Person Record

Metadata

Name

Taylor, D. C.

Othernames

David Creighton Taylor

Places of residence

Owen Sound, Grey County

Notes

The D. C. Taylor Jewellery Store at Owen Sound, Ontario celebrated its 100th Anniversary in 1995.

D. C. Taylor's full name was David Creighton Taylor, but usually the short form of his name is seen in ads and other records. In the c. 1895 period, he was in a business partnership with an Ed Grier.

Mr. Taylor learned the watchmaking trade from another Owen Sound jeweller, Mr. J. J. Douglas.

Jeff Taylor, a fourth generation member of the Taylor family in the jewellery business, told the Owen Sound Historical Society in 1993 that David Creighton Taylor had started his small shop in 1895. He used to repair watches in his store window, an early form of advertising. He gradually increased a stock of jewellery for special occasions. In 1905, he moved his store to a larger space, and added English china to his stock. From 1910 to 1928, D. C. Taylor was in partnership with J. J. Douglas, but severed this partnership when his son Creighton Taylor came of age. They opened a new shop, but Creighton drowned while on a fishing trip. Creighton's son David helped his grandfather, and later took over the store's management.

In 1993, there were four area Taylor jewellery stores in operation.

Source: "Club News", OWEN SOUND SUN TIMES, Oct. 6, 1993.

The 1905 date for the store's move might need to be researched some more, as there was a June, 1903 newspaper advertisement where D. C. Taylor advertised that his store was moving to another location.

Circa 1908, D. C. Taylor's jewellery store was a location where people could acquire marriage licenses, or they could get them at James H. Little's newspaper office.

X1985.059.001 Stickpin in a "Douglas & Taylor" case
1968.062.011 wooden watch case
1980.199.004 Pocket watch with J. J. Douglas on it
2016.009. Douglas & Taylor / Jewelers / Owen Sound blue-coloured ring box
2016.009. D. C. Taylor & Son / Jewelers / Owen Sound, Ont. burgundy plush-covered ring box
2018. Bassinet used by the Taylor family for a long time

Archival Items:
2000.012.002 Photograph of Owen Sound lawnbowling participants in a Sept., 1931 tournament includes Mr. D. Taylor. Is this D. C. Taylor?

Occupation

Jewellery Store / D. C. Taylor & Son
Watchmaker
Jeweller
Merchant

Publications

OWEN SOUND: THE COMMUNITY VIEW, p. 29 (interior image of the D. C. Taylor Jewellery store)
THE OWEN SOUND TIMES, June 11, 1903 edition (advertisement by D. C. Taylor)
THE OWEN SOUND ADVERTISER, June 16, 1903 (advertisement by D. C. Taylor)
Croft, Melba Morris, GROWTH OF A COUNTY TOWN: OWEN SOUND 1900-1920, p. 103 (marriage licenses at D. C. Taylor's store)