The Legacy of William Buck Stove Company
The William Buck Stove Company, a symbol of industrial genius in Canada, dates to the mid-1800s. The company was founded by William Buck in 1852 as a small family business in Brantford, Ontario, and later became one of the biggest and most famous stove companies in the British Empire. William Buck’s first workshop was the Victoria Foundry on Colborne Street, and at first, he had just 20 employees. He had grown into business by the 1870s and set up shop in a bigger building at Cedar and Dumfries Streets. In the now 20,000 square feet of moulding floors and driven by a 50 horsepower engine, there were divisions of the foundry for moulding, casting, electro-plating and woodworking.
Buck’s designs, the "Radiant Home" baseburner and "Smyth’s Patent Duplex Grates", made him a true heating and cooking innovator. Not only were his products efficient but also climate and fuel-compatible, and were quite popular across Canada. In 1897, the William Buck Stove Company was incorporated as a private company the same year William Buck passed away. Fortunately, the company did well under his successors, such as George Philip Buck and William E. Buck. By 1903, the factory moved to Elgin Street, where better shipyards were located, and the manufacturing capacity increased even further.
The factory was a machine of unmatched efficiency and capacity. In the blast furnaces, Scottish and Cape Breton pig iron was melted into stove plates in Canada’s biggest stove-plate moulding room. The plates were then polished, glued and embellished with nickel-plated parts by skilled artisans. The production line at every step was designed with the most effective efficiency and quality in mind. The ‘Happy Thought’ line and ‘Radiant Home’ range were instant household names as they were prized for their reliability and creativity. Soon after, the company added more product lines, from gas ranges to the "Buck’s Leader" furnace, to appeal to an ever-expanding customer base. The agency has reached all over the country and has offices in Calgary, Winnipeg, Vancouver, and Montreal. Its goods became a mark of quality which firmly established Brantford’s place as one of Canada’s industrial powerhouses.
The business was a great success but came up against some serious challenges. The mounting department was destroyed in a fire in 1920, which led to a considerable loss of money. Shortly afterwards, the William Buck Stove Company was bought by the McClary Company of London, Ontario, and renamed the Happy Thought Foundry. Through a series of mergers, the foundry was sold to General Steel Wares Limited, a conglomerate that reinforced operations in London, Ontario. By 1931, Brantford ceased all production and marked the end of William Bucks Stove Company’s story in Brantford. However, this company still represents the brilliant founder’s drive and Brantford’s industrial ability. From humble beginnings to being an industry pioneer, the company shaped Canada’s manufacturing industry, and its legacy was one of creativity, craftsmanship, and community spirit.
References
https://history-api.brantfordlibrary.ca/Document/View/c35a2046-4306-441e-ab2f-3fade46ce2f3
Brantford Expositor. (1909, October). Greater Brantford Number. Brantford, Ontario. Public Domain.
Warner, Beers, & Co. (1883). The history of the County of Brant, Ontario (p. 148) [PDF]. Warner, Beers, & Co.