Post by Steve on Feb 3, 2008 13:11:10 GMT -5
When it comes to discovering Lambton's historic industries, most of the time we'll be searching archives, or perhaps going out in the field to look for a few tell tale remains of an old foundation, or some bits of wood, or metal sticking out of the ground. But, in the case of Baines Machine & Repair Works, we have a historic Lambton industrial business that is not only still operating, but is doing so in it's original building, using much of the original - or other vintage - machinery; some more than 100 years old!
(this photo courtesy of Martin Dillon @ PetroliaHetitage.com)
Being mechanically inclined, I've always had a fascination with machine shops and the like. I've been to Albert Baines' machine shop a few times over the years; usually with my dad, when he needed some sort of machining job done for a car he was working on in his body shop...
What took me to Baines' shop last week was not a machining job... Some time ago, Charlie Fairbanks had told me that Albert's shop housed equipment that had been salvaged from Stevenson's Boiler Works. Stevenson's was where Albert's father had worked from about 1902 to 1909. It's also where my great, great grandfather, Elijah had worked in the late 1800's, so I have a special interest in it. The prospect of seeing tools and machinery that Elijah may have actually used in his trade was impossible to resist.
Walking into Baines is like taking a step back in time. The shop was opened by Albert's father in 1914. One of the first things you'll notice - right after all the machine tools, of course - is all the pulleys, shafts and drive belts attached to and running along the length of the ceiling. These were used to drive many of the rotating machine tools, such as lathes, etc. from a single large drive motor (I'm not sure if Baines started out with a steam engine, or an electric motor for the main drive power...).
(click to enlarge)
The view when you enter the shop...
Albert didn't really remember me, so the easiest thing to do was introduce myself as my father's son, since not only was my dad an occasional customer, both are also contemporaries; Petrolia boys, almost the same age. As it turns out, Albert is quite the Petrolia history buff himself and he was soon sharing with me, not only stories about Stevenson's and his father's and grandfather's working life in the Petrolia oil industry, but also a wealth of information about Petrolia's history and beyond.
(click to enlarge)
Detail from a 1925 fire insurance plan of Petrolia, showing Baines' shop...
(click to enlarge)
and a close-up...
Baines' shop has a number of vintage machine tools salvaged from long since defunct Petrolia machine shops. A number of shop came and went, with the ups and downs of the local oil industry...
(click to enlarge)
This is one of two lathes salvaged from Stevenson's Boiler Works. This lathe is over 100 years old and is still used occasionally!
(click to enlarge)
Among Albert's tool collection is this machinist's square once owned by James Flett. You can clearly see his name stamped on the tool. Here it is shown with a photo Albert displays in the shop's office. It shows Stevenson's workforce in 1902. James Flett stands just to the left of the square. Albert's father, Albert is the young man in the top row, above and to the left of Flett, in the middle. My g-g-grandfather Elijah isn't in this photo, but I believe he may have retired, or was running his own shop across Centre St. from Stevenson's, by this time...
A pair of interesting artifacts with a story to tell, sit on a window sill near the back of the shop...
(click to enlarge)
These fence post tops of concrete were made by Albert's grandfather when he worked as a stationary engineer maintaining the boilers and steam engines that ran the jerker lines on Jake Englehart's oil properties. William Baines would spend 12 hours a day, six days a week watching over the engines and when things were running smoothly, he would find himself with time on his hands. So, once a day, he would mix up a little gravel, sand and cement and pour it into a two piece, carved wooden mold and when hardened, it would become an ornamental fence post top surrounding Englehart's properties, including Glenview; Jake's mansion that became Charlotte Eleanor Englehart hospital! The tops were designed to fit into pieces of oil well casing that were used as fence posts. As you can see one of the tops is worn and one not. Albert had the never-used one as a keepsake and was given the well-weathered one by a person who salvaged it from one of Englehart's properties! The crazy thing is, I'm pretty sure I actually recall, as a young kid, seeing the tell tail remains of these fence posts while travelling down the Blind Line, which is where Englehart's oil properties were. I was always noticing unique little trifles like this, but I hadn't given them a second thought, until seeing them once again! One of my goals now, will be to plan a field trip out into Jake's old properties to see if I can dig one up...
Here's a couple more photos of the interior of Baines' machine shop, showing the overhead drive gear...
(click to enlarge)
I want to thank Albert Baines for taking the time to share his stories and allowing me to take photos inside his shop.
Questions:
Was Baines' original power source an electric motor, or a steam engine?
Does anyone else remember, or have come across one of the fence post tops made by William Baines?
For those who have arrived at this page via an external link and who would like to view, or join Lost Lambton, Found! please go to the Lost Lambton, Found! homepage...