Thursday, October 30, 2014

The Toothbrush Holder

         Many years ago I worked on a large home in the Shaughnessy area of Vancouver, that was the former home of one of our attorney-generals and in the process many things were removed, most were put back; but this Toothbrush holder found itself lost in one of the many boxes used to store the various hardware, and was not found again until much later.
IMG_6465.
IMG_6468

The home was built in 1912 if I remember correctly

I was able to find a catalogue entry for this hardware
Catalog F: Good Manufacturing Company Incorporated brass and rubber plumbing goods (1914)
Page191
Which could be ordered with lettering on it, like my Toothbrush holder
GoodManufacturingCompany0001_0196
Page196
An example of Good Manufacturing Company Incorporated,
advertising from the people who plumbed the home.

The story behing the "Good" name of the company

The Toothbrush holder was made by the
Good Manufacturing Company, who have been in business since 1896 and still operate under the
Crest / Good Manufacturing Company, name

J.G. Mortimore & Co., LtdJames George Mortimore (1853 - 1911) manager, 540 W. Pender   Married to: Emily M. Griffin (1849 - 1923), both buried in Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver.



The 1891 census captured a son,  Sidney Charles Mortimore living in Vancouver, and working as a plumber.

Although James G. Mortimore is listed in the directories as being here one year prior to the 1891 census.
There were two other Mortimore’s who appear to be related  to James George Mortimore; and they appear in Vancouver in the 1888 directories, onwards.

21aug1909-phoeniPioneer
1909 August 21 Phoenix Pioneer:

        Peculiar circumstances attended the death of two well known Vancouver citizens last Sunday morning, when the brothers Sidney Charles Mortimore and William Henry Mortimore, aged 60 and 65 respectively, died almost within an hour of each other, at their residence, 1063 Haro street.

Sidney Charles Mortimore d. 15 Aug. 1909.  60 years old, had asthma for several months, prior to his death.
William Henry Mortimore  d. 15 Aug 1909 at 1063 Haro St., Van, 65 years old, of shock, two hours after learning of the death of his brother. Both worked as tailors, for others in the early days here, and later operating as the Mortimore Brothers, tailors, Hastings Street, Vancouver, B.C.

         At least two sons of James George Mortimore, also worked as plumbers, Sidney Charles Mortimore (1881 - 1931) and Alfred James Mortimore (1874 - 1941) and they continued the business after their fathers death for a number of years, later it appears the company stopped operating around 1926 but Sidney and Alfred continued to make a living as plumbers. During 1928-1929 the Mortimore's (Sidney C. Mortimore?) took on a partner, Henry S. Crombe, and the company became known as: Mortimore & Crombe, located at 2906 ranville Street, Van., B.C.; after this Sidney must have retired, and his brother Alfred continued to operate as a plumber for many years.

     James G. Mortimore and Emma M. Griffin also had a daughter.
Rose Emma Mortimore “Tennant” (1886 - 1973)



I wonder how many of these toothbrush holders still exist.
     The simple times just a three-digit phone number.