrial-Landscape-Creating/dp/080186349X
BrownBlvd
Ray, I am particularly interested in the industries that exhisted in the immediate vicinity of Verdun who employed so many Verdunites during the 20th century. Most of these industries were located along the Lachine canal. As an example, my father worked for the Steel Co. on Notre Dame street but the back was facing the canal. We lived on Joseph, Bond (now Évangéline) and Galt street and he would walk from home, year-round and surely many other Verdunites, therefore having a social and economic impact on our lives. The only large industry in Verdun was the D.I.L. plant who employed as many as 6000 during the second world war, many of them Verduntes such as my mother. It was the Dominion Textile plant between the 2 world wars. A section of this plant was converted to a residential area and is still standing today at the corner of Henri Duhamel and La Poudrière streets. Guy
Ray , thanks for that info.the table of contents looks like it would share a lot of information,about many of the companies that existed around those days...I have been in a lot of different plants,as a kid and then a teen,.working for my oldmans shop,we did a lot of business with places like Vickers Ltd,. J&R Weirs,.......Booth-Coulter,,,...Peacock Bros. Montreal Welding JPCoates DeKypers distellery, Labatts Molson Fry-Cadbury Velan Engineering Dominion Bridge and plenty of work in along the Harbour ( I had a 'C' sticker on the windshield of my car,which allowed me anytime access to the Harbour Front,and was handy in beating the Montreal Traffic when I had to head out to the east-end, I could cut through the Harbour......) We did a lot of ship repair,...also Pipe Bending,..made steam-jacketted kettles,.replaced bottoms of candy pans,,,,( usually copper,in those days ) also supplied the clear lens' s for welding helmets,I used to cut the glass for them......and I mean thousands & thousands.....used to deliver sometimes all the way to Fort Erie.etc etc So I will make a point of trying to find this book,through a local library ,or might even have to break down & buy a copy..............( I hate that........hahahahaha) & our library here is on strike right now.... Anyway thanks for the info,.............................HF&RV
Guy there was Ginn Bros Plastics on Regina Ave just above Wellington. At its height it employed only Verdunites. Patsy Ginn Ernst
Patricia, I have found the following in the Lovell directory (1970): Ginn Bros. Ltée (Plastics) 280 Regina street Verdun Pres. Mrs Cortina Zaretti Tres. Marco Zanetti (V303) 768 - 1173 Seems to be a small family owned company. What else do you know about this company. I presume you lived nearby. Guy
Guy this factory used to owned by my uncles Tony and Nick Ginn. they bought the old garage on Regina in the 1940s (the building has since been converted to condos) They used both floors for their pastics swizzle sticks, plastic wall tiles, letter openers and bottons etc. They later downsized to the top floor with Constanta Co Of Canada on the main floor, In the late 50s and early 60s they employed about 40-50 people. Patsy Ginn Ernst
Patsy, This is very interesting, surprising is the word, as to have a staff of 40-50 people makes it a sizeable manufacturing plant since Verdun is not known for having such large companies. This is going in our archives so if you have any letterheads, photos or other memorabilia please post them. Guy
Guy will look through my old boxes for some letterheads if not will call my cousin to see if she has any Patsy Ginn Ernst
Hi Guy I worked in a factory, manufacturing place on Cabot street in the 70's...across from the canal-they made hang-tags and woven tags for mostly jeans...I had to design logos and do camera work...geez if I could remember the name of it I'd be able to sleep tonight! lol...It was a real dump of a place but quite large...must've had at least 150 people working there when I did....great pay for the designers but crap wages for the folks on the sewing machines!
Guy...My Grandfather worked at Cranes ...I found a bronze plaque in his stuff which I am confused about-it's from The United Steelworkers of America...local 3647...but he never worked or lived in the USA! It says for Loyal services rendered...any ideas how to find out what this was for...
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Cathy, As I previously mentioned, those factories along the Canal employed a lot of Verdunites. My father worked for the Steel Co. and my brother worked for Belding-Corticelli making socks. You can buy a pair of socks today made in China for a dollar a pair at Dolorama. Asian cheap labor killed all these factories. I am familiar with the Crane factory as we would go by on our way to swin in the canal in the 40s. As far as the United Steel Workers of America, no doubt they had a Canadian affiliate. Keep those old Verdun souvenirs coming. Guy
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