HISTORIC SKETCH OF FINDLAY’S FOUNDRY – Carleton Place Herald, June 26, 1935

In the June 1 issue of “Hardware and Metal,” an interesting write-up appears of some of the leading industries in the Ottawa Valley, and amongst them we find illustrations of the Findlay Limited plant at Carleton Place, with photo of the present president, Mr. Wm. Findlay.  There are also illustrations of Bridge Street, two good views, one of them showing Taylor’s fine block, built by the late Wm. Taylor, the founder of the business.

The article is as follows:

“The history of the firm of Findlays Limited, Carleton Place, Ont., dates back to the year 1858 when a Scottish molder, David Findlay, father of the late David Findlay and the present president of the firm, William Findlay, migrated to Canada from Renfrewshire, Scotland.  He originally settled in Perth, but found little opportunity for his trade and was forced to move elsewhere.  One day in 1860 he walked the twenty-one miles from Perth to Carleton Place, and finding in the latter village opportunity for a good molder, remained there to carry on his trade.  He started a small foundry in an old log barn, did jobbing work and made plows and any castings which were needed in the little country town at the time.  At the start his working capital consisted of thirty dollars.  His cupola he built of stones himself.  His cupola blower he also made himself and it was operated by actual horse power.  When he wanted to take off a heat he sent out a call and the farmers in the vicinity came with their teams over corduroy roads, and took turns on an old type of merry-go-round horse power.  Casting day was like an old-fashioned threshing bee on the farm.  His trade was of course chiefly with the farmers and often was the yard behind his foundry filled with sheep, pigs or sacks of grain brought in payment for castings.  One of the most interesting possessions of the present firm is a copy of the Carleton Place newspaper “The Herald,” dated April 16, 1864.  In it appears David Findlay’s quaint and formal ad as reproduced:

 

              FOUNDRY

              Ploughs, Ploughs

                             The subscriber wishes to intimate to the Public

                             that he has on hand a quantity of first class Ploughs,

                             decided by all to be the best working ploughs in this

                             part of the country:  also, a quantity of Scotch and

                             Bytown Ploughs, also all kinds of Plough Points and

                             Land Sides, made of the hardest metal.  Always kept

                             on hand, Waggon Boxes of all sizes.  Job work done on

                             the shortest notice.

 

                             David Findlay.

                             Carleton Place, April 15, 1864.

 

It was the first advertisement of the Findlay products.  In 1876 he commenced to manufacture stoves and due to the quality of his product his business grew steadily.  He was helped in the foundry by his sons and in 1889 the two older sons, David and William, bought the business and continued by themselves.  David Findlay, Sr., died in 1890.  Both sons had had considerable outside experience and their trade continued to grow.  At first they operated as a partnership under the name of Findlay Bros., later under the name of Findlay Bros. Co. Limited, and in 1932 when members of the third generation were moving into positions of responsibility, the name was changed to its present one of Findlays Limited.

The business was built up to its present status with David Findlay as president and William Findlay as vice-president.  In August, 1934, the firm suffered the loss of its president, David Findlay, who was succeeded by William.

For years Findlay products have had wide recognition and in recent years with the development of the electric range department they have become well known in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.  Today Findlays Limited offer to their customers a complete line of coal and wood stoves, heaters, gas and electric ranges, combination ranges, warm air furnace and air conditioning systems.”