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EARLY BASKET FACTORIES

With the large quantity of local fruits being grown by farmers, the basket making industry was very important to the farmers in Grimsby and other fruit producing communities. Before 1912 there are records of three local basket factories, the first being Victor Carpenter's Basket Factory located on the east side of Main Street in the vicinity of 89 Main Street West. According to J. Orlon Livingston in a newspaper article printed in the February 14, 1934 "Grimsby Independent", this factory may have been started by the Cross Family in 1879-80. According to the minute books of the Grimsby Fire Department, the Carpenter Basket Factory was destroyed by fire on April 14, 1893. Mr Carpenter was a local agent for the Thorold Basket Factory and this company advertised its products in the "Grimsby Independent".

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Grimsby Basket Factory Advertisement
1892
Grimsby, Ontario, Canada

Credits:
Grimsby Museum Collection

3

Thorold Basket Factory Advertisement
19th Century, Circa 1895
Grimsby, Ontario, Canada

Credits:
Grimsby Museum Collection

4

After the Carpenter Basket Factory fire, John H. Grout built a basket factory behind the Grout Foundry at 3 Oak Street. Following the death of John Grout in 1901, Charles W. VanDuzer operated the factory until at least 1910. The factory then operated as the W. J. Dalton Basket Factory. On September 3, 1913, the Dalton Basket Factory was sold and reopened as the Consumers Box Company. It was destroyed by fire in June 1914.

According to the "Grimsby Independent" of January 29, 1913, in addition to the Dalton Basket Factory, there were two other basket factories, Merritt Bros. Basket Factory on Victoria Avenue and Hewson and Farrell's on Elm Street.

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Invoice for C. W. VanDuzer Manufacturing Company of Grimsby
23 July 1910
Grimsby, Ontario, Canada

Credits:
Grimsby Museum Collection

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C. W. VanDuzer Basket Factory Advertisement
20th Century, Circa 1910
Grimsby, Ontario, Canada

Credits:
Bridgman, Anne

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THE MERRITT BROTHERS BASKET FACTORY

The Merritt's of the Merritt Brothers Basket factory had originally operated a small basket factory on their farm in West Lincoln in 1909 using wood cut from their farm. The "Grimsby Independent" reported in January 1913 that the Merritt Brothers Basket Factory was operating on Victoria Avenue in Grimsby. This original building was of wooden construction.

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Merritt Family
20th Century, Circa 1900
Grimsby, Ontario, Canada

Credits:
Merritt, Jim

9

Portion of 1928 Fire Insurance Map Showing Merritt Brothers Basket Factory
April 1928
Victoria Avenue, Grimsby, Ontario, Canada

Credits:
Risk Management Services
Grimsby Museum Collection

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Merritt Brothers Basket Factory Employees at the Original Grimsby Factory
1913 - 1927
Merritt Brothers Basket Factory, 18 Victoria Avenue, Grimsby, Ontario, Canada

Credits:
Grimsby Museum Collection

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Merritt Brothers Basket Factory Employees at the Original Factory
1913 - 1927
Merritt Brothers Basket Factory, 18 Victoria Avenue, Grimsby, Ontario, Canada

Credits:
Merritt, Lois E.

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Merritt Brothers Basket Factory Float
1921-Aug-26
Grimsby, Ontario, Canada

Credits:
Lougheed (nee Merritt), Margaret Ann

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The original Merritt Basket Factory on Victoria Avenue was destroyed by fire. By 1927 the factory was located at 18 Victoria Avenue in the concrete building built by Jack VanDyke for the Fruit and Vegetable Evaporator. The factory was operated by five of the eight brothers: Bert, James, John, Frank and Norman. They supplied the local fruit industry with baskets and berry boxes and also produced meat baskets.

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Fire destroys the original Merritt Brothers Basket Factory
1921 - 1927
Merritt Brothers Basket Factory, 18 Victoria Avenue, Grimsby, Ontario, Canada

Credits:
Merritt, Lois E.