Collection search - Farrow, John - Interview

DOMINION BRIDGE COMPANY / COMPAGNIE DOMINION BRIDGE

1984-0443

Sound

6 of 6

1971

Dominion Bridge Company

Interview of John Farrow, former employee of Robb Engineering Works Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Dominion Bridge Company. Farrow recalls his first job with Dominion Bridge in 1912 when, at the age of 14, he was hired on as a helper heating rivets for $5.40 a week. Discussing the working conditions at Robb Engineering, Farrow remembers using candles and oil lamps to supplement the poor lighting in the shops and the extensive travelling across Canada repairing marine boilers. Johnson recalls his co-workers such as Charlie Fender, "one of the best flangers in the country", and Bill Hagen, former manager at Robb Engineering who introduced many changes at the plant, some of which were resented by the employees. Rounding out the interview, Farrow recalls a significant technological advance when an overhead electric crane was installed to move heavy machinery and finished products which were previously moved by the men.

English

Open

MSS 16476

with written permission of copyright owner : with permission of AMCA : with permission of interviewees during their lifetimesThe copyright on this material was originally held by Dominion Bridge, a company that moved to the States and became AMCA and then United Dominion. Apparently United Dominion sold its Dominion Bridge division to a Canadian company, in 1993.According to the Gazette of 13 November 1998, Dominion Bridge of Lachine became part of ADF Heavy Industries, part of the Group ADF Inc. which is owned by the Au Dragon Forgè (Paschini family) of Terrebonne, Quebec.ADF was then acquired by TIL Cintreurs de Tubes International Ltee.Copyright owner: TIL Cintreurs de Tubes International Ltee.