In Search Of - Uxbridge Organs

If you have further information on the "Uxbridge Organs", please send e-mail to museum@uxbridge.com

In Search Of - Family Records In Search Of - Miscellaneous Uxbridge-Scott Museum

Allen - thanks for posting your reply to John Smallman about the history of these reed organs! It was very timely since I have just acquired one, numbered 8571, at a local auction. It is apparently an heirloom of my wife's family and resided in the farmstead of her great great uncle, an original settler of the property in Verulam township in the mid 1870's. It has been stored for about 25 years, not under the best of conditions, but dry and is not in working order. I am assembling as much information as I can before taking it apart for restoration.

I would be interested to know if the number is any clue to the date of manufacture. Given that it bears the name "Uxbridge Cabinet Organ Company" it would seem to date from the 1873 to 1879 period. Since it seems unlikely that they produced in excess of 8000 organs, I am speculating that the date of manufacture may be encoded in the serial number. If the last two digits of the manufacturing year are reversed and used as the middle two digits in the serial number mine would date from 1875. Your thoughts on this speculation would be appreciated.

In your response to Rev. Smallman you mention that there are four Uxbridge organs and 2 pianos. Are these different models or specimens on display somewhere?

I look forward to visiting your museum sometime this summer to see the organ in your collection.

Many thanks, again, for the information posted and any that you can provide.

Hope some of you Uxbridge history buffs can help me. I used to live in the Oshawa area, and know Uxbridge well.

We have an old "Uxbridge Organ" in one of our very small churches out here. Can you give me any info. on when produced, any collector's group, or other informed person.

Some features of it look like the Dominion Organ built in Bowmanville, but other than that I know nothing about the "Uxbridge Organ".

In 1857, John McGuire and his brother William came to Uxbridge. They soon built a cabinet factory which fronted on Bascom street near the present fire hall. They made furniture and caskets. Their store was behind the factory on Main Street.

In 1873, a joint stock company known as the Uxbridge Cabinet Organ Company was formed. It bought the McGuire business and machinery along with the McGuire saw-mill at Sandy Hook. The factory was erected at the south-east corner of Brock and Franklin Streets. This building burned in 1907.

The company became known as the Uxbridge Piano and Organ Company in 1879. In 1889, a large brick building was erected to the south of the original factory. John McGuire resigned as manager in 1891, after 18 years.

Uxbridge organs and pianos were shipped all over North America. One of the organs is in the Bethune House in Gravenhurst and another one is in the Holy Trinity Church, Grenfell, Saskatchewan. The ad is from the Cowansville, Quebec, Observer of October 18, 1888. In 1904, the company was shipping piano parts to Hamburg, Germany. Charles Small had been head of the organ and furniture department for years, owned the company from 1895-1898. He built a large house south of the factory about 1902. J.F. Brownscombe bought this house in 1908 and added the large verandah.

There are 2 Uxbridge pianos and four Uxbridge organs, including one in the Uxbridge-Scott Museum collection. John McGuire's five sons bought the factory in 1898 after it had gone through difficult times.

After the 1907 fire, the factory started again and made New Kauffman pianos. The business ended about 1912.

-- There is not a collector's group. We would appreciate having a photo of your organ to add to our collection.

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