Nancy Dupuis, Volunteer Writer to the Communications Team, Scottish Society of Ottawa
A lot of folks I know still have a cast iron frying pan made at Findlays in Carleton Place.
And, you can still see some beautiful old homes on High Street where the different Findlay families took residence. I still remember my mother, telling me stories of working in one of the Findlay homes back in the early 1950s as a housekeeper – I’m sure they were treated to an apple pie or two for Sunday dinner, courtesy of Janetta.
The information to follow comes from internet surfing on Lost Ottawa sites, the files of Linda Secasspina, local area historian and from various other sites on the internet depicting the foundry itself. Once more, please keep in mind, this instalment and the ones prior are my interpretation only of what I have read:
The old Findlay Foundry (1860-1972) Photo Larry Clark
David Findlay of Paisley, Scotland, migrated to Canada and settled in Perth, Ontario, in 1858. Finding that Perth had little work to offer in his trade of moulder, he moved on. With the nonchalant athleticism of the time, he walked the 21 miles to the village of Carleton Place, found that a good moulder could make a living there, and started a small foundry in an old log barn.
Having a total capital of only $30, Findlay had to make most of his own equipment, including a stone-built cupola for smelting iron and a cupola blower. The latter was operated by teams of horses borrowed from neighboring farmers, and hitched to a merry-go-round contraption.
For almost 20 years the Findlay forge produced ploughs and any castings which were needed in the community; in 1876 David Findlay began the manufacture of stoves. They were an immediate success, as an editorial in the Carleton Place “Herald”, October 16, 1879, attests: “Since the cold mornings have set in, we have given Mr. Findlay’s new stove a trial. With one or two sticks of hardwood it will keep up a moderate heat all night, and can be used for either coal or wood.”
Findlay was helped in the foundry by his sons, two of whom, David and William, bought the business in 1889. Their father died in 1890, by which time Findlay stoves were known all over Canada.
David and William operated as a partnership under the name of Findlay Bros., later as Findlay Bros. Co., Limited. In 1932, when members of the third generation were moving into positions of responsibility, the name was changed to Findlays Limited.
David Findlay served as President until his death in 1934, when he was succeeded by Wm. Findlay. On Wm. Findlay’s death in 1944, D. Douglas Findlay became President. He was succeeded by D. Hamilton Findlay, the present President and General Manager, in 1956.
Findlays Limited was purchased in 1965 by Corporation D’Expansion Financiere, of Montreal, becoming a partner in the Corpex Group of industries comprising insurance, construction, appliances and plastics. Management personnel remained unchanged.
In those days, Findlays Limited manufactured electric and gas ranges, refrigerators and freezers, coal and wood stoves and heaters, oil-burning stoves and space heaters, gas space heaters, warm air furnaces and winter conditioning units, and produced cast iron hollow ware and gray iron castings.
A vast foundry with world wide appeal managed by four generations of Findlays until 1974:
https://castironcanada.com/?page_id=68
Inside the Foundry (date unknown) ‘Lost Ottawa’ Facebook Page 3 June 2018