ALEXANDER GARTSHORE
Hamilton, Ont.
IN manufacturing
cirles in Canada, Alexander Gartshore has won special distinction for himself
by building up and successfully carrying on a great industry. His father,
the late John Gartshore,
was also a leading manufacturer for many years, and he left behind him
a record so worthy as not soon to be forgotten in the community in which
he lived. He was a native of Lanarkshire, Scotland, and came to Canada
in 1829. Up to the year 1835 he was occupied in mill wrighting in various
parts of the country, finally settling in Fergus. Here he built an oatmeal
mill which he operated until 1837, when it was destroyed by fire. For a
few months after he worked in Springfield on the Credit, whence he removed
to Dundas, where he subsequently established what afterwards grew to be
one of the chief manufacturing institutions of the country. He first built
what was known as the Ewart mill, which he operated for some time, and
then, in 1839, he started in the foundary business in a small way as to
its dimensions, but destined for an important future, for John Gartshore
was the pioneer manufacturer of grist and saw mills in Canada. In 1846
the works were burnt out, but the energetic proprietor soon had them built
up again on a far larger scale. Marine work was added, and during the time
the Great Western Railway was being built large quantities of machinery
were manufactured for that road. Under Mr. Gartshore's management the business
steadily increased until it reached immense proportions. The average number
of men employed for years in the establishment was about 300. But a period
of financial depression, succeeding the year 1857, was felt over the country,
and the Gartshore works, with which the subject of our sketch was connected,
lost heavily. In 1870 the business was sold out to the late Thomas Wilson,
of Dundas, and its founder removed to Toronto. Three years later, the enterprising
pioneer in the foundary industry went to his native land, where he died
in 1873, much regretted by all who knew him. John Gartshore was a philanthropic
and generous-hearted man, ever kind to the poor, and to this day there
are thousands who hold him in kindly remembance. To him, in all important
respects, his son, Alexander, has proven a worthy successor. He was born
at Dundas in 1839, his mother, whose maiden name was Margaret
Moir, being also a native of Scotland. His
primary education was received under the late |
George Elmslie, Anonster, with
whom he also went to Guelph in 1848. Afterwards he studied with the late
Dr. Tassie in Hamilton, and left school with a good practical education.
In 1854, young Alexander Gartshore, then a lad of fifteen, went to West
Point foundary, New York State, to learn the trade of a machinist, and
on his return to Canada, in 1858, he entered his father's works at Dundas,
into which he was taken as a partner in 1865. In 1870, when the business
changed hands, he went to Hamilton, in which city his first enterprise
was to form a partnership, under the firm name of Gartshore & Cowie,
for the manufacture of railway and other castings. Subsequently the manufacture
of iron pipes was made a branch work in the establishment. Shortly after
this, the partnership was dissolved, and Mr. Gartshore acquired full control,
which he has since retained. The firm of Gartshore & Cowie was the
first in Ontario to embark in the iron pipe industry, and under the management
of the senior partner it has attained large proportions. The foundary has
now a capacity of fifty tons a day, furnishes employment regularly to about
150 hands, and has a market which extends over the entire country fromQuebec
to Vancouver. Among the monuments to the mechanical skill of Mr. Gartshore and
his father are the first pumping engines of the Hamilton Water Works, the
plans for which were drawn by the former in 1857, and the engines of the
union ferry boat between Detroit and Windsor. In his earlier days Mr. Alexander
Gartshore took an active and loyal part in military affairs. He was a member
of Notman's foot artillery in Dundas in 1858, and an officer of the sedentary
militia at the time of the visit of the Prince of Wales to Canada. He is
a Master Freemason, and has always been a staunch supporter of the St.
Andrew's and Caledonian Societies. In politics he is a Conservative and
a strong advocate of a protective policy. In religion he is a Presbyterian,
and contributes largely from his means to the support of the Presbyterian
body and church to which he belongs. On June 6th, 1866, Mr. Gartshore married
Isabel, a daughter of the late John Hendrie, and sister of William Hendrie,
the well-known contractor. As issue, there are eight children, of whom
five are living, Alexander, the eldest son, being in the office of the
Canada Life Assurance Co'y. In his business relations, Mr. Gartshores's
record is of the highest; in privare life he is a most estimable gentleman,
and is deservedly held in the highest esteem. |
