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R.S. Williams Piano Co.
The R.S. Williams Piano Co.
was established ca. 1890 and moved into the old Joseph
Hall Works on Richmond St., four years after the Hall Works
had closed down. Robert S. Williams had a piano works in
Toronto but opened this plant in Oshawa and produced pianos and
church organs. In 1891, a piano, stool and cover would
cost someone $375. His products were known all over the
world, which accounted for large export trade to places like Australia,
New Zealand and Japan. |
A976.15.2 file 427 |
A976.15.4 file 430 |
In 1903, the
Williams Piano Co. was formed and
no longer had any link to R.S. Williams Piano Co. from Toronto.
By 1920, they began to expand in the products they were manufacturing,
such as player pianos, but pianos and church organs were still
the primary business. Besides musical instruments, in 1929
Williams began producing small motorboats, which were called Sea
Fleas. Also in the late 1920’s they began making radios,
which were becoming quite popular in households. Unintentionally,
it also helped with the demise of the company as radios and talking
movies (‘talkies’) were replacing musical instruments in the household.
With the lack of demand, combined with the Depression, the Williams
Piano Co. closed down in 1931, but at its peak gave employment
to 175-240 men. The closing of Williams was a great loss
to the community. |
A carload of pianos from the Williams Piano Co.
A976.15.1 |
