Launching a ship at the Polson Iron Works shipyard.
Founded by William Polson (1834–1901) and son Franklin Bates Polson, the firm was incorporated in 1886 and it was one of the original shipyards operating in Toronto.
In 1888 favourable land grants prompted the company to move to Owen Sound, which was then an important port for Canadian Pacific's steamships.
The firm eventually returned to Toronto in 1897 when Owen Sound's town council did not renew the firm's exemption from property taxes. In Toronto the company's ship yard was located on the harbourfront at the foot of Sherbourne Street. In 1914 the company agreed to lease land from the Toronto Harbour Commission to build a new facility in the newly reclaimed Portlands industrial district, but the outbreak of World War I prevented the move.
Some of the vessels constructed by the Polson Iron Works remain in service today. They include SS Bigwin, PS Trillium and MV Kwasind.[2]
The engines and hull of Bonnington, a steamboat that ran on the Arrow Lakes from 1911 to 1931, were built at the Polson Iron Works, and shipped by rail to British Columbia.[3]
The company ceased operations around 1919,[4] but the name lives on in Polson Pier, where the company had intended to relocate the shipyard.
In 1916 Polson Iron Works was involved in the production of the M.F.P Tractor Biplane for MFP Company owned by J.B. Miller, Walter L. Fairchild and Walter H. Phipps.[7] The plane was designed by Walter H. Phipps, owner of Steel Constructed Aeroplanes Co of New York. Fairchild was a monoplane pioneer from Hempstead Plains, New York.
Referencesedit
^ Michael B. Moir. "Polson, Franklin Bates". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Retrieved 22 March 2012. The steady advancement of the business led to its incorporation on 23 Oct. 1886 as the Polson Iron Works Company of Toronto Limited, with William as president and Franklin as secretary-treasurer.
^ . Save Ontario Shipwrecks. 2003. Archived from the original on 7 February 2012. Retrieved 21 December 2011. The Iron Works only two existing ships in Toronto are the Trillium (built in 1913, which still ferry's passengers to Centre Island) and the RCYC passenger ferry Kwasind (1913).
^ Robert D. Turner (1998). Sternwheelers and Steam Tugs – An Illustrated History of the Canadian Pacific Railway's British Columbia Lake and River Service. Sono Nis Press. ISBN9781550390896. Retrieved 22 March 2012.
^"Polson Iron Works Timeline". polsonironworks.ca. 2012. Retrieved 2 June 2014.
^"List of Ships Built". polsonironworks.com. 2014. Retrieved 2 June 2014.
^ abcdefgh"Polson Iron Works". shipbuildinghistory.com. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
^"Polson Iron Works - M.F.P. Tractor Biplane, 1916".
March 16, 2024
polson, iron, works, limited, polson, iron, works, ontario, based, firm, which, built, large, steam, engines, well, ships, barges, dredges, polson, iron, works, toronto, 1916industryshipbuildingpredecessorwilliam, polson, company, 1883founded1886founderwilliam. The Polson Iron Works was an Ontario based firm which built large steam engines as well as ships barges and dredges 1 Polson Iron Works LimitedPolson Iron Works in Toronto 1916IndustryShipbuildingPredecessorWilliam Polson and Company c 1883Founded1886FounderWilliam Polson Franklin Bates PolsonDefunct1919FateCeased operationsHeadquartersToronto 1886 1888 and 1893 1919 Owen Sound 1888 1893 Toronto Owen Sound Ontario CanadaNumber of locationsToronto Owen SoundArea servedCanadaKey peopleWilliam Polson co founder Franklin Bates Polson co founderProductsFerriesLaunching a ship at the Polson Iron Works shipyard Founded by William Polson 1834 1901 and son Franklin Bates Polson the firm was incorporated in 1886 and it was one of the original shipyards operating in Toronto In 1888 favourable land grants prompted the company to move to Owen Sound which was then an important port for Canadian Pacific s steamships The firm eventually returned to Toronto in 1897 when Owen Sound s town council did not renew the firm s exemption from property taxes In Toronto the company s ship yard was located on the harbourfront at the foot of Sherbourne Street In 1914 the company agreed to lease land from the Toronto Harbour Commission to build a new facility in the newly reclaimed Portlands industrial district but the outbreak of World War I prevented the move Some of the vessels constructed by the Polson Iron Works remain in service today They include SS Bigwin PS Trillium and MV Kwasind 2 The engines and hull of Bonnington a steamboat that ran on the Arrow Lakes from 1911 to 1931 were built at the Polson Iron Works and shipped by rail to British Columbia 3 The company ceased operations around 1919 4 but the name lives on in Polson Pier where the company had intended to relocate the shipyard Contents 1 Ships built 1 1 Motor yachts 1 2 Tugs 1 3 Ferries 1 4 Passenger vessels 1 5 Train ferries 1 6 Patrol boats 1 7 Others 1 8 Naval vessels 1 9 Cargo vessels 1 10 Aircraft 2 ReferencesShips built editPolson was a builder of motor yachts for the wealthy in Toronto during the late 19th and early 20th centuries List of ships built 5 Motor yachts edit Mockingbird 1886 Vivid 1886 Rescue 1886 Electric 1887 Gypsy 1887 Siesta 1889 Undine 1889 Naiad 1890 Siesta 1892 Undine 1892 Mizpah 1892 Annie C Hill 1898 Wanda 1898 Bobs 1900 Llaus 1900 Islander 1900 Llano 1900 Ina 1901 Kate 1902 Espanola 1902 Linnea 1903 Mildred 1903 Rambler 1903 Temagami 1905 Wanda II 1905 Wawinet 1904 Keego 1909 Sir Wilfrid 1902 Morning Star 1907 Roberval 1907 Bessie Butler 1907 P W D No 117 1909 Kwasind 1912 Wanda III 1915 Tugs edit Conqueror 1886 Pikouagami 1906 Loretta 1908 G R Geary 1912 Batchawanna 1912 Ferries edit City of Chatham 1888 Mizpah 1889 Majestic 1899 Algoma 1901 Charles Lyon 1908 KuskanookPassenger vessels edit Manitoba 1889 Train ferries edit Ontario 1890 for CPR Ontario 2 1915 Patrol boats edit Constance 1891 Curlew 1892 Petrel 1892 Vigilant 1903 Others edit Knapp roller boat 1897 Barge Inenew 1902 Lightship Lurcher 1903 Lightship Anticosti 1904 Hercules 1906 Barge Navarch 1906 Keego 1909 Clinker Shuniah 1910 Fireboat T J Clark 1911 Drill Scow MNCO No 6 1912 Clinker Port Nelson 1913 Dredge City Dredge No 2 1914 Cyclone 1914 Buoy tender Grenville 1914 Terminals Lighter Hudson Bay No 1 1914 Terminals Lighter Hudson Bay No 2 1914 Terminals Lighter Hudson Bay No 3 1914 Q H C No 51 1914 Q H C No 52 1914 Q H C No 53 1914 Q H C No 54 1914 Q H C No 55 1914 Seventy Five 1915 Tornado 1915 Naval vessels edit HMCS Messines 1917 minesweeper HMCS St Eloi 1917 minesweeper HMCS St Julien 1917 minesweeper HMCS Vimy 1917 minesweeper HMCS Ypres 1917 minesweeper HMCS Festubert 1917 minesweeperCargo vessels edit Tento 1918 6 Asp 1918 6 War Hydra 1919 6 War Taurus 1919 6 War Tamiskaming 1919 6 Aquila War Hamilton 1919 6 War Algoma 1919 6 War Halton 1919 6 Aircraft edit In 1916 Polson Iron Works was involved in the production of the M F P Tractor Biplane for MFP Company owned by J B Miller Walter L Fairchild and Walter H Phipps 7 The plane was designed by Walter H Phipps owner of Steel Constructed Aeroplanes Co of New York Fairchild was a monoplane pioneer from Hempstead Plains New York References edit Michael B Moir Polson Franklin Bates Dictionary of Canadian Biography Retrieved 22 March 2012 The steady advancement of the business led to its incorporation on 23 Oct 1886 as the Polson Iron Works Company of Toronto Limited with William as president and Franklin as secretary treasurer Nautical History Save Ontario Shipwrecks 2003 Archived from the original on 7 February 2012 Retrieved 21 December 2011 The Iron Works only two existing ships in Toronto are the Trillium built in 1913 which still ferry s passengers to Centre Island and the RCYC passenger ferry Kwasind 1913 Robert D Turner 1998 Sternwheelers and Steam Tugs An Illustrated History of the Canadian Pacific Railway s British Columbia Lake and River Service Sono Nis Press ISBN 9781550390896 Retrieved 22 March 2012 Polson Iron Works Timeline polsonironworks ca 2012 Retrieved 2 June 2014 List of Ships Built polsonironworks com 2014 Retrieved 2 June 2014 a b c d e f g h Polson Iron Works shipbuildinghistory com Retrieved 15 August 2022 Polson Iron Works M F P Tractor Biplane 1916 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Polson Iron Works Limited amp oldid 1138224817, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
