John Hanbury came to Brandon in January 1882. For the next decade he operated a contracting business, constructing several Brandon buildings including the post office, the Merchants Block, and the General Hospital. In 1892, Hanbury founded the Hanbury Manufacturing Company. The most important industry in Brandon from 1900-1914, Hanbury’s employed over 150 men in logging, lumbering and the manufacturing of doors, windows, furniture and other house fixtures.
With offices, a warehouse and lumber mill on either side of Assiniboine Avenue at 6th Street North, Hanbury’s relied on timber from northern forests that was moved, raft-like, down river by drivers. Cabinets, furniture and other millwork was sold out of the Hanbury Hardware Co. building on 7th Street and Pacific Avenue. John Hanbury left Brandon in 1910, although his son continued to operate the business until World War I.
Residential buildings were constructed on the company lands on Assiniboine Avenue west of 6th Street North in the late 1920s; the building east of 6th Street was used first as the Christie’s School Supplies warehouse (1929-1939) and then by successive woollen mills (1941-1991). A portion of what appears to be the original building currently stands vacant on the site. The hardware building on Pacific Avenue has been primarily used by the Government Liquor Control Commission (1929-1971) and Christie’s School Supplies, now Christie’s Office Plus (early 1940s – present).
Custodial History
Photos belonged to Jim Lanigan's family. He donated them to the McKee Archives in January 2017.
Scope and Content
Item is a photograph of the Hanbury Mfg Co. buildings on Assinboine Avenue - photo is looking northeast
Notes
Jim Lanigan and his siblings beleived that Hanbury Manufacturing Company is where their paternal grandfather James Joseph Lanigan worked and learned the glazing trade. James Joseph's father James and brother Albert Daniel may have also worked there. Both Joe and Bert went to work for the CPR in Brandon in 1898. Jim Lanigan could not identify any family members in the group portrait.
This photo provides a good view of the coal sheds along CPR track. Coal was unloaded from boxcars into roof hatches and hauled by drays from doors on avenue side. Only part of a long row of these commercial coal sheds is shown. As a boy I remember several fires in them. LAS.
Custodial History
For custodial history see the collection level description of the Lawrence Stuckey collection.
Scope and Content
Hanbury Manufacturing Co.
Notes
View of complete Hanbury Manufacturing complex (from Pacific Avenue looking north), showing the intersection of 6th Street & Assiniboine Ave.
Note overhead walkway over 6th St. between buildings
Probably the peak of the sawmilling industry in Brandon was "The Big Drive" in 1910, when 125 drivers brought 5 million board feet of timber down the Assiniboine to Hanbury's Mill
Most of these logs were cut in the Riding Mountains in winter and floated down the Little Saskatchewan and Birdtail Rivers to the Assiniboine.
Custodial History
For custodial history see the collection level description of the Lawrence Stuckey collection.
Scope and Content
Logs, destined for Hanbury Manufacturing Co., in the Assiniboine River
Notes
View from First Street North
Courtesy of the family of E.C. Higgins (Mrs. Millen Dunbar nee May Higgins).
Probably the peak of the sawmilling industry in Brandon was "The Big Drive" in 1910, when 125 drivers brought 5 million board feet of timber down the Assiniboine to Hanbury's Mill.
Most of these logs were cut in the Riding Mountains in winter and floated down the Little Saskatchewan and Birdtail Rivers to the Assiniboine.
Custodial History
For custodial history see the collection level description of the Lawrence Stuckey collection.
Scope and Content
Logs, destined for Hanbury Manufacturing Co., in the Assiniboine River
Notes
Looking north from 3rd Street.
[This negative was produced using a previously published image (P.E.).]
Postcard was donated to the McKee Archives by Allen Drysdale, archivist at Beautiful Plains Archives in October 2011. Drysdale received the postcard as part of a larger donation to his archives.
Scope and Content
Item is a colour postcard of the A.E. McKenzie Seed Company in Brandon, MB. The postcard was sent to John Dorset, Elphinstone, MB from his brother Sid (?).
Brandon Hardware Co. Ltd. founded in 1882, making it one of Brandon's earliest mercantiles. It was incorporated in 1902, and their location on Rosser Avenue at the corner of 7th Street was constructed in 1903. For a number of years, J.B. Curran was the managing director. The building was destroyed by fire in 1983.
Custodial History
Katy Singleton was given this photo in her role as Heritage Coordinator for the City of Brandon. She transferred it to the McKee Archives in 2013.
Scope and Content
Item is a photograph of of the interior of the Brandon Hardware Co. Ltd. looking towards the front of the store from the back.
Brandon Hardware Co. Ltd. founded in 1882, making it one of Brandon's earliest mercantiles. It was incorporated in 1902, and their location on Rosser Avenue at the corner of 7th Street was constructed in 1903. For a number of years, J.B. Curran was the managing director. The building was destroyed by fire in 1983.
Custodial History
Katy Singleton was given this photo in her role as Heritage Coordinator for the City of Brandon. She transferred it to the McKee Archives in 2013.
Scope and Content
Item is a photograph of of the interior of the Brandon Hardware Co. Ltd. looking towards the back of the store from the front.
Postcard was sent to Chuck Wilson's aunt, Mrs. W.M. Wilson in Creelman, SK by the McKenzie Seed Company in 1912. Chuck Wilson found the postcard in some of his aunt's papers in 2009 and mailed it to the McKee Archives.
Scope and Content
Item consists of a colour postcard of the McKenzie Seed Company building located on the west side of the 100 block of 9th Street. The card was sent to Mrs. W.M. Wilson of Creelman, SK to acknowledge her order.
Writing on the front of the card reads: A.E. McKenzie Co., Limited, Seedsmen, Brandon, Man
The Strome & White Co. General Store (L. foreground; built 1902) became Brandon Hardware & Brandon Hardware block, later Ashdowns; The final tenant was Stylerite Hardware with two floors of residential suites. It was destroyed by fire March 27, 1983
Custodial History
For custodial history see the collection level description of the Lawrence Stuckey collection.
Scope and Content
View of Rosser Avenue, looking east from Seventh Street
