Collectivité

Bishop Foundry and Machine Shop

• Summerside Foundry
• George Bishop & Son
• Bishop's Machine Shop

Elias Bishop (1812-1895) and his son George A. (1838-1923) had a black smithing shop on Spring Street in Summerside, Prince Edward Island, in the 1860s. They were well known for making mussel mud diggers, iron ploughs and other farm machinery. Between 1873 and 1877 George established the Summerside Foundry on the corner of Water and East Streets and from 1879-1883 was in partnership with Thomas Campbell. Prior to 1900 his sons began working with the firm, Elias (1870-1951) as a moulder and Thomas (1879-1958) as a machinist. By 1909 the business name was George Bishop & Son, the son being Elias. Ten years later, it was known as George Bishop and Sons Foundry with Elias as President and Thomas as Vice-President. They carried on after their father's death until early 1935 when a decision was made to split the business. Elias worked in the foundry until 1946 when ill health forced him to retire. The building was rented for 22 months to Bruce Stewart Ltd. Of Charlottetown. Thomas ran his business as Bishop's Machine Shop until 1949 when it became Thomas H. Bishop & Son, leaving Ralph (1910-1991), son of Thomas, as sole owner in 1958. He continued to operate the shop at 101 Water Street until the mid 1970s. The building was closed up with machinery and tools intact and in 1998 was purchased by the City of Summerside for future restoration.

RAD 24.1A

9 May 2005. Copied from PEIAIN 28 April 2015.

MHCA0017