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In the 1940's Eddie Davies, the Dominion Glass Factory's manager, decided to commission a group of employees to interview some of Wallaceburg's glass industry pioneers. Roy Mathany, company photographer, and Harold Frost, personnel manager, are the two men believed to be behind the bulk of the work on the project.

The interviews were done in a loose biographical style. Errors in spelling and grammar were frequent but informative far beyond the writer's diction. They covered the age, length of glass industry employment, job positions held, family history, favourite tasks done at the factory, humorous memories, connections to Wallaceburg, and special achievements. The men interviewed included a wide range of company positions; glass blowers, mould makers, foremen, packing staff, maintenance staff etc. A major requirement one had to meet for an interview was length of employment. All men questioned worked in the glass industry for at least forty years.

Many of the employees interviewed were not originally from Wallaceburg. Men came from around North America to find a job at the local glass factory. This helped increase the town's population, industrial skill sets, and culture. The greatest exodus into town undoubtedly came from Montreal. Numerous workers and their families were sent to Wallaceburg in two waves from the French speaking metropolis. The first wave came in 1911 due to a Montreal glass factory fire and the second occurred during the 1920's after a Montreal plant closure. They brought talents in glass manufacturing that Wallaceburg needed to garner the success it desired.

There were forty five interviews done in total. Fifteen of which are detailed at length in this exhibit. These interviews were chosen over the others for two reasons: they were excellent illustrative examples of the entire group, and they were not previously published. The men that are part of this exhibit include: Norman Fennacy, Thomas Eugene Martin, Napoleon Delorme, Roy Bachus, Orin Judson, Thomas English Holston, Hugh Greenwood, Moise Lalonde, James Stewart Basset Sr., Gordon Guerin, James O'Brien, William J. Murray, Hubert Watson, Del Furtah, and Octave Bernier.

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James O'Brien at work in the packing room
Circa 1942
Wallaceburg, Ontario, Canada
TEXT ATTACHMENT


Credits:
Roy Mathany, Photographer
Wallaceburg and District Museum

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William J. Murray at his desk at Wallaceburg's Dominion Glass Company
Circa 1942
Wallaceburg, Ontario, Canada
TEXT ATTACHMENT


Credits:
Roy Mathany, Photographer
Wallaceburg and District Museum

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Hubert Watson, colllecting bottles for packaging
Circa 1942
Wallaceburg, Ontario, Canada
TEXT ATTACHMENT


Credits:
Roy Mathany, Photographer
Wallaceburg and District Museum

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Del Furtah relaxing after his retirement from Dominion Glass Company Ltd
Circa 1942
Wallaceburg, Ontario, Canada
TEXT ATTACHMENT


Credits:
Roy Mathany, Photographer
Wallaceburg and District Museum

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Octave Bernier, glass blower and castoria bottle maker specialist
Circa 1942
Wallaceburg, Ontario, Canada
TEXT ATTACHMENT


Credits:
Roy Mathany, Photographer
Wallaceburg and District Museum

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Norman Fennacy, over forty years of service to the glass industry all over Canada
Circa 1944
Wallaceburg, Ontario, Canada
TEXT ATTACHMENT


Credits:
Roy Mathany, Photographer
Wallaceburg and District Museum

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Thomas Eugene Martin, an original employee of the Sydenham Glass Company
Circa 1944
Wallaceburg, Ontario, Canada
TEXT ATTACHMENT


Credits:
Roy Mathany, Photographer
Wallaceburg and District Museum

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Napoleon Delorme
Circa 1944
Wallaceburg, Ontario, Canada
TEXT ATTACHMENT


Credits:
Roy Mathany, Photographer
Wallaceburg and District Museum

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Roy (Riley) Bachus doing some office work
Circa 1944
Wallaceburg, Ontario, Canada
TEXT ATTACHMENT


Credits:
Roy Mathany, Photographer
Wallaceburg and District Museum

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Orin Judson hard at work
Circa 1942
Wallaceburg, Ontario, Canada
TEXT ATTACHMENT


Credits:
Roy Mathany, Photographer
Wallaceburg and District Museum

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Thomas English Holston in the process of making a glass mould
Circa 1942
Wallaceburg, Ontario, Canada
TEXT ATTACHMENT


Credits:
Roy Mathany, Photographer
Wallaceburg and District Museum

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Hugh Greenwood posing on the grounds of Dominion Glass Company Ltd. in Wallaceburg
Circa 1942
Wallaceburg, Ontario, Canada
TEXT ATTACHMENT


Credits:
Roy Mathany, Photographer
Wallaceburg and District Museum

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Moise Lalonde, long time glass blower in Wallaceburg
Circa 1942
Wallaceburg, Ontario, Canada
TEXT ATTACHMENT


Credits:
Roy Mathany, Photographer
Wallaceburg and District Museum