Hello Bill
I’ve been looking through your posts again, and think your comment about Gaunts by 1985 “only selling and not making”
was about the Canadian business. I also see that elsewhere you talk about the Montreal company being bought by Scullys in 1984. According to John Richard Gaunt’s 1994 article, of course, the link between J. R. Gaunt & Son in England and the firm in Canada was cut around 1939, so after this date the Montreal company appears to have been a total separate entity.
I take it you think the 1985 letter, and possibly now the 1994 article, were written too late after the event to count, so I think it should point out that these were both specifically dealing with the history of the Company. The letter says it was compiled using “information obtained from various employees”, whilst Mr Gaunt’s article was derived from his personal recollections. I do appreciate what you are saying, but I think you seem to be approaching things from the standpoint that Gaunt’s definitely manufactured badges in Canada, whereas I am looking at it based on the two sources I’ve quoted which clearly indicate the opposite.
It is without doubt interesting that there are Gaunt badges with Montreal marks, and that in addition some of these have “Made in England” on them. It is therefore a completely logically explanation to suggests that those without mention of England had been made in Canada, whilst the others simply imported. However, again, this is on the assumption that badges were made in Canada, and as I have said, given the information from the letter and article, this doesn’t look to be the case and I really do think this needs to be treated with caution. Perhaps there is another explanation for the two differing Gaunt Montreal marks?
I have been trying to look into things again today, and have found another reference, coincidentally from 1939, so at the time Mr Gaunt believes the Canadian “office” was sold to “Mr Folwer”, which gives another address in Montreal for “J. R. Gaunt & Son (Canada) Company, Limited” being “616 Lagauchetière St. West”, which was apparently “2 Doors West of Beaver Hall Hill”. This seems to now be Rue de la Gauchetière Ouest, which cuts across Côte du Beaver Hall, so it would appear this latter street is what was earlier known as Beaver Hall Hill; though exactly where on this street Nos 63 & 65 were is another matter.
I also came across two other advertisements for the Montreal company, the first being from
The Quarterly Militia List of the Dominion of Canada, March 9, 1915, p. x, whist the other is taken from
Men’s Wear Review, Vol. III, No. 1, January 1918, p. 24:
Both give the Beaver Hall Hill address, alongside the London Conduit Street one. Given the nature of this thread I thought they’d be of some interest, even if they don’t help us address the question about whether or not J. R. Gaunt & Son ever actually made badges in Canada.
Best regards
Martin