J.G. Joseph

Title

J.G. Joseph
Judah G. Joseph
Judah Gershom Joseph
Judah George Joseph
J.G.J.

Type

Individual
Company

Coverage

Toronto, ON

Begin Date

1836-01-01

End Date

1878-01-01

Location

Main Street, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA (1836)
110 ½ King Street East, Toronto, ON (1843)
56 King Street East, Toronto, ON (1845)
72 King Street East, Toronto, ON (1863)
46 Yonge Street, Toronto, ON. (1873)
35 Front Street, Toronto, ON (1877)

Product Areas

Scientific
Surveying
Optical
Jewellery
Silverware
Mathematical

Activities

Supplying
Manufacturing
Repairing

Timeline

- 1798 – Judah Gershom/George Joseph born in Exeter, UK. (Fisher, 59; von Bitter, 4)

- 1830 – Joseph has moved to the USA and is working as a clerk for Jonas Levy in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA (von Bitter, 4)

- 1836 – J.G. Joseph takes over “The Old Spectacle Store” on Main Street, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. Advertising, “Optician, Jewellery, Silversmith, Watch and Clock Maker…”

- 1838 – J.G. Joseph, following being scammed, moves to Canada, possibly via Hamilton. He opens a shop, advertising, “Optician Spectacle and Mathematical Instrument Maker, Jewellery, Watches and Silverware made and repaired to order.” (Fisher, 59; von Bitter, 4)

- 1843 – Opened a new shop at 110 ½ King Street East, Toronto, ON, advertising “Hydrometers, Sacchrometers, Barometers… Thermometers, Telescopes and Microscopes, Spectacles.. Theodolites, Transits, Compasses, Drawing Instruments and Scales.” (Daniels, 12; von Bitter, 4)

- 1845 – Joseph moves to “Victoria Row” on King Street East “just west of Church Street”, possibly number 56. (Daniels, 12; von Bitter, 4)

- 1857 – Judah Josephs dies; company, operating at 56 King Street East, is sold to Thomas H. Lee and to Joseph’s daughter’s Lousia Altman’s husband, Henry J. Altman. (Daniels, 12; Fisher, 59; von Bitter, 8)

- 1863, Dec. – Company advertising “Fine Jewellery, Diamond & other Gem Rings, New Electro-Plate, Spoons and Forks A1 Quality”; business is located on King Street, likely 72 King Street East, Toronto. (“Fine Jewellery”)

- 1864 – Company is located at 72 King Street East, Toronto, ON (von Bitter, 8)

- 1873 – Company listed as “wholesale” watchmaker and active at 46 Yonge Street, Toronto, ON. (Cherrier, Kirwin & McGown's Toronto Directory for 1873)

- 1877 – Company is listed at 35 Front Street, Toronto, ON (von Bitter, 8)

- 1878 – J.G. Joseph company goes bankrupt. (von Bitter, 8)

Sources

Cherrier, Kirwin & McGown's Toronto Directory for 1873 (Cherrier, Kirwin & McGowan, 1873) (https://www.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.8_00257_1/1): 198

Daniels, William J. “Aspects of Scientific Enterprise in Victorian Toronto” The Ontario Land Surveyor, Spring 2005 (https://www.krcmar.ca/resource-articles/2005_Spring_Aspects%20of%20Scientific%20Enterprise_1.pdf): 12–13

“Fine Jewellery” The Globe (Toronto), December 19, 1863: Classifieds 1

Fisher, Edward J. “Judah G. Joseph” Rittenhouse 4 No. 2 (Feb. 1990): 59–60 [Ingenium Images 4726-4727]

Von Bitter, Peter. “Judah Gershom Joseph: A Footprint on King St” The Beaver (February-March 1995): 4–8 [Ingenium Images 4728-4733]

Tags

Citation

“J.G. Joseph,” Precision Instrument Culture in Canada, accessed October 16, 2024, http://omeka.uottawa.ca/instrument-precision/items/show/2248.

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