Business Holdings
The following table contains a list of business-related fonds and collections held by Archives and Special Collections. For specific types of businesses, use the dropdown menu to filter the holdings by business type. Fonds or collections with finding aids are linked in the table.
Note: The Dates column refers to the creation of the material, not necessarily the business’s operational timeline. Dates with “c.” or “ca.” refer to approximate dates of creation, while dates with a question mark refer to probable dates of creation. When dates of creation are unknown, items are marked with "n.d."
| Fonds or Collection Name | Type of Business | Description of Records | Dates | Type of Business |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abbott Brothers Carriage Company | Carriage and wagonmaker | Order book, accounts, illustrations, and diagrams | 1868-1886 | Carriage and wagonmaker |
| Alley, Henry Brownrigg | Retail | Correspondence | 1843-1915 | Retail |
| Arn & Sons Funeral Directors | Cemetery or funeral service | Funeral records | 1907-1943 | Cemetery or funeral service |
| Baird, H.C & Company | Manufacturer | Correspondence, invoices | 1910s-1930s | Manufacturer |
| Bell, Walter & family | Engineering and architecture | Personal and business papers | c. 1870-1950 | Engineering and architecture |
| Belton Lumber Company | Energy | Business records | 1912-1970 | Energy |
| Bennet Furnishing Co. | Manufacturer | Letterbooks | 1883-1887 | Manufacturer |
| Blackburn fonds | Printing and publishing | Records of Blackburn family, London Free Press, and CFPL | 1834-1931 | Printing and publishing |
| Bonar, James | Transportation | Speeches and pamphlets | 1936-1970 | Transportation |
| Bowman, Kennedy & Company | Merchant | Ledger & a/c Index only | 1887-1897 | Merchant |
| Buchanan, Isaac | Transportation | Microfilm | 1853-1859 | Transportation |
| Buffalo, Brantford & Goderich Railway | Transportation | Book | 1853 | Transportation |
| Byrne, Miles | Retail | Ledger | 1845-1884 | Retail |
| Byron Telephone | Telephone | Business records | 1908-1960 | Entertainment |
| Cameron, Donald | Energy | Textual records | 1869-1905 | Energy |
| Campbell, John & Son (London Carriage Works) | Carriage and wagonmaker | Ledgers and textual records | 1855-1920 | Carriage and wagonmaker |
| Canada Company | Land Development Company | Accounts and notices | 1824-1942 | Business person |
| Canada Southern Railway | Transportation | Correspondence, annual reports, legal documents | 1970-1984 | Transportation |
| Canadian Iron Foundries | Manufacturer | 24 mounted photographs | 1889-1904 | Manufacturer |
| Canadian Tire Corporation | Retail | Business records | 1903-2001 | Retail |
| Carty, Arthur & Edmund (Carty News Services) | Printing and publishing | Business records | 1838-1974 | Printing and publishing |
| Coatsworth, Robert | Retail | Invoices, accounts, and letters | 1833-1838 | Retail |
| Comfort & Greer | Mill | Business accounts | 1846-1854 | Mill |
| Complin Family | Merchant | Business and family records | 1779-1870 | Merchant |
| Connecticut Mutual Life Insurance Co. | Insurance | Sir John A. Macdonald insurance policy | 1868-1869 | Insurance |
| Coombs, Henry | Manufacturer | Textual records | 1850-1882 | Manufacturer |
| Crown Savings & Loan | Bank | Minute books and textual records | 1882-1940 | Bank |
| Daly, Dennis & Son | Energy | Account books and miscellaneous textual records | 1866-1913 | Energy |
| Davies, William | Food | Correspondence and research documents | 1854-1861 | Food |
| Dennisteel Corporation | Manufacturer | Business and corporate records | 1936-1964 | Manufacturer |
| Dillon Engineering Company | Engineering and architecture | Business and personal records | 1940s-1980s | Engineering and architecture |
| District Trust Company | Finance | Textual records | 1964 | Finance |
| Dominion Chicle | Manufacturer | Shipping orders and day book | 1912-1913 | Manufacturer |
| Donnelly Food Market | Retail | Account books | 1907-1964 | Retail |
| Dyson, Charles | Manufacturer | Accounts and time books | 1905-1953 | Manufacturer |
| Egerton Associates | Real estate | Business records | [1970s] | Real estate |
| Electrical Construction Company of London | Construction or contractor | Business records | 1897-1907 | Construction or contractor |
| Equitable Life Assurance | Insurance | Business records | 1911-1921 | Insurance |
| Facey Coal Co. fonds | Energy | Business records | 1923-1955 | Energy |
| Fairbank Family | Retail | Textual records | 1840-1930 | Retail |
| Fairbank (Van Tuyl & Fairbank) | Retail | Textual records | 1840-1930 | Retail |
| Fallows Family [Joseph Seymour] | Energy | Administrative records, trade brochures, and diaries | 1838-1912 | Energy |
| Fawcett, Livingstone & Co. | Bank | Bill register, savings bank ledger | 1880-1887 | Bank |
| Fawcett, William | Mill | Account books | 1872-1892 | Mill |
| Fawkes, Thomas | Clothing | Textual records | c. 1855-1910 | Clothing |
| Feeney, Len | Printing and publishing | Job record | 1959-1962 | Printing and publishing |
| Flock, Edward | Entertainment | Textual records | 1919 | Entertainment |
| Forristal, John | Manufacturer | Book; Part of London and Petrolia Barrel Company | 1936 | Manufacturer |
| Gale, Elizabeth | Clothing | Accounts and inventory book | 1880-1882 | Clothing |
| George Family | Clothing | Miscellaneous textual records | 1860-1930 | Clothing |
| Gidley, B F | Retail | Ledger | 1895-1903 | Retail |
| Gillespie Family | Merchant | Account books, letterbooks, and business records | 1855-1945 | Merchant |
| Glen, James | Merchant | Account books | 1854-1879 | Merchant |
| Goodwin Family | Manufacturer | Textual records | 1872-1945 | Manufacturer |
| Grand River Navigation Company - Brant County | Engineering and architecture | Textual records | [1832-185?] | Engineering and architecture |
| Grand Trunk Railway | Transportation | Textual records and photographs | 1865-1894 | Transportation |
| Great Western Railway | Transportation | [Textual records] | n.d. | Transportation |
| Greey Catalogue | Mill | [Textual records] | 1901 | Mill |
| Hammond, George | Food | Business records | 1880-1982 | Food |
| Hayman, Lorne (Rex Theatre) | Entertainment | Business records | 1930-1940 | Entertainment |
| Hill, Rowland | Clothing | Business records | 1893-1992 | Clothing |
| Hobbs Hardware | Retail | Business records | 1876-1984 | Retail |
| Howard, Thomas | Blacksmith | Textual records | 1861-1914 | Blacksmith |
| Huron & Erie Mortgage Corporation | Finance | Annual reports, correspondence, by-laws, and loans | 1864-1988 | Finance |
| Huron & Middlesex Mutual Fire Insurance Co | Insurance | Letters | 1886-1888 | Insurance |
| Hyman, Charles | Clothing | Business records | 1878-1960 | Clothing |
| Hyman Leathers / Robson-Long Leathers | Clothing | Business records (mostly accounts) and financial ledgers | 1901-1966 | Clothing |
| Ingersoll & Port Burwell Road Co | Transportation | Annual reports and auditors reports | 1867-1889 | Transportation |
| Ingersoll Casket Company | Manufacturer | Catalogues, architectural plans, furniture and casket samples, list of purchasers | 1917-1949 | Manufacturer |
| Ingersoll Rural Cemetery Co | Cemetery or funeral service | Records and minutes | 1862-1970 | Cemetery or funeral service |
| Ivey Family | Business person | Records of the Ivey Family | n.d. | Business person |
| Johnson's General Store | Retail | 1 photograph | [1998?] | Retail |
| Johnston, Joseph | Merchant | Textual records | 1939-1961 | Merchant |
| Jones & Farley | Merchant | Daybook | 1834-1838 | Merchant |
| Keays & Co | Transportation | Textual records | 1852-1861 | Transportation |
| Kennedy, W H | Ledger | 1906-1910 | Merchant | |
| Kingsmill | Merchant | Poster | 1890 | Merchant |
| Kingsmill Family | Retail | Business records | mid 1800s-2016 | Retail |
| Kittredge, Alfred | Real estate | Account books and textual records | 1856-1910 | Real estate |
| Labatt Brewery | Brewery | Textual and audiovisual materials | 1832-2009 | Brewery |
| Lambton Loan & Investment | Finance | Minutes and by-laws | 1847-1871 | Finance |
| Lawson & Jones (See also London Print and Lithographing Co. Ltd.) | Printing and publishing | Selected business records | 1899-1970 | Printing and publishing |
| Leach's Confectionary | Food | Receipts | 1932-1938 | Food |
| Leonard Family | Manufacturer | Photographs, scrapbooks, letters and textual records | 1828-1952 | Manufacturer |
| London & Lake Erie Railway | Transportation | Minute book | 1910-1921 | Transportation |
| London & Petrolia Barrel Company | Manufacturer | Business records | 1885-1970 | Manufacturer |
| London & Port Stanley Railway | Transportation | Records at LAC; copyright to crown | 1857 | Transportation |
| London & Southeastern Railway | Transportation | Corporate records and correspondence | 1900-1930 | Transportation |
| London Assurance Co | Finance | Register of assurances | 1880-1904 | Finance |
| London Brewery | Brewery | 1 photograph | [1998?] | Brewery |
| London Carriage Works (See John Campbell & Son) | Manufacturer | Ledgers and textual records | 1848-1920 | Manufacturer |
| London Electric Company Ltd | Energy | Mortgage bond | 1905 | Energy |
| London Electrical Construction Company | Construction or contractor | Meeting minutes | n.d. | Construction or contractor |
| London Gas Co | Energy | Return of Debentures and letter | 1856-1858 | Energy |
| London Herald | Printing and publishing | Business records | 1856-1860 | Printing and publishing |
| London Hosiery Mills | Mill | Payroll registry, production records, monthly journal | 1951-1974 | Mill |
| London Huron Bruce Railway | Transportation | Book of reference | 1873 | Transportation |
| London Joint Stock Baking Company | Food | Business records | 1862-1888 | Food |
| London Life Insurance | Insurance | Business records | 1897-1921 | Insurance |
| London Motor Company and Stansell Family | Transportation | Family and business records | 1907-2005 | Transportation |
| London Motor Sales | Transportation | Purchase ledger | 1911-1917 | Transportation |
| London Print & Lithographing Co. Ltd. (See also Lawson & Jones) | Printing and publishing | Legal documents, contracts, and patents and copyrights | 1889-1967 | Printing and publishing |
| London Proof Line Road Co | Transportation | Stock ledger and annual report | 1849-1907 | Transportation |
| London Savings Bank | Bank | Resolutions, minutes, declarations, deposit books, and correspondence | 1865-1876 | Bank |
| London Soap Company | Manufacturer | Operational records and poster | 1950-1970 | Manufacturer |
| London Street Railway Company | Transportation | Miscellaneous textual records | 1895-1918 | Transportation |
| London Tennis Club Ltd | Sports Organization | Miscellaneous records | 1923-1938 | Entertainment |
| Luno Collection - Sparton of Canada | Manufacturer | Business records | [1918? 1965?] | Manufacturer |
| Machan & Ross | Merchant | Account books and textual records | 1867-1878 | Merchant |
| Macklin, Henry | Merchant | Account books and textual records | 1886-1923 | Merchant |
| Malloch, James | Carriage and wagonmaker | Daybook | 1905-1909 | Carriage and wagonmaker |
| Mara Dry Goods [Became Mara's Fabric City] | Retail | Business records | 1900-1980 | Retail |
| Marshall Brothers & Co. | Merchant | Account books | [1873-1961?] | Merchant |
| Marsh General Store | Retail | Daybooks, cash account books, spinning mill account, correspondence | 1863-1935 | Retail |
| Mason & Dudley | Blacksmith | Cashbook | 1886-1900 | Blacksmith |
| McCormick's Ltd. | Manufacturer | Account books and textual records | 1869-1940 | Manufacturer |
| McDermid, John | Manufacturer | Textual records | 1914-1922 | Manufacturer |
| McLeod, George | Retail | Textual records | 1841-1859 | Retail |
| McRae, Hugh | Merchant | Account books | 1844-1904 | Merchant |
| Memorial Funeral Home | Cemetery or funeral service | Business records | [1980s-1990s] | Cemetery or funeral service |
| Metcalfe, George | Manufacturer | Boy scout and business records | 1859-1958 | Manufacturer |
| Mid-Erie Acceptance Corporation Ltd. | Finance | Textual records | 1957-1965 | Finance |
| Miller, Warren | Engineering and architecture | Personal papers, historical writings, and business files | 1880-1969 | Engineering and architecture |
| Moore, Jake (J.M.) | Brewery | [Business records] | [1950s-1985] | Brewery |
| Morris, James | Mill | Business and legal textual records | 1870-1959 | Mill |
| Morrison, Robert & Edwards | Merchant | Financial records, ledgers, daybooks, journals, and correspondence | 1856-1937 | Merchant |
| Morrow Screw & Nut Company | Manufacturer | Land records, correspondence, and minute books | 1857-1952 | Manufacturer |
| Moule, Stephen A. | Business person | Cash account book | 1860-1864 | Business person |
| Municipal World Ltd. | Printing and publishing | Business records, dockets, and job registers | 1896-1960 | Printing and publishing |
| Murphy Moore | Engineering and architecture | Letters, surveys, blueprints, photographs, and other business records | 1885-1927 | Engineering and architecture |
| Murray, Kenneth (Murray Shoe Co) | Clothing | Business policy | 1903-1936 | Clothing |
| Nagle family | Food | Personal and business records | 1850-1978 | Food |
| National Market Development Ltd/Market Measure Ltd | Finance | Business records | n.d. | Finance |
| Norsworthy, James | Insurance | Textual records | 1860-1918 | Insurance |
| Norwich Cemetery Company | Cemetery or funeral service | Minutes and records | 1836-1941 | Cemetery or funeral service |
| Northern Life Assurance (Purdom Family) | Finance | Selected business records | 1894-1985 | Finance |
| O'Brien, Dennis | Merchant | Legal and financial records, correspondence, and miscellaneous documents | 1822-1964 | Merchant |
| Oil Exchange Financial Association Ltd | Energy | Textual records | 1883-1887 | Energy |
| Olmstead Brothers | Manufacturer | Calendar | [1890?] | Manufacturer |
| Ontario Loan & Debenture | Finance | Textual records | 1877-1965 | Finance |
| O-Pee-Chee | Food | Administrative records | 1886-1993 | Food |
| Oxford County Mutual Fire Insurance Co. | Insurance | Textual records | 1878-1973 | Insurance |
| Pandora Cap Co | Manufacturer | Record book | 1904-1908 | Manufacturer |
| Peace River Mining & Milling | Mill | Minutes, financial accounts, and business records | 1913-1951 | Mill |
| Peninsular Sugar Co. Ltd. | Food | Clippings, minutes, shareholders records | 1929-1930s | Food |
| Perkins, Nelson | Entertainment | Account book | 1853-1867 | Entertainment |
| Puddicombe Family | Real estate | Cash books and textual papers | 1851-1937 | Real estate |
| Purdom Family (Northern Life & others) | Law | Textual records | 1870-1960 | Law |
| Putherbrough Construction | Construction or contractor | Business records | n.d. | Construction or contractor |
| Pure Meat Products | Food | Business records | 1927-1929 | Food |
| Regal Fruit Preservers Ltd | Food | Minutes | 1920 | Food |
| Reid Family | Manufacturer | Textual records | 1876-1938 | Manufacturer |
| Rennie, David (King Milling) | Mill | Textual records | 1850-1916 | Mill |
| Ridout, Lionel | Retail | Real estate transactions, financial and insurance records, court proceedings, correspondence, photographs and miscellaneous documents | 1840-1862 | Retail |
| Robert Holmes Bookstore | Retail | Textual records | 1903-1986 | Retail |
| Robertson, Masson & Strang | Merchant | Letter | 1836 | Merchant |
| Robertson, William | Merchant | Correspondence, accounts, land records, papers, and printed documents | 1770-1829 | Merchant |
| Robins, Fred (Hobbs Hardware) | Merchant | Personal and business papers, photographs | 1880-1978 | Merchant |
| Ross Brothers | Energy | Cashbooks | 1886 | Energy |
| Russell Metal Inc/London Steel Div | Manufacturer | Photographs and catalogues | 1920s-1960s | Manufacturer |
| Sandwich Ontario General Store | Retail | Business records | 1816-1836 | Retail |
| Sangster, James Forbes | Real estate | Bill of Cost, Invoices, etc. | 1874-1918 | Real estate |
| Sansone Fruit Co | Food | Business accounts and records | 1900-1971 | Food |
| Sarnia Northern Ontario Mining & Development Co | Energy | Minute books and textual records | 1909-1937 | Energy |
| Schram, Peter | Construction or contractor | Account book | 1857-1858 | Construction or contractor |
| Shaw, John | Finance | Daybook | 1880-1881 | Finance |
| Shuttleworth Hat Co. | Clothing | Time book | 1944-1946 | Clothing |
| Siddall, Joseph | Mill | Personal, business, administrative and education records | 1850-1910 | Mill |
| Siddons, John | Printing and publishing | Ledger | 1859-1861 | Printing and publishing |
| Sillick, Isaac | Retail | Ledger | 1878-1880 | Retail |
| Silverwood Ltd. | Food | Annual reports, financial and legal records, shareholder meeting minutes, company history and employee documentation, and photographs | 1869-1986 | Food |
| Smallman & Ingram Ltd | Merchant | Account books, poster, and catalogues | 1877-1893 | Merchant |
| Smith Brothers Ltd | Manufacturer | Corporate record book | 1917-1920 | Manufacturer |
| Somerville Paper Boxes Ltd. | Manufacturer | Time and Stock Certificate Books | 1874-1956 | Manufacturer |
| Spramotor Company | Manufacturer | Photographs and textual records | 1917-1955 | Manufacturer |
| Star Life Assurance Society | Insurance | Deed and List of Directors | 1843-1878 | Insurance |
| Street, William | Finance | Account book | 1812-1879 | Finance |
| Sutton, William | Merchant | Ledger | 1750-1816 | Merchant |
| Swinyard, Thomas | Transportation | Letter books and textual records | 1855-1883 | Transportation |
| Talbot, Freeman | Business person | Textual records | 1811-1903 | Business person |
| Teall, John Henry | Transportation | Business and personal papers | 1841-1937 | Transportation |
| Thames Steam Navigation Company | Transportation | Daybook | 1833-1845 | Transportation |
| Thompson, J. Gordon | Energy | Textual records | 1894-1982 | Energy |
| Toronto, Grey and Bruce Railway | Transportation | Textual records and clippings | [1876-1947?] | Transportation |
| Towe, Allan | Transportation | Scrapbook | [1897? 1950-1960?] | Transportation |
| Tune Family | Manufacturer | Photographs and family scrapbook | 1889-1893 | Manufacturer |
| Van Tulk & Fairbank Hardware | Retail | See Fairbank | 1840-1930 | Retail |
| Victoria Bridge Company | Construction or contractor | Textual records | 1848-1856 | Construction or contractor |
| Vittoria General Store | Retail | Account book | 1846-1847 | Retail |
| Vulcan Company Ltd | Manufacturer | Account books | 1912-1926 | Manufacturer |
| Walsh, Francis | Engineering and architecture | Legal and business records | 1789-1884 | Engineering and architecture |
| Ward Cigar | Manufacturer | Papers | 1878/9-1956 | Manufacturer |
| Watkins, FW | Energy | Letters relating to oil production in Ontario | 1861-1867 | Energy |
| Welland Canal Co | Transportation | Minutes | 1825-1837 | Transportation |
| Wesley Engravers | Printing and publishing | Glass plate negatives | n.d. | Printing and publishing |
| Western Fair | Entertainment | Business and legal documents, correspondence, programs, and memorabilia | 1845-2001 | Entertainment |
| Western of Canada Oil Lands & Works Co Ltd | Energy | Petition and log book | 1871-1891 | Energy |
| Whiskard's Fancy Store | Retail | Advertisement | 1880 | Retail |
| White, Charles | Manufacturer | Textual records and diaries | 1872-1940 | Manufacturer |
| White-Karry Gold Mines | Energy | Corporate minute book | 1946-1957 | Energy |
| Williams & Barnard | Mill | Account books | 1872-1887 | Mill |
| Williams, George | Merchant | Textual records, letters, and accounts | 1840-1859 | Merchant |
| Wilson, William | Merchant | Insurance certificate | 1871-1878 | Merchant |
| Wright Family | Manufacturer | Miscellaneous textual records | 1865-1965 | Manufacturer |
| Wright Lithography | Printing and publishing | Records of Wright Lithography and Wright Lithographing Company | n.d. | Printing and publishing |
| Young, Robert & Co. | Business person | Invoices, receipts, correspondence, investments, stocks, reports, valuations, and other business documents | [1852-1981?] | Business person |
