Consolidated Optical Co. Ltd.
Title
Consolidated Optical Co. Ltd.
Consol
Type
Company
Visit Exhibits
Precision Making in Canada Before 1918. https://omeka.uottawa.ca/instrument-precision/exhibits/show/precision-makers-1857-1918
Begin Date
1907
End Date
1947 (name)
c. 1987 (entity)
Location
1907 - 24 Adelaide Street West, Toronto, Ontario
1910 - 400 Richmond St. West, Toronto, Ontario
by 1924 - 14-16 Queen Street East, Toronto, Ontario
Product Areas
Optical, Surveying, Navigation
Activities
Manufacturing, Repairing, Supplying, Designing
Timeline
- 1894 – L.G. Amsden joins Cohen Brothers Ltd. (Moses M. Cohen and ?? Cohen), Toronto, an ophthalmic instrument and jewellery company, as secretary. (“Lionel George Amsden”)
- 1900 – Company active as The Cohen Brothers Ltd. recently having moved to a new larger factory space at 24 Adelaide St. West, Toronto, ON. L.G. Amsden is working as Secretary of the business as well as principal of the ongoing courses at the “Canadian Ophthalmic College”, The company has large numbers of sales people travelling through Canada selling spectacles. ("Editorial Notes": 27, 41)
- 1907 - Cohen Brothers Ltd., Toronto purchased by Lionel G. Amsden; Amsden becomes Vice-President and Managing Director. With other companies, including the Montreal Optical Company, the Dominion Optical Company (Toronto) and the Western Optical Company (Winnipeg), the Consolidated Optical Company is formed. (Fisher, “Early Canadian Optometry”: 44)
- 1910 - Consolidated Optical Co. Ltd. active at 61 Simcoe St., Toronto, ON. President is Charles B. McNaught; secretary John W. Huntzberger. (Toronto City Directory 1910: 501)
- 1910 - The company opens a large factory at 400 Richmond Street West, Toronto. From early 1911, this space is shared with other manufacturers, including the Auto Strop Safety Razor Co. Ltd.. ("Another Business Has Chosen Toronto As Its Home")
- c.1913 - Thomas Pocklington, an instrument maker, is employed by Consolidated Optical.
- 1920 - September. Consolidated Optical opens a factory in Nicolet, QB. (“La Consolidated Optical est établie à Nicolet depuis vingt-cinq ans”)
- 1921-1922 - Consolidated Optical's Toronto factory is engaged to construct the camera frame and tube for the University of Toronto's "Einstein Camera", used for photographing the 1922 solar eclipse in Western Australia and testing Albert Einstein's General Theory of Relativity. ("Lens Assembly for Einstein Camera")
- 1922 - American Optical, an American company based in Southbridge, Mass., investigates begins constructing factory in Belleville, ON. (“Large Factory to be Erected in Belleville”)
- 1924 - Consolidated Optical's survey instrument business is sold to Toronto drawing instrument company, J. Frank Raw Ltd.. The factory at 400 Richmond Street West, Toronto, is closed. Consolidated Optical operations begin at 257 Coleman Street, Belleville ON.
- 1933 – Active and producing glass goods. Plant is Located at 257 Coleman St., Belleville, ON. ("The Ophthalmic Products Industry 1933") - 1945 - Consolidated Optical has 25 stores across Canada selling mainly spectacles. (“La Consolidated Optical est établie à Nicolet depuis vingt-cinq ans”)
- 1947, April - The company continues its activities under the name American Optical Company of Canada. (“American optical…”)
- 1949 - The company moves its Belleville operations to an 87 000 sq ft factory on Bridge Street West, Belleville, ON. (Sangma, “American Optical Company Ltd” )
- 1969 - Company renamed AOCO Ltd., with plants in Belleville, ON and Nicolet, QB. Advertising scientific instruments and medical equipment among their offerings. (Sangma, “American Optical Company Ltd” )
- 1976 - Company active in Belleville, ON, largely importing from American Optical plant in Buffalo. Mainly producing spectacles but "does sell some laboratory tools and supplies." ("The Ophthalmic Products Industry in Canada")
- 1986 - The company's factory in Belleville, ON is taken over by Northern Telecom. (Sangma, “American Optical Company Ltd” )
- 1987 - The company's factory in Nicolet, QC ceases operations. (“Nicolet Inventaire du patrimoine bâti Rapport synthèse”)
- by 2023 - AOCO Ltd. ceases to have operations independent from American Optical.
- 1900 – Company active as The Cohen Brothers Ltd. recently having moved to a new larger factory space at 24 Adelaide St. West, Toronto, ON. L.G. Amsden is working as Secretary of the business as well as principal of the ongoing courses at the “Canadian Ophthalmic College”, The company has large numbers of sales people travelling through Canada selling spectacles. ("Editorial Notes": 27, 41)
- 1907 - Cohen Brothers Ltd., Toronto purchased by Lionel G. Amsden; Amsden becomes Vice-President and Managing Director. With other companies, including the Montreal Optical Company, the Dominion Optical Company (Toronto) and the Western Optical Company (Winnipeg), the Consolidated Optical Company is formed. (Fisher, “Early Canadian Optometry”: 44)
- 1910 - Consolidated Optical Co. Ltd. active at 61 Simcoe St., Toronto, ON. President is Charles B. McNaught; secretary John W. Huntzberger. (Toronto City Directory 1910: 501)
- 1910 - The company opens a large factory at 400 Richmond Street West, Toronto. From early 1911, this space is shared with other manufacturers, including the Auto Strop Safety Razor Co. Ltd.. ("Another Business Has Chosen Toronto As Its Home")
- c.1913 - Thomas Pocklington, an instrument maker, is employed by Consolidated Optical.
- 1920 - September. Consolidated Optical opens a factory in Nicolet, QB. (“La Consolidated Optical est établie à Nicolet depuis vingt-cinq ans”)
- 1921-1922 - Consolidated Optical's Toronto factory is engaged to construct the camera frame and tube for the University of Toronto's "Einstein Camera", used for photographing the 1922 solar eclipse in Western Australia and testing Albert Einstein's General Theory of Relativity. ("Lens Assembly for Einstein Camera")
- 1922 - American Optical, an American company based in Southbridge, Mass., investigates begins constructing factory in Belleville, ON. (“Large Factory to be Erected in Belleville”)
- 1924 - Consolidated Optical's survey instrument business is sold to Toronto drawing instrument company, J. Frank Raw Ltd.. The factory at 400 Richmond Street West, Toronto, is closed. Consolidated Optical operations begin at 257 Coleman Street, Belleville ON.
- 1933 – Active and producing glass goods. Plant is Located at 257 Coleman St., Belleville, ON. ("The Ophthalmic Products Industry 1933") - 1945 - Consolidated Optical has 25 stores across Canada selling mainly spectacles. (“La Consolidated Optical est établie à Nicolet depuis vingt-cinq ans”)
- 1947, April - The company continues its activities under the name American Optical Company of Canada. (“American optical…”)
- 1949 - The company moves its Belleville operations to an 87 000 sq ft factory on Bridge Street West, Belleville, ON. (Sangma, “American Optical Company Ltd” )
- 1969 - Company renamed AOCO Ltd., with plants in Belleville, ON and Nicolet, QB. Advertising scientific instruments and medical equipment among their offerings. (Sangma, “American Optical Company Ltd” )
- 1976 - Company active in Belleville, ON, largely importing from American Optical plant in Buffalo. Mainly producing spectacles but "does sell some laboratory tools and supplies." ("The Ophthalmic Products Industry in Canada")
- 1986 - The company's factory in Belleville, ON is taken over by Northern Telecom. (Sangma, “American Optical Company Ltd” )
- 1987 - The company's factory in Nicolet, QC ceases operations. (“Nicolet Inventaire du patrimoine bâti Rapport synthèse”)
- by 2023 - AOCO Ltd. ceases to have operations independent from American Optical.
Sources
“American optical…” The Globe and Mail (Toronto), April 1, 1947: 21.
"Another Business Has Chosen Toronto As Its Home" The Globe (Toronto), May 16, 1911: 9
Canada, Department of Trade and Commerce Dominion Bureau of Statistics. "The Glass Industry in Canada, 1933. (Minister of Trade and Commerce, 1935): 9 (https://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2017/statcan/44-207/CS44-207-1933-eng.pdf)
The Consolidated Optical Co. Ltd. “Consol Optical Specialties Catalogue Number 37” Catalogue. Ingenium Library & Archives Trade Lit: PHYS C7555 3001 D1930
“La Consolidated Optical est établie à Nicolet depuis vingt-cinq ans” Le nouvelliste, Mecredi 19 décembre, 1945. (https://numerique.banq.qc.ca/patrimoine/details/52327/3214250)
Consumer and Corporate Affairs, Canada. "The Ophthalmic Products Industry in Canada" (1976) (https://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2022/isde-ised/rg54-4/RG54-4-56-1978-eng.pdf )
"Editorial Notes" The Trader & Canadian Jeweller (February 1900): 27, 41 (https://ia601609.us.archive.org/30/items/canadianjewel1900cana/canadianjewel1900cana.pdf)
Fisher, E.J. “Early Canadian Optometry” Newsletter of the Optometric Historical Society 20, No. 4 (October 1989): 44
“Large Factory to be Erected in Belleville” The Globe (Toronto) April 12, 1922: 5
"Lens Assembly for Einstein Camera" John A. Brashear Co., 1922. University of Toronto Scientific Instrument Collection (UTSIC), 2019.ast.241 (https://utsic.utoronto.ca/wpm_instrument/lens-assembly/)
“Lionel George Amsden” Who’s Who in Canada: A Biographical Directory of Men and Women, Vol 6-7 (International Press, Ltd., 1915-1916): 20
“Nicolet Inventaire du patrimoine bâti Rapport synthèse” Culture et Communications, Quebec. (13 février 2015): 82 (https://nicolet.ca/upload/final-rapportsynthese.pdf)
Sangma, Benzie. “American Optical Company Ltd” May 21, 2005 (http://images.ourontario.ca/Partners/BelPL/BelPL002769769pf_0001.pdf;http://images.ourontario.ca/Partners/BelPL/BelPL002769769pf_0002.pdf)
"Another Business Has Chosen Toronto As Its Home" The Globe (Toronto), May 16, 1911: 9
Canada, Department of Trade and Commerce Dominion Bureau of Statistics. "The Glass Industry in Canada, 1933. (Minister of Trade and Commerce, 1935): 9 (https://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2017/statcan/44-207/CS44-207-1933-eng.pdf)
The Consolidated Optical Co. Ltd. “Consol Optical Specialties Catalogue Number 37” Catalogue. Ingenium Library & Archives Trade Lit: PHYS C7555 3001 D1930
“La Consolidated Optical est établie à Nicolet depuis vingt-cinq ans” Le nouvelliste, Mecredi 19 décembre, 1945. (https://numerique.banq.qc.ca/patrimoine/details/52327/3214250)
Consumer and Corporate Affairs, Canada. "The Ophthalmic Products Industry in Canada" (1976) (https://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2022/isde-ised/rg54-4/RG54-4-56-1978-eng.pdf )
"Editorial Notes" The Trader & Canadian Jeweller (February 1900): 27, 41 (https://ia601609.us.archive.org/30/items/canadianjewel1900cana/canadianjewel1900cana.pdf)
Fisher, E.J. “Early Canadian Optometry” Newsletter of the Optometric Historical Society 20, No. 4 (October 1989): 44
“Large Factory to be Erected in Belleville” The Globe (Toronto) April 12, 1922: 5
"Lens Assembly for Einstein Camera" John A. Brashear Co., 1922. University of Toronto Scientific Instrument Collection (UTSIC), 2019.ast.241 (https://utsic.utoronto.ca/wpm_instrument/lens-assembly/)
“Lionel George Amsden” Who’s Who in Canada: A Biographical Directory of Men and Women, Vol 6-7 (International Press, Ltd., 1915-1916): 20
“Nicolet Inventaire du patrimoine bâti Rapport synthèse” Culture et Communications, Quebec. (13 février 2015): 82 (https://nicolet.ca/upload/final-rapportsynthese.pdf)
Sangma, Benzie. “American Optical Company Ltd” May 21, 2005 (http://images.ourontario.ca/Partners/BelPL/BelPL002769769pf_0001.pdf;http://images.ourontario.ca/Partners/BelPL/BelPL002769769pf_0002.pdf)
Files
Collection
Citation
“Consolidated Optical Co. Ltd.,” Precision Instrument Culture in Canada, accessed December 22, 2024, http://omeka.uottawa.ca/instrument-precision/items/show/29.
Geolocation
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