Item

Standard
April 21/1852
SA Iron Foundry--This establishment we are happy to notice is in full and active operation, under the management of its proprietors, our townsmen, Messrs. Alex and John Watson, and the facilities for work in every department of the Iron Foundry, and Blacksmith business, have been greatly increased. The quality of the castings is equal to any imported, and the patterns are of the newest and most improved descriptions. They are constantly casting cooking stoves, Franklins, Patent Windlasses, plough metals, Mill and Ship's castings, etc., which will be furnished at lower prices, than can be imported for. It is as much a duty, as it is our interest, to encourage "home manufactures;"--and we hope that the enterprising Messrs. Watson, will meet with that patronage, which their exertions and workmanship justly entitles them.

Standard
March 28/1854
For sale: house on Water Street occupied by John Fitzgerald, nearly opposite the Railroad Hotel. Also, 2 stores, Blacksmith shop, and house with wharf belonging to the estate of F. A. Babcock, formerly known as Col Wyer's wharf. Also, "The houses and lots on Water Street . . . now occupied by Charles O'Neill and Miles S. Hannah, with the property in the rear extending to the harbour, on which is the foundry, in the occupation of Alex. Watson.

Standard
Dec 17/1856
SA Foundry--A and J Watson are manufacturing ships' parent windlasses, stoves, mill gear . . . . Their new pattern of "Provincial Cook Stove" one of best stoves for culinary purposes ever introduced in Province.

Standard
July 22/1857
Improvements--Watson's Foundry now in full operation. Aymar's Wood Factory approaching completion--blocks, pumps, spars. Stentiford's Carriage and Wagon factory with improved machines. Mills at Chamcook repaired and improved.

Standard
June 30/1858
Watson's Iron Foundry--Messrs. A. and J. Watson whose establishment at Indian Point near the railway station, we have heretofore noticed, have within a short time erected a commodious machine shop, and imported a superior lathe for turning iron. It is their intention to add to their already large stock of machinery in order that they may be prepared to manufacture all kinds of work required in the Province; their castings are fully equal to those imported; and their blacksmith work has long been favourably known. As workmen they are not excelled. We trust that they may receive that patronage which their skill and enterprise so deservedly merit.

Standard
Jan 9/1866
Mechanics of shipbuilding in St. Andrews. See photocopy. “A large and well appointed foundry,
Owned and carried on by our energetic townsmen the Messrs. Watson, where every
Description of ships’ castings, can be manufactured, as well and cheap, as they can be obtained elsewhere, is situated within a few rods of the shipyards.” Tamarack by rail from upper Saint John River, “the largest ever seen in this country.”

Oct 1/1873
New school house opened. (Not Grammar School, which is being renovated) Change of ownership at Foundry--from Watson to Andrew Lamb and James Coakley and James Hickey. See photocopy for ad.

Oct 1/1873
Iron Foundry
Messrs. Andrews Lamb, James Coakley and James Hickey, have formed a co-partnership to carry on the Foundry and blacksmith business, in the establishment recently occupied by Mr. John Watson, from whom they have leased it. They intend to carry on the foundry business in all its branches as heretofore, and will furnish stoves, mill, ship, and railroad work, ploughs and other farming implements of modern style and well finished, at as low prices as can be had elsewhere. As a mechanical genius, Mr. Lamb has no superior in the Province, Mr. Coakley has had charge of the moulding ship and smelting, for several years, and Mr. Hickey has a general knowledge of the foundry business. We bespeak for the new firm an extensive patronage, as we desire to encourage home industry. The firm have made several changes and improvements in the foundry, and are prepared to fill orders at short notice, on reasonable terms. We wish them abundant success.

SA Foundry
The Subscribers respectfully announce that they are prepared to execute orders for Foundry Work, with punctuality and despatch. Stoves of approved patterns, Mill and Ship’s Castings, and other foundry business attended to. Particular attention paid to Blacksmith work, of every description, and satisfaction guaranteed. By punctuality and a desire to please, they hope to merit public patronage. A. Lamb and Co. Oct 22/1873

Standard
Aug 11/1875
Fine castings from St. Andrews Foundry.

Standard
Feb 23/1876
James Coakley to carry on Foundry business alone. See ad.

Standard
June 14, 1876
Handsome Stoves. While visiting the St. Andrews Foundry the other day, we noticed some very excellent cooking stoves of the latest patterns, cast and fitted up at this foundry, which are offered at prices as low as can be imported. The proprietor, Mr. Coakley, also casts machinery for mills, etc., and turns out good work. He has facilities for casting mill or other machinery and is prepared to fill any orders entrusted to him with fidelity and despatch. It would be true policy on the part of person requiring such articles, to encourage home manufactures, and thereby circulate money in the Province.

Standard
Aug 9/1876
Foundry under Coakley producing cooking stoves for coal and wood.

Standard
June 5/1878
Mr. Andrew Lamb has leased the Foundry from Mr. Watson, and commenced work. Millwork, shipwork, stove castings.

Pilot
Jottings on the Street
No. 11
The Iron Foundry
Very few people outside of St. Andrews have the least idea that St. Andrews has an Iron Foundry; and consequently, many who would purchase “castings” here, go elsewhere to buy. Mr. Andrews Lamb is the present proprietor, having succeeded Mr. John Watson.  The Foundry is situated on the West side of Water Street, and close to “Kennedy’s Hotel.” On Saturday morning last, we took a look through this establishment. Mr. Lamb pointed out a young man, Michael Mulligan, who was then engaged in “moulding” for a “casting” of an iron pot for a cook stove. This young “Moulder” is a native of the Town, and is described as possessing extra natural talent and native genius. His natural ability, with his present mechanical acquirements, enable him to perform work equal to almost any who have graduated in extensive Foundries in large Cities. We take pride in thus giving notoriety to native genius, and Charlotte County can produce many examples. Mr. Lamb is prepared to turn out Railroad Castings, Ships’ casting; Cook Stoves, Cylinder Stoves, and Franklin Stoves, large and small; and at prices less than can be bought in any other market. Some of his variety of Cook Stoves bear the name of—State, Provincial, West Wind, and Valley. The three last-named have “elevated ovens.” The “Cylinders,” are, Nos. “2.3, 5.” The “Furnace” has capacity to smelt three tons of iron at a “blast.” As Mr. Lamb will exchange Stoves and other articles from his Foundry for payments in exchange, such as Fish, etc., now that money is scarce, such an opportunity to those needing such articles should not be neglected. We commend, and recommend, the St. Andrews Foundry, to the patronage of our readers.

Pilot
Jan 13/1881
Andrew Lamb’s Foundry Warehouse. S-East Water Street, near Railway depot. Oct 1/1880. Stoves repaired and refitted. Ploughs and stoves new and of his own make.

Pilot
July 9/1885
M. McMonagle has leased the St. Andrews Foundry.

Pilot
Oct 27/1887
M. McMonagle has a fine assortment of stoves at the foundry wareroom, also fire brick linings, and for farmers new improved root choppers.

Pilot
July 19/1888
We called at the St. Andrews Foundry recently, were the gentlemanly proprietor, M. M. McMonagle, showed us a fine assortment of stoves, both imported and of his own manufacture, also root cutters, of which he has sold and expects to sell a large number to the farmers. Our attention was called to the iron railing for ornamental fencing, coping, and for enclosure of lots in cemeteries, which embraces a number of neat designs and are manufactured at the foundry. Mr. McMonagle has orders for railing for several lots in the cemetery, and is prepared to offer his patrons special designs to select from.

St. Croix Courier
Sept 6/1888
I don’t suppose there are twenty of the many thousand readers of the widely circulated Courier who have not heard of the genius of the affable manager of the St. Andrews foundry. Within the last few years he has made inventions that established for him an enviable reputation. His latest achievement is the modelling and construction of a handsome and solid iron fence. Its design is complete and in appearance it can hardly be excelled. It encloses a lot forty feet square with an additional space of 14 x 16 feet. The gates bear with pleasing effect a representation of the weeping willow. The height of the fence is 3 feet, 3 inches, and provision is made that no part of it will be displaced by frost upheavals. The fence is to be placed in the cemetery at Richardsonville, Deer Island, to enclose the lots of the Richardson family of that place. Mr. McMonagle has more orders for fences of that kind than he can conveniently attend to just now.

Rural Cemetery Burial
John Watson, Foundryman
Age 72
Lot 80A
Oct 8, 1890

Beacon
Oct. 9, 1890
Mr. John Watson, for many years a resident of SA, passed peacefully to his rest on Sunday evening last. Mr. Watson was a native of Scotland, and, with his brother Alexander did quite a large foundry business here at one time. he also owned largely in shipping. he has been out of business for well nigh twenty years. The deceased was never married, his sister, Mrs. Charles E. Kennedy, keeping house for him. He was a man of quiet disposition and sterling integrity,-a firm believer in the maxim, “owe no man anything.” When his brother Alexander died a number of years ago, he left with him a family of eight children to look after. he kept his trust faithfully, but as they grew up one by one was claimed by consumption until only one now survives. He is at present at sea.

Beacon
May 7/1891
Wandering cows are causing a great deal of annoyance, and in some cases injury.
M. McMonagle of the St. Andrews foundry, has secured permission from the St. Andrews Wharf Company to place a hoisting engine on the wharf to be used whenever required. The machine is now being fitted up, and will be ready by the time the wharf is repaired.

Beacon
Oct 27/1892
A series of terrible, ear-splitting shrieks came from the region of the St. Andrews foundry on Tuesday. Some people thought that the enterprising proprietor had recently added a steam siren or calliope to the foundry plant, and hastened down to examine it. They were considerably surprised to find that the noise was not caused by a siren or calliope, but came from the stentorian lungs of the foundryman, who had discovered a neighbour’s cow floundering in his well, and was anxious to get her out before the water became mixed with her milk. The cow was owned by James Heenan. By the aid of a rope, she was extricated from her uncomfortable position. The next time she goes browsing around the foundry-yard, toning up her system with iron filings, she will give the well a wide birth.

Beacon
Sept 24/1896
Was it Murder?
Michael McMonagle Meets Death in St. Croix River
Indians Say he was drowned while trying to rescue one of them—others declare Indians murdered him for his money—Indians Arrested

It was a sad day in St. Andrews on Thursday when news reached town that Michael McMonagle, foundryman, had been drowned the night before from a canoe in the St. Croix. The story of the tragedy, as told to the Beacon by Lola, one of the Indians who was in the ill-fated canoe, is as follows. . . . The deceased was a young man of about forty years of age, and was unmarried. For about ten years he has been proprietor of the St. Andrews stove foundry. He was a very useful man in his business, just in all his dealings, an had many estimable traits in his character. His aged mother, his two sisters and brother have the entire sympathy of the community in their terrible bereavement. The deceased was a member of the St. Andrews Foresters courts.

Beacon
June 17/1897
The scrap iron which has been accumulating around the St. Andrews foundry from time immemorial, is being shipped to Saint John. it is said that the administrators of the estate of the late M. McMonagle will close up the foundry.

Beacon
April 13/1905
The old Watson foundry property, which as not been used for manufacturing purposes for several years, has been purchased by Capt. N. M. Clarke, who will remove the old buildings thereon and beautify it.

Beacon
Sept 13/1906
The old foundry building, which was recently bought by Albert Denley, has been removed. C. L. McKeen has purchased the building that was on the front of the foundry lot. He will move it to another to another location.

Beacon
Oct 11/1906
Mr. C. L. McKeen is moving he foundry building to its new site near the steamboat wharf, where it will be used as a clam factory.

Beacon
June 8, 1918
Obituary
Andrew Lamb
On Friday may 31, at 8 pm Mr. Andrew Lamb died at the residence of his daughter, Mrs. P. G. Hanson. He had reached the advanced age of ninety one years.
            Mr. Lamb was born in Ayr Scotland, in 1827, and came to this country in his fourteenth year. In early life he followed the calling of ship smith, and was employed in the shipyards of St. Andrews and at Robbinston, Maine. In 1877, accompanied by his son, G. Herbert, he made a trip to South Africa, and spent some time in the Diamond Fields. On his return he acquired the ownership of the St. Andrews Foundry, which he conducted successfully for a number of years; and later he was interested in a local sardine canning plant. At one time he participated in shipping enterprise, and was owner of sailing vessels.
            For years he was an Elder in Greenock Presbyterian Church, and he served for several terms as County Councillor, and as a member of the St. Andrews Board of School Trustees. In all his business, and public spheres of activity he commanded the esteem of his fellow townspeople. In the later years of his life he lived in retirement, making his home with his devoted daughter, Mrs. Annie L. Hanson.
            In 1851 Mr. Lamb married Miss Jane Aughterton, who predeceased him last year on March 4. From this union there were born four sons and three daughters, and all except one son, Claude, survive. The surviving sons are Warwick A. Lamb, of Boston,. Mass; G. Herbert Lamb, of SA; Joseph D. Lamb, of Woodstock.  The daughters are Mrs. Charles Matthews of Auto Rest, California; Mrs. Douglas, wife of Alderman Goodwill Douglas, of SA; and Mrs. Hanson, widow of P. G. Hanson, of St. Andrews.

March 12, 1942
Shiretown Items
Some Local History
When a reader writes a long letter—twenty closely written pages of ordinary sized “notepaper—and begins it “Just as soon as the Courier comes I turn to the Shiretown Items”, when he states that he is old enough to clearly remember the Saxby Gale (1869), when he tells of many interesting personal experiences during his boyhood and youth spent here; and when he says that although he has covered a lot of ground since leaving St. Andrews he has never found a place that he liked as well as the old home town, it seems that his letter should have public recognition. The wrier was W. F. McStay, now living in Moncton. I have never known nor met this old friend of St. Andrews as he left here before I came in 1889, but if he ever visits here I hope he will look me up. He says he had a letter recently from William Brown, another native son probably remembered by the older folks before my time. Mr. Brown’s father was Collector of Customs here and Thomas Stinson whom we younger fellows can well remember as a customs officer began work with him. Mr. McStay was living at the corner of Princess Royal and Carleton streets at the time of the big gale. He says every shade tree in town was uprooted and flattened to the ground. He was much interested in the picture of Fort Tipperary, appearing recently in the Courier, and remembers the band that used to practise there. He says there were 400 soldiers stationed there at one time and his grandfather Dr. McStay was the army doctor. He as a vivid recollection of wonderful coasting on Kirk Hill, of wharves lined with ships, loading or unloading; of sham fights the solders used to have; of marching to the cemetery and back on a soft day in winter with a new pair of shoes which were ruined. He remembers Harold Stickney’s father, who also just have been musician as the writers claims he could swear by note. The old armoury, destroyed by fire, had a wonderful bell. It could be heard, in St. Stephen when the wind was blowing upriver. After the fire the bell was melted down and everybody in town had a ring made from it, cast by Mike McMonagle at his foundry. (I wonder if anybody in town has one of those old rings!) Mr. McStay speaks of Jim Handy, organizer of fox hunts on Minister’s Island; of the launching of the Annie P. Odell; of single scull races between Bob Brown and Harry Jones in their fifty-foot racing shells. Mr. McStay worked in the machine shop here and recalls the names of some more of the old wood-burner locomotives, the “Shamrock,” the “thistle,” the “Rose” and the “Manners Sutton.” He remembers the old river boats including the Belle Brown. When the weather was thick Eber Polleys was engaged to stand on the wharf and blow bugle-calls in answer to the steamer’s whistle so she could find her way in. . . . Mr. McStay tells of an interesting local incident connected with the so-called “Trent Affair,” of 1861 as told to him by his father who was an eyewitness. The people of St. Andrews had known nothing of this affair which nearly caused war between United States and Great Britain and were much surprised when a British troop ship steamed in to the harbour. Several hundred soldiers were put ashore and formed on at Gove’s hall near the depot headed by a military band. They marched to the head of the town, then down again with fixed bayonets, the band playing and the soldiers singing, “We’ll grease our bayonets on the Rebels ‘way down in Dixie.” Then they boarded the train with the local inhabitants none the wiser,; but after a few days they were back again, boarded their ship and sailed away never to return. The Trent affair, thanks to wise heads, had been settled amicably.

St. Croix Courier
Feb 11, 1943
Shiretown Items
The Building of the Ship
The recent launching of a wooden mine-sweeper in a New Brunswick port stirs the memory of old-timers here who can recall when St. Andrews was one fo the leading shipping and ship-buldings centres in what is now known as the Maritime provinces. There are many lving who can remember the launching of the Annie P. Odell in 1878 and that of the George Lamb in September 1882. [George Lamb was the father of our own Andrew Lamb, owner-operator of the St. Andrews Foundry, Town Councillor and generally prominent businesman of the town] But how many know anytyhing about the building and launching of the first ship here? From a few facs which I have obtained from a directl descendant of the man who was the bilder, owner and master, I shall try to write the story fo that momentous event. The exact date is nost in the scanty records, but suffice it to say it was in the long, long ago. First the timbers were gathered and piled around, birch, spruce, pine and tamarack from our native forests, and oak for the keel from the motherland. About midsumer the keel of oak for this noble ship was laid, scarfed and bolted, straight and strong, and the real work was ready to begin. Day by day, ‘mid the sound of axes and hammers, mallets and saws, the vessel grew until a skeleton ship, framed with perfect symmetry rose to view. Week after week with toil and song, the building of this ship went on, till at long last, the planking done and the rudder hung, the ship was ready to be launched. The day appointed for the launching, though in the month of February, was like a day in march, mild and calm and bright and a full tide flowing. The ship was duly christened by the wife of one of the big shots of the town, whose name is nost in the mists of the past, and a prayer offered for the safety of the ship and of those who might sail in her. Then the blocking was knocked from beneath her keel, and the ship slid out to take the water as graceuflly as a swan. She was a square-rigger with three masts, in other words a full-rigged ship and was a goodly, staunch and strong as any ship that sailed the wintry seas. She was built, owned and siled by Capt. William Harvey, who was the great-grandfather of Mary Hunt, who still lives in St. Andrews. The ship was called “Mary Stubbs,” which was the maiden name of Capt. Harvey’s wife. Her first trip was to the West Indies with a load of lumber, returnign with a cargo of rum and molasses. Wherever her broken, or roted or distintegrated timbers may lie, may they rest in peace! Requiescat.

St. Croix Courier
March 4/1943
A piece by J. F. W., author of Shiretown Items.
The above photograph of a bit of waterfront in St. Andrews was taken by the late W. D. MacKay about 1890, of which a copy was made by Archie Shirley to serve the present purpose.  Many the happy hour I have spent playing around those two old schooners.  Having come from inland I was of necessity always obliged to serve before the mast as a greenhorn.  More experienced boys my own age or younger composed the officers.  Frank Guerney always wanted to be captain.  A tough captain he was, ordering us aloft in all kinds of weather.  Leo Armstrong was usually the cook, and his unvaried menu of raw clams at times becoming monotonous, we were forced to forced to supplement it with soda crackers filched from our mothers’ pantries.  In our imaginations we sailed the distant seas to far-off unknown lands. 
            The two schooners in the picture, which no doubt had been built many years before, in the shipyards of St. Andrews and given long and faithful service, in the time of which I write all lay high and dry on the beach in their last days in peace and repose.  The one on the right is the Crandall, H. P. Crandall I think; and the other is the Mary Ellen.  On the extreme left is the home of Mr. Starkey, ship carpenter, . . . schooner yacht Crusoe which he was then building.  The square partly finished house on the left in the background was being built by Theodore Holmes.  The small house in the center foreground was occupied by James Ross and family.  Behind it to the left is the stove foundry, then operated by Michael McMonagle, called Mike Mulligan.
            Behind Ross’s to the right is the home of Bat Donaghue, then conductor on the railway.  And the large house further back was the home of Patsy Sheehan.  I have forgotten who lived in the house showing just over the stern of the Crandall, unless it was Thomas Pendlebury, the present occupant, who has been there for a long time.
            Also I notice the railway running up the waterfront, which was “the extension.”  The wharf in the center was later extended by B. F. DeWolfe and is now known as the upper CPR wharf, and has rails running out to its end. Where the Crandall rests is now occupied by a thriving industry.

St. Croix Courier
Feb 10/1944
Shiretown Items
Gymnasiums Past and Present
A discussion at Kiwanis last week in regard to the re-opening of the gymnasium owned, and formerl operated by the Boy Scouts association, just naturally set my mind travelling far down the avenues of the past. The first gym I can recall was located in the hall over “Mulligan’s” foundry. I don’t remember much about it, being too young at the time to be admitted to membership. But two older fellows, Eddie Coakley and Ned McGrath, to whom for some time I had been offering a sort of her-worship owing to their kindness to a msall boy, di doccasionally invite me in to watch the proceedings. Tehre was one fellow in the club who was as strong as an ox but just as clumsy, and evidently during his boyhood training the first part of the injunction “Mens sana in corpore sano” had been woefully neglected. In a word he was a wee bit simple. The rest of the boys, or young men as they were, took ivery advantage of this fact and had plenty of fun with him. When he made a lift, from one hundred nd fifty to two hundred pounds would be added to the recorded weight. When he tried  the running broad jump, the tape measur ealways showed that he was about two feet ahead of anyone else. Even the scales in some mysterious manner added about 75 lbs. to his weight. And he swallowed it all. Encourage by the others he soon, in his own opinion, became the boxing champion of the club. He had a blow, his own invention, which he called the “pivot.” He would swing clumsily all th way around on one heel, arms extended at the sides like human semaphores. His opponent, having plenty of time, would step in so that the back of the big right paw as it came around would strike him on the shoulder. He would then fall to the floor—down for the count—and his seconds would work over him with wet sponges, smelling salts and apparently as a last resort a mouthful of hard liquor in an effort to revive him. It usually requird the second and sometimes the third mojthful before the defeated gladiator opened his eyes. As a climax to these sparring fiascos a time bomb in the shape of a bag of flour, and one of the boys impersonating the clock, was arranged at the endge of a trap-door in the ceiling. This bout was to definitely decide the club championship. The ring was marked off with chalk dirctly beneath the trap-door. If I remember rightly “Gull” Bolger was opposing the pseudo-champion on this occasion. The participants were stripped to the waist and weighted in with gret ceremony and solumnity. It was found tha the claimant to the title was two onces overweight, but “Gull” waived all lsuch minor technicalities and the bout was started. After five or six rounds with indierent results, even the famous “pivot” having failed to produce the usal knockout, the man of ox-like qualities took on a worried look and his torseo was glistenign with sweat. He was then manoeuvred directly under the trap, the signal was given and down came the floru! The unfortunte simp was nearly smothered and needless to say never boxed again. I never did know who dumped the flour on that never-to-be-forgotten occasion. I wonder if he is still in the land of  the living1 What a joy it would be to get a letter from him.

St. Croix Courier
March 27/1952
News Notes: covered rinks: First one in St. Andrews thought to be “in an old building behind McMonagle’s foundry, which occupied the site of the present Seaside Inn tennis courts. That rink operated in the years 1903 and 1904.” Source F. L. Mallory