Instruments Ltd.

Title

Instruments Ltd.
E.R. Watts & Co., Ottawa
Instruments (1951) Ltd.

Example Artifact
Drawing set

Type

Company

Begin Date

1907-01-01

Active Until

1964-01-01

Location

31 Richmond St. West, Toronto , ON (1930)
240 Sparks St. Ottawa, ON (1930, c.1944)
300 Parkdale Avenue, Ottawa, ON (c.1944, 1964)
14 Adelaide St. West, Toronto, ON (1944)

Product Areas

Scientific
Drawing & Drafting

Activities

Supplying
Importing
Manufacturing
Repairing

Timeline

- 1907 – Founded as E.R. Watts & Son, Canada, a subsidiary of British company E.R. Watts & Son (“E.R. Watts and Son”)

- 1909 – E.R. Watts & Son, Canada becomes E.R. Watts and Son Ltd. of Ottawa, a separate company. (“E.R. Watts and Son”)

- 1921 – Name of Ottawa company changed to Instruments Limited. (Attic Books)

- 1923 – Described as the successors to E.R. Watts & Son, representing E.R. Watts & Son (London), Cambridge & Paul, Negretti & Zambria and Ross Ltd., also representing Gallenkamp. (Letter from Instruments Ltd. to R.C. Dearle, January 27, 1923)

- 1928 – Representing Cambridge Instruments Ltd., Negretti & Zambra.

- Aug 1930 – Active with office (not manufacturing) at 31 Richmond St. West, Toronto, ON run by Frank Fulligram. Head Office 240 Sparks St. Ottawa, ON; “Canadian distributors for Cambridge Instrument Co. Ltd., Negretti & Zambra, Ross Ltd., E.R. Watts & Son Ltd.” (Letter from Instruments Ltd. to R.C. Dearle, August 23, 1930; Brooks, 84)

- 1944–1951 – Active with manufacturing facilities at 300 Parkdale Avenue, Ottawa, ON and retail outlets at 240 Sparks St., Ottawa, ON, and 14 Adelaide St. West, Toronto, ON, plus other branches at Montreal and Quebec, with agents “including Winnipeg to B.C.” Preamble of catalogue highlights manufacturing capabilities: “Whilst prior to the War, we maintained workshop facilities at both our Ottawa and Toronto establishments, due to War demands we were compelled to extend our activities and built our present modern factory at Parkdale Avenue in Ottawa. It is equipped with the latest modern machinery for accurate work of any kind and is under the close supervision of expert mechanics in charge of Mr. W. Wilson Low our Superintendent. We have manufactured Sensitive Altimeters, Tachometers and Aircraft Compasses, Surveying Aneroids, Aircraft and Ophthalmic Cameras, lens mounts and other kindred instruments calling for the highest prevision.” (“Instruments Limited Catalogue No. 47”)

- 1951 – Possible company restructure, resulting in name “Instruments (1951) Ltd.” (Fraser's Canadian Trade Dictionary (1964))

- 1957 – Active, conducting repairs/overhauling watches, employing watchmaker Steve King. (“I never take it for granted”)

- 1964 – Active under “Instruments (1951) Ltd” at 300 Parkdale Ave., Ottawa, ON. (Fraser's Canadian Trade Dictionary (1964))

Sources

Brooks, R. “A Conversation with an Instrument Maker” Rittenhouse 20, 65–126 (2006): 84

Attic Books, “Instruments Limited Catalogue No. 47: Surveyors', Engineers', Architects' & Draughtsmens' Instruments & Supplies” Attic Books, Inventory #121832 (https://atticbooks.ca/products/121832) [22-07-24]

“E.R. Watts and Son” Grace’s Guide To British Industrial History (https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/E._R._Watts_and_Son) [22-07-24]

“Instruments Limited Catalogue No. 47” Ingenium Library & Archives Trade Literature Collection, EXPL I5998 3001 1940-1949

King, Steve, “I never take it for granted” Ottawa Citizen, June 29, 2013

Fraser’s Canadian Trade Directory
(1964): 764.

Letters:

  • Letter from Instruments Ltd. to R.C. Dearle, January 27, 1923. Western University Archives A19-019-001 (Dearle Correspondence), Correspondence General I-J 1925-1935
  • Letter from Instruments Ltd. to R.C. Dearle, August 23, 1930. Western University Archives A19-019-001 (Dearle Correspondence), Correspondence General I-J 1925-1935
Image Name Function
Drawing set Drawing set to contain & protect .2-.10 when not in use
Pen Pen
Instrument part Instrument part unidentified brace or bracket - purpose not known
Point, needle Point, needle precise purpose unknown
Point, pen Point, pen one of a set of interchangeable pen points installed on ...
Point, pen Point, pen one of a set of interchangeable pen points installed on ...
Point, pen Point, pen one of a set of interchangeable pen points installed on ...
Point, pen Point, pen one of a set of interchangeable pen points installed on ...
Point, pen Point, pen one of a set of interchangeable pen points installed on ...
Point, pen Point, pen one of a set of interchangeable pen points installed on ...
Case, storage-carrying Case, storage-carrying
Barometer Barometer An instrument that measures atmospheric pressure through its effect onan ...
Valve Valve TO PASTEURIZE MILK
Valve Valve TO PASTEURIZE MILK
Valve Valve TO PASTEURIZE MILK
Barometer Barometer AN INSTRUMENT THAT MEASURES ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE THROUGH ITS EFFECT ON ...
Barometer Barometer AN INSTRUMENT THAT MEASURES ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE THROUGH ITS EFFECT ON ...
Barometer Barometer AN INSTRUMENT THAT MEASURES ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE THROUGH ITS EFFECT ON ...
Compass, beam Compass, beam USED FOR DRAWING THE ARCS OF CIRCLES WHOSE RADII ARE ...
Radiosonde Radiosonde DEVICE RAISED BY BALLOON INTO UPPER ATMOSPHERE TO MEASURE TEMPERATURE,HUMIDITY, ...
Radiosonde Radiosonde DEVICE LIFTED BY BALLOON INTO UPPER ATMOSPHERE TO READ TEMPERATURE, ...
Tuner, radio Tuner, radio TO PRE-TUNE A RADIO FREQUENCY SIGNAL PRIOR TO CONVERSION TO ...

Collection

Citation

“Instruments Ltd.,” Precision Instrument Culture in Canada, accessed December 21, 2024, http://omeka.uottawa.ca/instrument-precision/items/show/2238.

Output Formats

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