The small, shingled structure at 101 Water Street on the corner with Autumn Street is the only reminder of the foundry complex that once stood on the surrounding property. The foundry business began when George Bishop purchased the land in 1873 and shortly thereafter constructed the buildings to house his machinery, tools, and supplies. A local newspaper reported in April 1877 that the foundry was in “full blast” and about 100 ploughs were being manufactured for the spring.
George Bishop was trained as a blacksmith by his father, Elias, who operated a shop on Spring Street on the property that, coincidentally, is the location of the MacNaught History Centre and Archives. By the turn of the twentieth century, his two oldest sons had joined in the business, and he was describing himself on the company’s letterhead as a “Manufacturer of Agricultural Implements and Mill Supplies.”
Around 1908, George Bishop retired, and several years later, he deeded the property to his sons Thomas and Elias. The two of them worked together until 1935 when a decision was made to separate the business. Elias assumed ownership of the foundry, and Thomas took charge of the machine shop.
Thomas Bishop continued with the machine shop, training his son Ralph in the trade. Upon his discharge from the army in 1946, Ralph Bishop was thirty-six years of age and resumed work with his father. Thomas H. Bishop & Son considered their principal service to be repairs on motorboat equipment and farm machinery. The tags used to identify a customer’s ownership of a piece of metal or equipment listed mill works, motor boat(s) & equipment, agricultural implements, saw mandrels, propel jacks, and special machinery.
The shop remained closed during the last decade of Ralph Bishop’s life. After his demise in 1996, his estate was passed to his niece, Anne Jamfrey, who approached city officials about the future of the historic building that had belonged to one of the oldest Summerside firms. The property was consequently purchased, and the textual materials from the company’s office were moved to the MacNaught History Centre and Archives. The building was opened as a museum in the summer of 2006.
Bishop’s Machine Shop is a registered historic place of significance, protected by the municipality and included in the provincial and national registers of historic places. It is the recipient of a PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation architectural preservation award.
For information, contact:
Lori Ellis
[email protected]
902-432-1297
205 Prince Street, Summerside, PE C1N 2Z5
Related City Documents:
City of Summerside Cultural Plan
Related External Links:
Trip Advisor Reviews
PEIHistoricPlaces.ca