Historic Sites of Manitoba: Thomas Davidson Warehouse / Falcon Hardware Building (515 Waterfront Drive, Winnipeg)

Located along the east side of Waterfront Drive (formerly May Street) in Winnipeg, this three-storey brick and masonry building was commissioned by the Thomas Davidson Manufacturing Company Limited of Montreal. The firm hired local architect John Woodman to design a warehouse for the production and storage of tin goods. Construction by contractors Watford and Fee began in the summer of 1905. The original building featured a basement, 60 feet of frontage along May Street, and a depth of 100 feet towards the Winnipeg Transfer Railway which ran along the west flank of May Street. The structure was completed by the year’s end at a cost of around $50,000.

In 1928, Thomas Davidson Manufacturing Company merged with the McClary Manufacturing Company (London), The Sheet Metal Products Company of Canada Limited (Toronto), Macdonald Manufacturing Company Limited (Toronto), and The Happy Thought Foundry Company Limited (Brantford) to become the General Steel Wares Limited. In later years, the building was a warehouse for the Falcon Hardware Company Limited (a subsidiary of Merchants Consolidated Limited) and the J. L. Morton & Company Limited. Expansions included a $80,000 addition in 1952. The building is presently occupied by a commercial textile retailer.

Thomas Davidson Warehouse (October 2017) Source: Nathan Kramer Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.90168, W97.12711 denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Kemp Block / Gaylord Block (111 Lombard Avenue, Winnipeg)

Sources:

“Exit of council from 1904 stage,” Winnipeg Tribune, 28 December 1904, page 8.

“Local notes [Mr. John Woodman ...],” Manitoba Free Press, 24 May 1905, page 10.

“The enormous growth of industrial,” Manitoba Free Press Special Building Number, 30 October 1905, page 40.

“Record year in building [Tin box factory],” Winnipeg Tribune, 16 December 1905, page 17.

“I first saw,” Winnipeg Tribune, 25 October 1927, page 4.

“We offer General Steel Wares Limited,” Winnipeg Tribune, 8 June 1928, page 19.

“Fall is fatal for painter,” Winnipeg Free Press, 10 June 1937, page 5.

“Buy the new Victory Bonds [advertisement],” Winnipeg Tribune, 11 February 1942, page 3.

“Smokey blaze damages two May St. firms,” Winnipeg Tribune, 24 August 1944, page 1.

“Fire causes damage in hardware building,” Winnipeg Free Press, 24 August 1944, page 15.

“Shotgun shells debated,” Winnipeg Free Press, 3 July 1946, page 4.

“Building permits up; value totals $12,641,700,” Winnipeg Free Press, 22 August 1952, page 3.

“Winnipeg firm plans convention,” Winnipeg Free Press, 16 February 1961, page 45.

“Merchants Consolidated Limited - affiliate store [History of the company],” Winnipeg Free Press, 30 November 1972, page 34.

Companies Office corporation documents (CCA 0059), 89T The Thomas Davidson Manufacturing Company Limited, Archives of Manitoba.

Henderson’s Winnipeg and Brandon Directories, Peel’s Prairie Provinces, University of Alberta Libraries.

This page was prepared by Nathan Kramer.

Page revised: 15 May 2021

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