Wednesday 2 September 2020

Presland Iron & Steel on Maple Street

A drive down maple Street netted me this discrete but well-designed logo that I can use on my Hanley Spur layout (top photo). Presland is built onto the former Gould Storage Battery building between Maple Street and John Counter Boulevard (formerly Elliott Avenue). The travelling crane was moving a few small pieces around:
It's a tangled web in the trees back here. The remnants of Frontenac Floor and Wall Tile are near here, as are a few houses and a body shop. 
At the north end of the travelling crane, we can see the north side of the former Gould building:
The south end of the travelling crane shows the photogenic south side of the former Gould building, often photographed!
Here's that southern exposure from the west side. Check out those interesting oval-top windows! And the retro signage! Well, it wasn't retro in August, 1950. (Queen's University Archives, George Lilley Fonds, V25.5-13-49)
A chequered history. The building's prior owners, from Kingston Insurance maps and other sources:
  • Reliance Moulding, 1914 (manufacturing among other things, signal flag poles in WWI)
  • Dominion Webbing, 1933
  • Presland owned by Preston family since 1970
The east end of the south side. The metal-clad building is where the Presland covered travelling crane now operates. Taken during a strike at Frontenac Floor and Wall Tile in March, 1952. (Queen's University Archives, George Lilley Fonds, V25.5-18-43)

This January, 1948 aerial view shows my route: east along Counter, south on Maple, then east, and eventually to Cassidy Street. Today there is little remaining evidence of Frontenac Floor and Wall Tile's presence (bottom left). (Queen's University Archives, George Lilley Fonds, V25.6-1-14)

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