This is the THIRD house we as a community have put information together about a building. This the 1000 + th time we as a community have put local history together. We have close to 5,500 blogs about our area thanks to all of you. I bow my head in thanks– Linda
David Findlay House, 49 High Street
In 1862, David Findlay started the Findlay foundry as a one-man business. Eventually serving, at times, an international market, it represented one of Lanark County’s industrial success stories during the nearly 125 years it was managed by four generations of the Findlay family.
David Findlay, a moulder, of Paisley, Scotland, emigrated to Canada and settled in Perth, in 1858. Finding that Perth had little work to offer in his trade, he moved to Carleton Place and started a small foundry in an old log barn with only $30 in his pocket. Findlay had to make most of his own equipment, including a stone-built cupola for smelting iron and a cupola blower.
The latter was operated by teams of horses borrowed from neighbouring farmers, and hitched to a merry-go-round contraption. In 1876, Findlay began the manufacture of stoves. They were an immediate success, as the Carleton Place Herald stated in an editorial in 1879: “Since the cold mornings have set in we have given Mr. Findlay’s new stove a trial. With one or two sticks of hardwood, it will keep up a moderate heat all night, and can be used for either coal or wood.” See Heritage Designation here CLICK
Greg Nephin–-I am putting together a timeline of the property. Was in the Findlay family for 98 years, Gamblin’s have owned it 43 years! The photographer forgot to get a pic of the findlay furnace in basement but Chantal will take one next time she is at property.
Furnace in basement– see more here CLICK
Photo Chantal Nephin–“the octopus” Findlay Furnace-Furnace in basement– see more here CLICK
Jeff Brennan Joann Voyce My great aunt Nellie Patterson lived a few doors further up the street!
Joann Voyce Before your Aunt married Jim, Grant Patterson lived there. I started and finished school with David Patterson as I lived back then on Thomas and Charlotte St right next to Nairn Findlay
Llew Lloyd That particular house was a guest house for visitors who did business with the foundry. “The Findlay guest house”. I was in that house many times when Rick Heddleston lived there with his aunt.
Jenn Nolan I heard ‘a rumour’ that there was an underground tunnel from this house to the factory
David Robertson I don’t think a tunnel ever connected the house to the factory..
Greg Nephin– Chantal asked the owner and he said no– “Greg wonders if it could be under the stove”.
Furnace in basement– see more here CLICK
Bill Brunton I did some work on that House recently. It is immaculate inside and out. It’s an amazing place.
Megan Edmunds I went to see this house a couple days ago, they have an incredible original Findlay furnace in the basement! It’s huge!!
Joann Voyce I played euchre in the Nairn Findlay house for several years until the current lady of the house passed recently
Ben MacRae Marlene Springer When did Lena Weir work for the Findlay’s? I know that Lena also worked for my Grandmother when she lived on High Street and that would have been during the 1970s.
Marlene Springer Ben MacRae That would be 1960s! My parents were friends of the Weir’s. The lived just out of town towards Perth around the curve on the right farm. They had a daughter, Marlene and Murray.
Joann Voyce I could not find the picture but I scanned the negative and come up with this.This was taken in front of the Findlay Guest House at 49 High Street in 1943. Nairn Findlays is hidden behind the railing but you can see the next home which at that time was the Gardiner home. (Gardner’s Transport Trucking Business)
Megan Edmunds Joann Voyce this porch was on the front?
Joann Voyce Megan Edmunds Yes For many years
Adding this photo-Unfortunately my ancestors are blocking some of the buildings–Voyce family and visitors from Scotland in the photo—but this is the 2 Findlay houses viewed from Thomas St Approx 1948. On the left the guest house and on the right, Nairn and Dorothy’s house Joann Voyce
Debby Curry Nairn Findlay was my great uncle married to Dorothy Heddleston. I visited their house many times, still remember the dark staircase that scared me as a kid, Would love to hear more
From Debby Curry—Hi Linda, my great aunt Dorothy and her husband Nairn Finlay, lived in a small house across the street from the Findlay’s big house. Their house had a walkout deck over the garage, if I recall correctly. I actually think it was kitty corner to the house. Apparently he contributed some pictures etc to the Carleton Place museum.
My great Uncle Nairn died when I was 12. As mentioned, I visited with them many times. My great aunt did not have any children and she was very lonely after Nairn died. She asked me to come and live with her. She promised me that if I did, I would be sole inheritance to her fortune , including her diamonds which she would take me up to her bedroom to look at. The scary staircase won and I backed out of going to live with her.
My older cousin Richard Heddleston did oblige, and he lived with Dorothy for several years and lived with great aunt Dorothy from around 1964 till 1970. He had told me before about the card games, and I remember him saying that aunt Dorothy had a bridge club, where many of the affluent ladies of Carleton Place met. I think they all belonged to the Rideau Club in Ottawa as well and the Crams were her friends.
Richard Heddleston — Richard called me this morning August 10th 2020, and we had a lovely chat. He told me that the house was a wedding gift to Mr. and Mrs. Nairn Findlay and it was yes, once a place to stay for the Findlay travelling salesmen. Before that when Nairn went to the Ottawa and Toronto Exhibitions, which were big deals in those days, he went to stay with Dorothy Findlay so she would not be alone. He eventually went to stay with there and even though he considers himself to be an Almonte boy he went to Carleton Place High School. When I asked him about the basement, if there had been a tunnel at some point, he said he had no idea as he never went into the basement. Dorothy Findlay was afraid of two things: thunder storms and basements, so it was out of the question. He spoke fondly of the Voyces, Doug Black, as his brother was his best friend and Bubba Boyce from the Moose.. and said he got his personality from his mother. He said: “Oh those McLaren sisters!!!” and laughed. It was wonderful to speak with him, and he is going to try to remember more things.
Richard just called me back and said he was reading an 18 page booklet done by Thomas Findlay of Extracts from Archives of Newspapers (Findlay info)and called me to say that he had read ” 1862—Joseph Pittard Wagon Shop 2 doors west of Guest House. So was it built earlier than 1870?”
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
22 Jan 1934, Mon • Page 10
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
23 Nov 1964, Mon • Page 30
TOUR the house here… CLICK
The Man Known as D.K. Findlay–David Findlay
Three Cheers for Dave Findlay –The Movie
The Ministry of Propaganda in Carleton Place — Carleton Place Canoe Club
Friday’s Message About the Findlay Foundry and Whistle
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