Above, a lovely old toilet paper dispenser I installed years ago in my bathroom.
In 1865, a young Peter Gendron left his father's wagon works in St. Ours, Quebec and took a position as a pattern maker in at the Toledo Novelty Works in Ohio. Six years later, he established his own business. In 1874 he invented and patented a light-weight, spoked wheel which proved to be a significant improvement over the solid wheels of the time. Incorporating ball bearings into the hub added to its effectiveness and in 1880 he founded the Gendron Iron Wheel Company.
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| 1890 |
His company grew to the point that in 1890 he established the Gendron Manufacturing Company of Toronto, where in 1895 he built a large brick factory at 411 Richmond Street.
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| Vintage CCM |
At its height it was employing 100 workers, primarily French-Canadian Catholics who lived in this area of Toronto. The company's products included bicycles, tricycles, doll carriages and a variety of children's toys in both wood and rattan. In 1899, the bicycle aspect of the business was combined with the Massey bicycle firm, the Welland Vale Manufacturing Company, the Goold Bicycle Company of Brantford and the H.A. Lozier & Co. of Toronto form the Canada Cycle & Motor Co. Ltd. (CCM). (See Vintage CCM for a fuller history.) Peter Gendron died in 1911, but his company persisted. In a 1921 Toronto exhibit, when the company location was reported to be 137 Duchess Street, it was reported:
Up on the fifth floor of the Exhibition Hall the Gendron Mfg. Co. made a display of their varied lines. It was the largest and best display the company ever made. A special feature was their new line of reed strollers, which are as comfortable as a large-size baby carriage. These strollers have a new ebonized handle with brass-nickeled trimmings.
A big line of carriages was also shown, all of them with foot pocket and parcel space and sliding trap to make a bed when baby wants to sleep. The carriage models were all this season's samples, in whole reed and split reed. English models for city trade and wood panel carriages were there; the American type frondolas had reed tops and storm curtains. In colors white and old ivory predominated, with light shaded corduroy trimmings.
Among other lines exhibited were bassinettes, park cars, which are said to be popular in the West, baby chairs, children's furniture, kindergarten sets, toy carriages in reed; and in the boy line were new model automobiles, velocipedes, sleighs, artillery cars, wheel- barrows, roller-bearer coaster wagons, the latter equipped with a new brace which carries all strain, relieving the tugging on the front axle.
Gendron also made wheelchairs, such as the one below that I photographed in the Kingston ReStore:
In 1927 the parent company became a subsidiary of American National, a holding company for Toledo Metal Wheel, National Wheel, and American Wheel. Over the ensuing decades, the parent company was sold and sold again, becoming the Gendron Wheel Company in 1941, operating out of Perrysburg, Ohio and specializing in wheelchairs, playground equipment and other children's wheeled vehicles. Further changes of ownership took place, and the company today is primarily a manufacturer of medical devices.
It looks to me like, when the American parent company was purchased in the late 1920's, the Canadian company joined forces with the McFarlane Company of Toronto and Belleville, offering products under both the McFarlane-Gendron and Gendron names. McFarlane made a wide range of products, including brooms, brushes, implements, utensils, ladders, lawn chairs, sleds, washboards, and sundry household woodenwares.
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| 1943 |
Below, a ladder rung lock made by McFarlane Gendron. It's a solid piece of cast iron!
In 1935, the Toronto firm made the "Canada's National Game table hockey game.") In this guise, the company seems to have persisted into the 1970's. The Toronto factory on Richmond Street is now protected under the Ontario Heritage Act.
The McFarlane Gendron company continued until the late 1970's or early 1980's. In 1983, it's former Belleville plant on Sydney Street was purchased by William Finkle Machine Limited.
Below a company portrait of the McFarlane Belleville workforce in 1958. Recognise anyone?
17 comments:
The company was in the hands of my grandfather George Vincent McFarlane up until his death in 1970. The Firm was put up for sale because William Vincent McFarlane his son wanted to purchase the company, However his sister betty Kingston vetoed the proposal and the firm was sold to a Mr Kotlier. Whom let his wife run the company into the ground in 10 years that the McFarlanes took 100 years to build. Read the Toronto Star/Globe and mail they ran the article.
This comment was left by the surviving legitamite daughter EVA LINDA MCFARLANE.
William McFarlane died from an absessed tooth as a young man in 1915. My grandfather, George Breading McFarlane, son of Wiliam, joined the firm in 1928. He became President in 1970 following the death of Vincent. McFarlane Manufacturing made ladders and Gendron manufacturing were operated as separate companies until 1936. They were amalgamated in 1940 to create McFarlane Gendron. June 29, 1971 the McFarlane family sold to Alan Kotlier. Alan Kotlier was an engineering graduate from MIT. He was President of s large manufacturing company for ten years before acquiring McFarlane Gendron. My grandfather was the holder of the greatest number of shares in the company upon sale followed by Elizabeth (Betty) Kingston. My grandfather stayed on for a time as Executive Vice President working along side Alan Kotlier. From the records I have, there would need to be cooperation and complicity from my Grandfather to veto any proposal from William Vincent McFarlane.
I am George Breading McFarlane's grandson, son of his son, Donald George McFarlane.
Thanks for correcting and completing the history of this firm.
I worked in the Company for almost two years ( 1967 to 1969}.
George Mc Farlane was President. Bill Mc Farlane Snr was there also Larry Kingston ( inlaw) was a director also.
It was a lively Company employing 100 people situated at 411 Richmond Street East.
Other senior personnel were Bruce Benner, Bill Blythe, Frank Miller.
Baby carriages ( prams ) and ladders were the main products during my time there.
A plant in Belville Ontario run by another McFarlane operated also.
Sad to see a thriving industry disappear.
Brian McMahon
Thanks for your contributions!
I want to thank everyone who has contributed in these comments. You've provided first hand info that is just impossible to find anywhere else. Let's hope we can learn something from this history. Much appreciated. Gerald
Greetings from Ottawa. I was going through my late Father's collection of stamps and vintage postcards, and came across a card in pristine condition dated 1914. It was from John L. Wideman (St. Jacobs) to the Gendron Manufacturing Co., Toronto. Its fun to read and I'd like to send photos of both sides. Is there a way to upload the photos? If anyone would like the actual card, I'll mail it.
Thanks and regards
Thanks Frank, you can send images to gerald@vanwyngaarden.ca . Much appreciated!
My father, Jack Nicholson, worked at the firm for many years, perhaps from the 1930's to 1980. I am not sure of what his exact title was but I do remember him going into work at 3:00 am to fix the boiler! (At the time, we lived in Etobicoke, in the west end of Toronto so it was a good drive!) I was young at the time but I got the impression my Dad liked working for the firm. My older sister, Susan said the company held great Christmas parties where the children received great gifts.
Any other info or memories people may have would be appreciated.
Greetings McFarlane relatives and associates, I am related somewhat to the clan. My father, J. Douglas MacFarlane, bought a McFarlane-Gendron snooker table for his sons in the 1960s. I thought it was magic to have a table with our family name on it! His grandfather changed our last name from "Mc" to "Mac", we suspect, because he didn't want to be Irish Catholic. He considered himself Scottish Protestant, being a Methodist Minister. Rev. James William Phee MacFarlane (ahem, McFarlane, before 1909). Anyway, our family roots are in Lanark County, Ottawa valley, McFarlanes and Nelsons. If anyone else is doing McFarlane genealogy, let me know. I'd be pleased to assist. I have 1,400 names already on my ancestral family tree. And counting. Very proud to know that baby carriages were produced in the McFarlane name. My very best to one and all. Sincerely, Richard MacFarlane, Toronto, Canada May 1, 2020
I have a child's rocking chair circa 1800s signed and stamped by gendron company..would anyone know how I can find out what year
Can I ask where you found the group pictures of the workers? Both of my parents worked in the belleville plant in the 50's and would love to get copies.
Thanks
Hi i have a questions we just found a carage that Come from that company and we would like to know from what year it was build it has no number under for serial number at all just the stocker for the company can someone help me out please and where can i put a picture of it ?
Does anyone know how much a wheelchair like the restored Kingston one above, recently came across one and not sure what to do with it! Tia
How would someone find out about a rocking chair with Gendron Mfg Co. On it
It is in great condition but the internet doesn’t have information about Gendron producing rocking chairs. Help pls
My father worked at MG for 32 years. He was a machinist that worked on the baby carriage wheels. His name was Brendan Todkill. I remember the Annual Christmas parties that I attended there as a child. They were such fun.
My friend had a father Franklin George Bailey and a grand father Frank Samuel Bailey who worked for the company. Do you have any information on them, are they in the photograhs?
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