This past summer I spent some time at the Windsor Community Archives in the basement of the Windsor Public Library on Ouellette. There is a real treasure trove of local history down there. While there I was browsing through the J.C. Pennington collection, when I saw a listing for the A.S. Boyle Co. Not being familiar with this particular business, I made a request to see the blueprints.
The site plan, revealed a big factory complex planned for the n.w. corner of Campbell & College. Plans showed a labratory building to be built on the corner along with a boiler house and a wax & freezone building, with a large space to the west side of the property reserved for “future extension”.
The planned building was idealy located, with a planned siding from the Essex Terminal to the rear, and with a street car line out front.
It looks like it would have been a pretty substantial factory, at 4 1/2 stories. I looked through my files, but I couldn’t find anything at hand on the A.S. Boyle Company, and what they did. Not sure if they were an existing company with expansion plans, or a new start up… Maybe someone out there had a relative that worked for them?
To put it in perspective, here’s the site today. It would have occupied the site of the Esso/Mac’s (BTW – what ever happened to Winks?), with the Beer Store property being part of the future expansion area.
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Looking around on the net, it seems as if they were a fairly big deal. They were a subsidary of American Home Products, but I think they were originally a british company.
I’m pretty limited to what I can access on the net here at work, but there seemed to be more info out there.
I found an old Popular Science add for “Plastic Wood” made by the company. They also had a hand in WD-40, Antrol Ant Killer. Seems to me they concentrated in things around the home.
I bet that place would’ve looked beautiful.
Is that an double tracked ETR I’m seeing or was that part of the siding?
Thanks Andrew!
I did some digging and it looks like American Home Products was once the parent company of Wyeth Pharmaceutical, the same Wyeth that had a factory where the Market on Ottawa and Walker is now.
There used to be a ceramic studio/store on that property in the 1980’s. It reached right out to the sidewalk on the very corner. It was torn down about 1988.
Shawn, I think it was Sac’s Ceramics. I was wondering what corner they were on. The other corners along Campbell didn’t look right. I didn’t realize the building had been torn down.
Yes, I think it was Sac’s Ceramics. Good memory Paula.
I have just finished looking up The A. S. Boyle Company as I have an ancient bottle of Old English Scratch cover polish for furniture and floors. This actually was my mother’s and I have used it since she passed on. It is absolutely super how it covers up scratches. On the back of the bottle is The A. S. Boyle Company Walkerville, Ont. The reason I was looking is I really would like to get more! Thought you might find this interesting.
Found a rather large bottle of a product called Rug-sta. Seems to be real old but doesn’t seem to have ever been opened. The label say’s it was manufactured by A. S. Boyle Co. in Cincinnati Ohio. The cap reads Old English. It says the purpose of the product is to keep rugs from slipping. Was curious so I tried looking it up and came across this site. Would love to know more if you have additional info. Thanks!
I have an old bottle of 3 in ONE oil with some oil still in it. It came from an attic of a house i purchased in 1972 from the original owner who built it in 1936.. It has the A s Boyle Distributors on the bottle label. I can’t find any reference to the 6 oz. bottle on the internet. A glass bottle with a screw on cap.