The Exeter Times-Advocate, 1973-06-28, Page 68Exeter 235-2411
Successor to H. T. Rowe, W. C. Allison and
Middleton & Genttner
Section 3, Page 16 THE EXETER TIMES-ADVOCATE JUNE 28, 1973
Lions brand clothes
worn across country
BUSTLE OF THE STATION - In earlier days, Exeter's train station was
a hive of activity as is witnessed by this picture taken in 1901. The man
standing near the horses is Tom Creech, who, with his stage, operated
the Union Bus
Morley
Line. The little boy standing beside him is Clarence
The Name's Been
Changed A Few
Times . . . BUT
RAN THE BUSES - T.G. Creech,
above, was the owner and
operator of one of the "buses" -
Horse-drawn stages - which met
the trains of the Grand Trunk
Railway at the Exeter Station
about 1900. He was the father of
Mrs. G. Koch.
JOTTINGS BY J.M.S.
Dec. 29, 1960
Fifty years ago this month an
industry was opened in Exeter
that for a number of years proved
to be a going concern, starting
with 36 employees, mostly
women. With the centralizing of
industry in the larger centres the
Exeter factory folded after being
in operation for about 17 years.
It was in 1910 that the Jackson
Manufacturing Company began
the manufacture of boys' clothing
in the building now owned by
Sandy Elliot formerly the
Pickard block. The Exeter
factory was a branch of the
company with headquarters in
Clinton and another branch in
Goderich.
Mr. G.W. Davis was the
superintendent of the new plant
with Mr. A. Perritt as cutter. The
garments made were children's
overcoats, overalls, knickers and
suits and were known as the
"Lions Brand".
Within a few weeks after the
plant opened it was turning out
from 1,800 to 2,000 garments a
week, using about 1,700 yards of
cloth and 90,000 yards of thread.
An electric sewing machine for
sewing on buttons averaged
about 1,400 buttons a day and it
was possible to sew on 600 buttons
an hour on some garments.
Three electric pressers were
used in finishing the garments.
The sewing machines run at 1,800
stitches a minute.
The cloth was laid out on a long
table almost 100 layers deep and
with an electric cutting machine
the operator could cut 1,200
knickers in four hours and other
garments proportionately.
During the early stages of
operation the wages paid out
amounted to around $1,000 A
month.
The "Lions Brand" clothing at
one time was quite famous and
orders were coming in faster
than they could be filled. Goods -
were shipped from Halifax to
Victoria.
The factory operated until
about 1924 when it was taken over
by Mr. S.M. Sanders. Mr. San-
ders about the same time Look
over a branch of the factory at
Hensel] where Mr. W. O.
Goodwin was to charge.
Mr. Sanders previous to taking
over the Jackson factory was
manager of the Exeter Canning
Company. Mr. Sanders owned the
building in which the factory was
located and in 1929 he sold the
building to Mr. Sandy Elliot who
converted it into the Ford garage.
Rewl..0111A4010.1X1104.913
Our Business Has
Beef Serving The
Community For
22 Years
•
nil
Ralph and Florence Genttner, Shirley and George Pratt and Ray Smith
fie - '
Products For
Farm, Home, Auto
And Industry
exeter roofing
& sheet metal
co. ltd.
235-1557
With A
Roof That Will
Last Well Into
Exeter's Next
Century