Fonds F836 - McLaughlin Carriage Works fonds

Robert McLaughlin had his roots in Tyrone County, Ireland. By the mid 1800's he had been "lured" to the Peterborough area of Ontario with the promise of free farm land. In 1867 or so, McLaughlin built himself a horse carriage. So good was his design and craftsmanship that the neighbours asked him to build carriages for them. As knowledge of the quality of McLaughlin's carriage spread, demand increased. In 1869 he founded the McLaughlin Carriage Company in response to the demand for his carriages. In 1876, seeking better access to markets, he moved his business to Oshawa. The company was owned by McLaughlin and two of his three sons, Sam and George, both of whom started at the bottom of their father's carriage business as sweepers. In 1899 the business was temporarily relocated in Gananoque when the business was destroyed by fire. With the advent of the automobile George and his brother, along with George Hezzelwood, formed the McLaughlin Motor Car Company Limited in 1907. For a time the family continued to produce carriages. Then, in 1915, Robert McLaughlin sold the carriage works to Jim Thudhope of Orillia, Ontario. In writing at the time of his difficulty in letting the works go, he simply observed: "[The] gasoline engine [is] at present working a revolution in the horse-drawn vehicle trade."