Person Record

Metadata

Name

Pringle, John Corbet

Born

Dec. 2, 1856/57

Birthplace

Whitby, Canada West [Ontario]

Places of residence

Boyd Street, Owen Sound, Ontario
In 1911, J. C. Corbet and Annie resided at 469 8th St. East, Owen Sound.

Father

James Pringle (of Edinburgh, Scotland)

Mother

Mary Corbet

Nationality

Canadian

Notes

TAYLOR & PRINGLE (Owen Sound, Ontario)
One source suggests that Taylor & Pringle, soda water manufacturers, were established in Owen Sound, Ontario in 1888. Another source says that the business was established in 1884, by Mr. William Taylor. In 1886, Taylor & Pringle owned it, and the business was incorporated in 1901 with a capital of $150,000. Around 1911, the firm had branches in Haileybury, Elk Lake, New Liskeard, Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury and Porcupine.

John Corbet Pringle was born in the Whitby area of Canada West (later Ontario) on Dec. 2, 1857 (another source, the 1901 census, says 1856). His parents were James Pringle and the former Mary Corbet.
At some point he or his family moved to Owen Sound. He married Annie Fox (age 25), when he was 30 years old, on Feb. 22, 1888. She was a daughter of Charles Fox and Rosa Fox (nee Liddy). At that time, Mr. Pringle's occupation was that of "Brewer".

He joined William Taylor in a bottling company partnership, starting in 1886.

Messrs. Taylor and Pringle would have had to order a supply of bottles from a glass factory elsewhere and have them shipped in to town so that they could fill them. The Taylor & Pringle products were transported mostly by horse and wagon, or by schooner up to the Manitoulin Island lumber camps.

In the 1892 Rutherford's Directory of Owen Sound, Taylor & Pringle manufactured "Belfast Ginger Ale" at their Belfast Ginger Ale Works at 156 Boyd St. William Taylor and his family resided at 158 Boyd St., and John C. Pringle's family resided at 141 Boyd St.

Crown top bottles tops were invented in 1892, so examples of Taylor & Pringle bottles with this feature would date to after that.

In the 1891 census, John C. Pringle was listed as a "Gingerale Manufacturer". He was then 33 years old, and he and Annie had two children at the time, Vera Mary Pringle (age 2), and Roy Neil Pringle (age 1), and a domestic servant lived with them, Emma Hutchenson (age 20). There also was a Charles Pringle in town, who boarded elsewhere (he was a bartender). The Pringles were Presbyterian.

In the 1901 census, John Pringle was 44 years old. The only children listed in the household then were Sidney (age 9), Frederick, (age 7) and Harry (age 3, b. 1897).

In the OWEN SOUND HERALD (May 22, 1909), Taylor & Pringle advertised that they made and sold Belfast Ginger Ale, Lemon Sour, Birch Beer, Hiawatha Mineral Water, Refined Cider, Raspberry Vinegar, Non-alcoholic wines, Queen Quality Pickles, Tomato Catsup, Worcester Sauce, Cider Vinegar, etc. They were also agents for O'Keefe's Star Beer.

The 1911 MAGAZINE OF INDUSTRY mentioned that the Taylor & Pringle Co. Ltd. of 963 (sic, usually see 969) Third Ave. East were manufacturers of Belfast Ginger Ale, mineral water, apple juice, refined cider, non-alcoholic wines, pickles, vinegar, catsup, sauces, French Mustard, etc. It also mentions that the firm was started in 1884 by William Taylor, succeeded by Taylor & Pringle in 1886, and incorporated in 1901. In 1911, the President & General Manager was William Taylor, J. C. Pringle was Vice-President, C. D. Taylor was Second Vice-President & Manager of the Owen Sound plant, W. P. Malone was Secretary-Treasurer, and L. M. Watson was a Director and Travelling Representative.

According to his death record, Mr. Pringle had suffered from heart problems for several years before his decease. He resided at 469 8th St. East and died there on Sept. 18, 1911, age 54. His death record mentions that his father, James Pringle, had originated from Edinburgh, Scotland, and that John had been born at Whitby, Ontario.

Anne Pringle, and son Sidney (Sid) Pringle, and William Avery Bishop of Owen Sound, started the "Bishop & Pringle" bottling company in 19__. When it closed in 192_, the machinery and bottle supply were acquired by Wm. Taylor & Son Ltd.

Archival Items:
1972.019.157 is a booklet from Taylor & Pringle, a bottling company at Owen Sound