above, the employees of Ingersoll Machine & Tool Company, September 23, 1929
- Beulah Sandick
- Percy Desmond
- Harry MacDonald
- Bill Randall
- Fred M. Smith
- Ralph ‘Babe’ Bowman
- Jack Boynton
- Jimmy Spaven
- Melvin Sharpe
- Art Nunn
- George Harry Allen
- Bob Wilson
- ?, Hipperson
- E. A. Wilson
- Harry Whitwell
- Ernie Webber
- Gordon Warden
- Alf Catling
- Earl ‘Snooky’ Wisson
- Fred Catling
- Doris Bagnall
- Charlie Sharpe
- Russ Stringer
- Percy Groom
- James ‘Scotty’ Sannachan
- Wilf Allen
- George Waterman
- Jack Laurenceson
- Harold Wilson
- Charles Dykeman
- Tom Johnston
- ? ‘Pops’ Olmstead
- Charlie Pavey
- Hugh Priddle
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The Ingersoll Machine and Tool Company
In 1913, a small factory was erected on the site of the present factory on King St., W., at the town’s limits. This small plant was erected by a company for the manufacture of a brand of soap called “Fun to Wash” soap. This company did not exist long and brooms were then made in the building, fore the plant was purchased by Messrs. E. A. Wilson and Chas. Shortt in 1914. In 1915, a company was formed and named Ingersoll Machine and Tool. The size of the factory was extended to have a floor space of 8,000 sq. ft. This was a two storey building of solid white brick walls with steel. The plant, at various times, made additions until it has reached a floor capacity of over 80,000 sq. ft. Nagle and Mill, Ingersoll contractors, were the early builders of a large part of the factory. Starting with 30 employees, the business of this company steadily increased until the employees numbered 350. This company enjoys an international wide trade. It specialized in the manufacture of steering gear assemblies for many makes of automobiles and boats. At various times it specialized in car starters, steering gears, millimetre shells, truck axel parts, house trailer parts and machine parts. Mr. Shortt did not remain long with the company, but Mr. Wilson continued as president until 1952. When he retired, his son Harold became president and when Harold retired, is son Ernest became the general manager. In 1965, the company bought 3 acres of land from the town and added another 8700 sq. ft.
above excerpt from Ingersoll: our heritage by Harry Whitwell
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above, employees of the Ingersoll Machine Company depicted during a fundraising campaign in an effort to raise money for war bonds, 1917
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above, the employees of the Ingersoll Machine & Tool Company, circa 1952
| # in Photo | Employee |
| 1 | Fewster, Ross |
| 2 | Warden, Jack |
| 3 | Clothier, William |
| 4 | Boynton, Jack |
| 5 | Wilson, E. A. |
| 6 | Warden, Gordon |
| 7 | Wilson, Harold |
| 8 | Wilson, Helen |
| 9 | Tribe, Jean Reith |
| 10 | Smith, Kaye Fordham |
| 11 | Murray, Helen |
| 12 | Tallant, Marg |
| 13 | Howe, Veronica |
| 14 | Desmond, Percy |
| 15 | Stringer, Russell |
| 16 | Dykeman, Charles K. |
| 17 | Finlay, Ross |
| 18 | Henderson, Kenneth |
| 19 | Johnston, Tom |
| 20 | Spaven, James R. |
| 21 | Reith, William |
| 22 | Bowman, Ralph ‘Babe’ |
| 23 | Thompson, John |
| 24 | Caldwell, David ‘Sooty’ |
| 25 | McCombe, Louis |
| 26 | Elliott, Harold |
| 27 | Petrie, Bruce |
| 28 | Boniface, Robert |
| 31 | Clark, George ‘Gordy’ |
| 32? | Witcombe, William |
| 33 | Appleby, Walter |
| 34 | Atkinson, Ralph |
| 35 | Sanichan, James ‘Scotty’ |
| 36 | Bryan, Ronald |
| 37 | Neave, Fred |
| 38 | Wiszniowski, Phillip |
| 39 | Ball, Tim |
| 40 | MacNab, Allan |
| 41 | Minogue, William |
| 42 | Shelton, Thomas |
| 43 | Shelton, Arthur |
| 44 | Anderson, Jacques |
| 45 | MacMillan, John ‘Rat’ |
| 46 | Pallisher, Rene |
| 47 | King, Aubrey ‘Abe’ |
| 48 | Chaisson, Gilbert |
| 49 | Wilkes, Arthur |
| 50 | Sloat, Murray |
| 51 | Hipperson, William |
| 52 | Smith, Samuel |
| 53 | Williams, Fred |
| 55 | Camm, Ray |
| 56 | Guilford, Charles |
| 57 | Crown, Wilfred ‘Wimpy’ |
| 58 | Jansen, William |
| 60 | Carter, Merrill |
| 61 | Bartram, John |
| 61 | Gibbs, James |
| 63 | Harkes, Harold |
| 64 | Crane, Cecil |
| 65 | Luno, Ernest or Parker, John? |
| 65 | Parker, John or Luno, Ernest? |
| 66 | Marr, Wallace |
| 67 | Syketa, Peter |
| 68 | Thornton, Melvin |
| 69 | Smith, Ernst |
| 70 | Kolodij, John |
| 71 | Anstee, Reginald |
| 72 | English, Percy |
| 74 | Anderson, William |
| 75 | Sloat, John |
| 76 | Henderson, Fred |
| 79 | Webb, Clark |
| 80 | Plewes, Fred |
| 81 | Latford, George ‘Red’ |
| 82 | Nunn, Arthur |
| 83 | Simpson, Mark |
| 84 | Harker, Clifford |
| 85 | Dunlop, Edgar |
| 86 | Cade, Llewellyn ‘Lefty’ |
| 87 | Boniface, Fred |
| 88 | Fraser, Robert |
| 89 | Bowman, Hugh or Priddle, Hugh? |
| 89 | Priddle, Hugh or Bowman, Hugh? |
| 90 | Durston, Carmen |
| 91 | Leonard, Fred |
| 92 | Allan, Ronald |
| 93 | MacMillan, Jim |
| 94 | Kepinski, Tadeusz |
| 95 | Bruce, Morris |
| 97 | Sharpe, James |
| 98 | Koch, John |
| 99 | McGinnis, Ronald |
| 100 | Baskett, Thomas |
| 101 | King, Fred |
| 102 | Curtis, John |
| 103 | Goncharenko, Alex |
| 104 | MacMillan, John |
| 107 | Hills, Gordon |
| 109 | McMillan, W. G. [Jack] |
| 110 | Rodwell, W. |
| 111 | Wessenger, S. |
| 112 | Miller, Horace |
| 113 | Halter, Joseph |
| 114 | Land, Roy ‘Goose’ |
| 115 | McKee, Jack |
| 116 | Langford, Percy |
| 117 | Dill, John |
| 119 | Priddle, John ‘Jack’ |
| 124 | White, Joseph |
| 125 | Henderson, William |
| 128 | Brasi, John |
| 129 | Keenan, Charles |
| 131 | Smith, Charles |
| 133 | Johnston, J. ‘Dutch’ |
| 134 | Petrie, Donald |
| 135 | Mahoney, Harry |
| 137 | Layton, William |
| 138 | Coles, Roy |
| 139 | Morgan, Daniel |
| 140 | Clement, George |
| 141 | Davis, Walter |
| 143 | Mura, Steve |
| 145 | VanKoughnett, Roy |
| 146 | Witcombe, John |
| 149 | Walker, Ron |
| 150 | Hutson, George |
| 151 | Fitzpatrick, James |
| 153 | Scott, James |
| 153 | Stacey, Ernst? |
| 154 | Cudney, Leonard |
| 155 | Hick, Clayton |
| 157 | Marr, Emerson |
| 158 | Pearson, Garnet |
| 161 | Swartz, John |
| 162 | Horley, Donald |
| 164 | Empey, John |
| 174 | Bidwell, Floyd |
| 175 | Whitwell, Harry |
| 177 | Sharpe, Melvin |
| 179 | Foster, Charles |
| 180 | Campbell, Charles |
| 181 | Pye, Lawrence |
| 183 | Korzewicz, Mikolaj [Mike] |
| 187 | Bruce, Harvey |
| 190 | Smith, Joseph |
| 193 | VanderVaart, John |
| 194 | McPherson, Ian [Bill] |
| 195 | McLeod, Norman |
| 196 | Christie, Murray |
| 197 | Layton, Raymond |
| 198 | Payne, Alfred |
| 199 | Coombe, James |
| 206 | Moore, Joseph |
| 207 | Payne, William |
| 208 | Smith, Fred M. |
| 209 | Irwin, George |
| 210 | Nancekivell, David |
| 214 | Kerr, James |
| 217 | McMillan, Rod |
| 218 | MacMillan, Roy |
| 219 | Juett, F. |
| 220 | Archer, K. |
| 221 | Morris, John |
| 223 | Nash, William |
| 225 | Smith, Ralph |
| 229 | Finucan, Thomas |
| 231 | Morris, Roy |
| 238 | Fitzmorris, Doug |
| 239 | Travis, Delmer |
| 245 | Bodwell, Fred or Matheson, Ed? |
| 245 | Matheson, Ed or Bodwell, Fred or ? |
| 251 | Foster, William |
| 254 | Sharpe, Earl |
| 256 | Buchanan, Charles |
| 257 | McBay, Donald |
| 260 | McKee, William |
| 261 | Woodbine, Thomas |
| 273 | Pavey, Tom |
| 274 | Boynton, Herbert |
| 281 | Allen, Wilfred |
| 283 | Catling, Alfred |
| 284 | Hutcheson, S. |
| 285 | Swartz, Earl |
| 289 | Durston, Arthur |
| 291 | Stirling, Samuel |
| 292 | Wisson, Earl ‘Snooky’ |
| 298 | Wisson, Robert |
| 299 | Pryzkling, Joseph |
| 300 | Thompson, John |
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Hello, I was just looking at the pictures of I.M.T. and it brought back alot of memories. My family starting with my grandmother ,aunts and uncles and even my father all worked for this company at one time or another. I can remember being on the main street of Ingersoll with my Dad and along came Harold Wilson who proceeded to stop and visit with the both of us. And yes he even knew my name. Can you imagine a time like that when the employers and employees had such a mutual respect for one another? I can remember when my uncle’s house burnt down and the company truck with a couple of men were sent to help with the cleanup. Do not get me wrong these places had their issues as did all factories of these times. Problems of safety, working conditions and wages are what brought the need for unions to the forefront. I guess what I am getting at is, can you imagine in these times and current economic instability being proud enough of the employer and employees to all sit and have your picture taken together? I wonder if the current employees of I.M.T. would sit for a photo session. Given what has happened to that company over the past few years, and if you work there you know what I mean, I highly doubt it. It is a sad sign of the times. And by the way I do know of what I speak, I spent 31 years at Ingersoll Fasteners. And we all know what happened to that compnay. Sincerely, Gary Rachar.
To see the faces once again of the likes of Jimmie Spaven, Ross Fewster (who I believe also sedrved as Ingersoll’s mayor, Tommy Johnson, Helen Murray, Charlie Dykeman… what a treat. As a very young boy, I spent more than a couple of Saturday mornings at IMT; I was taught in no uncertain terms to value each and every employee as much as to appreciate what the company produced. The company and its employees were one and the same thing in those days. And I was privy to more than one conversation which hinged on the premise that the company had a rewsponsibility to its community and its citizenry.
Gary Rachar is right. Was it perfect back then? Absolutely not. Wages, working conditions and other things we take for granted today were being forged back then by the brilliant and hardworking people we see once again in this photograph. But, perhaps, it would be beneficial to all of us if we were able to turn back the clock just a bit, when there was a little less “them” vs “us”, and a little more “we.”