Hi Lorne,
Well , this is certainly a history lesson for me! You have the correct location. I rented a house for a year on Ravine Rd. with ETF facing my back yard where a set of train tracks ran under the Queenston St. bridge which is gone now. I started there in 1962 and was hired by Wally Nutt who was in charge of running the plant. I enjoyed working there, doing many jobs, from sandblasting, heat treating, painting, assembling and working in shipping. The tools were high quality drop forged and tempered to last for years. They didn't make sockets and also some tools like grape cutters which came from Italy. As the Japanese tools came into the country at a cheaper price, the company lost market share. Big factories like GM still bought tools from ETF as they knew they would last. I have many tools, not the nail remover as in your photo, but many hand tools from pipe wrenches, open end & box, pliers, wire cutters, and various tin snips. If you would like photos of the tools I would be happy to send you some. I will ask my sister in law, if she has photos that her parents may have passed on to her. The library in St. Catharines might have some pictures also . I had my vehicle oil sprayed at that location years ago and Burnstein Brick had a plant there also for many years . When I was laid off in 1963, I got a job with GM, put in 30 years & retired in 1993.
I found this old picture of my father in law working in the polishing room, looks like he's polishing a pipe wrench. I worked on an electro-magnetic heat induction machine that would heat up the pipe wrench jaws in seconds and when the colour was a golden yellow, it was dunked in oil to get the right hardness required and then polished. I also painted many tools from dipping to spray painting them. I hope to get more info for you from my sis in law as she know more than I about the last years of the factory .
Regards , Bill Andrews
Anybody know if it is still covered by copywrite?
If would like my 3, send me a PM and we'll get it done.
I think I have a couple of chisel marked champion and maybe a few wrenchs.
C. BRUCE HILL
C. Bruce Hill, a retired St. Catharines business executive who has spent an active life in public service, will receive an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Brock University at its Convocation, May 26.
Mr. Hill was born in Ottawa, received his primary schooling there and his secondary education at Trinity College School, Port Hope.
He enlisted in the Royal Canadian Artillery in 1914, climbed in rank from gunner to Major and while so doing won the MC and Bar and a 'Mention in Despatches'. In the 2nd World War he was closely identified with the Canadian Red Cross, serving as President of the local branch, a member of the Ontario and National Executive, and in 1944-45 was President of the Ontario Division.
Mr. Hill has been active in the business world for 50 years heading his own company Hill and Sibbald, and establishing ETF Tools and Canadian Warren Pink Limited, all located in St. Catharines.
His business acumen was recognized by the Bank of Canada where he served as a Director from 1958-64 and as a member of the Executive Committee from 1961-64. He also was a Director of the Industrial Development Bank and Anthes Imperial Limited. He continues to serve as a Director of the National Trust Company.
Distinguished though his business career has been, C. Bruce Hill also found time to serve his fellow man through a variety of business, social and community organizations. He was National President of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and for many years served as a Vice-President and Director of the Canadian Council, International Chamber of Commerce. He is a member of the Board of Governors of the St. Catharines General Hospital, and until his retirement 2 years ago was Chairman of the Board.
His greatest community achievement however has been his association with Brock University. He was a member of the Founders Committee and elected to the Board of Governors in 1964. He accepted the Chairmanship of the Founding Fund and in the next five years saw his efforts rewarded by a campaign result well in excess of the original objective from individuals, industry and their employees and municipalities in the area. His proud boast was that is cost less than 1% of the funds raised to conduct the campaign.
Having completed this assignment, Mr. Hill than took over the Chairmanship of the Scholarship and Bursary Committee. This post has recently passed to the leadership of W.D. Chisholm, Niagara Falls. Mr. Hill remains a member of the Board of Governors of Brock University. Mr. Hill is married and has three children, Mrs. L.G. McDonald, Toronto; Peter B. Hill, D.F.C. who is now President of ETF Tools, St. Catharines; and Dr. Trevor B. Hill, a professor at William and Mary Williamsburg, Virginia.
How cool is that?!
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