Person Record
Metadata
Name |
Merritt, W. Hamilton |
Born |
12/03/1867 |
Places of residence |
Owen Sound, Grey County |
Notes |
In the 1926 Owen Sound telephone directory, W. H. Merritt was listed at 412 11th St. East. His son, W. H. Merritt Jr., was listed at 239 7th St. East. These addresses were the same in the 1937 telephone book. In the 1946 telephone book, only W. H. Merritt Jr. is listed. The National Table Company of Owen Sound originated c. 1898 when W. H. Merritt purchased some land at what would later be known as 1882 3rd Ave. East between the shore and the C.P.R. line, from J. H. McLauchlan. A three-storey factory building was built. It was soon destroyed in a fire, but was re-built. They had another fire on Christmas Day, 1903, and had to re-build again. In 1909, the company had 50 on staff, and produced military desks, solid wood tables, and dining room suites. By 1920, the firm also produced Knapp's Phonographs. By 1940 their lines includes radios, sewing and television cabinets, but plastics would soon cause competition. W. H. Merritt passed away in 1940, and his son Hamilton Merritt took over as President, with Arthur Moore acting as Manager. The plant eventually closed in 1960. Its site later became the Bayshore Centre (Harry Lumley arena). The 1912 book OWEN SOUND ON THE GEORGIAN BAY, has an illustration of a round parlour/dining table product that they made, and a studded and rectangular wooden table with two drawers with metal pulls, and a lower shelf. There is a 1918 Imperial phonograph (gramophone) that was made by the National Table company, that is in the Grey Roots collection (see 2018.054.001). Melba Croft mentions in her book, __________, that the National Table Company building was an ivy-covered brick building. She also mentioned that four applications of finish were put onto the phonograph cabinets, and that the fronts were decorated with openwork created by using a fret saw. There also was one employee who worked at the carving of the legs for the higher-priced phonograph cabinets. A 1923 book with a manufacturer's index, records the company as producing bedroom, dining room and library furniture. Mrs. W. H. Merritt was a hospital trustee for the General & Marine Hospital in 1915. She also served as the 4th President of the hospital's Women's Auxiliary group. The National Table Company had its own softballl team, as other factories in town did. Hamilton Merritt and Creighton Bradford built an ice boat that would travel on the frozen bay up to fifty miles an hour. 1973.010.091 Owen Sound lawn bowling group photograph includes W. H. Merritt 1994.059.009 Annual report of the General and Marine Hospital, 1916-1917, p. 3. 1994.059.018 Booklet re Hospital Auxiliary, 1885-1985, p. 9. The factory site is likely drawn in the two fire insurance map books that can be seen at the Grey County Archives. |
Occupation |
National Table Co. Limited (Owen Sound) Furniture Industry / Manufacturer |
Publications |
Croft, Melba, GROWTH OF A COUNTY TOWN, various refs. to the Merritts Croft, Melba, RENEWAL OF A CANADIAN PORT, pp. 10, 82, 88,128, 214, 229, 326 CANADIAN BOOK OF FURNITURE, Acton Publishing Co. Limited, (Toronto/Montreal), 1923, p. 105 Christie, John, SIRENS ACROSS THE SOUND |
Relationships |
Nephew: Gray Hay? Daughter-in-law: Norah G. Merritt (nee McLauchlan) |
Role |
Business person |
Spouse |
Maud __________, m. 18__ |
Children |
W. H. Merritt Jr. (Hamilton Merritt) |
