Person Record

Metadata

Name

Christie, W. J.

Places of residence

Owen Sound, Grey County

Nationality

Canadian

Notes

The Christie family was involved in the history of the Empire Stove & Furnace Co. Ltd.

Originally, this company was known as the Canadian Heating & Ventilating Co. In June of 1903, the building was under construction for this new company. Mr. W. J. Christie, a hardware businessman of Owen Sound, founded the company. In 1917, it was reorganized under the same management to become the Empire Stove & Furnace Co. Ltd. W. J. Christie died in 1934, and his sons Willard, Harry and Maurice carried on the business until 1950, when they sold it to three Moffats (two brothers and one cousin). The Moffats had left the Moffat Weston Plant to start their own stove company in Owen Sound. The Moffats closed the Empire Stove & Furnace Co. Ltd. in 1952.

In 1904, the "Christie Bros." hardware business at Owen Sound were local agents for the Empire Queen kitchen range that was produced at the Canadian Heating & Ventilating Co.

A 1922 Vernon's Directory of Owen Sound listed the Empire Stove & Furnce Co. Ltd. at 908 2nd Ave. East (a main street location), with the stove factory at 2362 3rd Ave. East.

Their products were sold in various places in Canada. The company had added an enamelling plant to the factory in 1929, so items made by the company with enamel on them post-date this.

An interesting collectible is the miniature cast metal frying pan items that advertise the company. They likely were giveaways of some sort? When were they first made? An enamelled round ashtray product or giveaway? was also made there.

The company's RURAL model (a cookstove range) was introduced in 19__.
The SUNERA was introduced in 19___
The NEW PRINCE 9206 ? was introduced in 19__

In the 1937 Owen Sound telephone directory, the Empire Stove & Furnace Co. Ltd. was listed at 2362 3rd Ave. East (Phone 130). The phone contacts at that time were J. Willard Christie, and G. Atkey. In the 1946 listing, the phone contacts were J. W. Christie, R. H. Christie, and V. M. Christie.

The stove factory had a fire that occurred on July 22, 1944, and they had to rebuild.

Archival Items:
1988.007.069 Reproduction of an Empire Queen Range advertisement illustration
1988.007.070 Reproduction of an Empire Ideal stove advertisement illustration, that was published in the OWEN SOUND SUN newspaper in 1906. This was in the CHVCo. time period.
Reproduction of an advertisement illustration, that was published in THE CHATSWORTH BANNER newspaper Oct. 3, 1928. It looks like the Rural Model range?

The Christie Brothers hardware store building burned on Jan. 22, 1970.
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Central United Church

A newspaper article about the history of the eastside Methodist church at Owen Sound, which was called Scrope Street Methodist Church (1876-1897) and then First Methodist Church (1897-1925) and lastly as Central United Church (1925-1994, at 855 3rd Ave. East) mentioned that the hardware store Christie family were members of the congregation. The church was built in 1876 and had a cast and wrought iron spire Cross installed. Would it have been made by Corbet & Christie? (more research is needed).

Occupation

Blacksmith c. 1894?
Hardware Store (Christie Brothers / Christie's Hardware)
Merchant / Businessman
The Canadian Heating & Ventilating Co. (C.H.& V. Co.)
Empire Stove & Furnace Co. Ltd.

Publications

-THE LEGAL AND COMMERCIAL EXCHANGE (MERCANTILE AGENCY) OF CANADA, Jan. 1894, p. 285 (Owen Sound businesses)
-SIRENS ACROSS THE SOUND (mentions the 1944 fire, and the Christie Hardware store fire)