Lately, I have been thinking that I should do some research on the
history of the North Brothers.
I sent a note to Stanley asking for any information that they had.
This is what I received. I thought that you would be interested.
Here is what I learned
Stanley acquired North Bros. just after World War II, in
1946. They had been in business since 1880 when the brothers Sheldon .G. and
Ralph H. North started as a general iron and brass foundry. The Brothers
came from Conn. where S.G. ran a gun shop in middletown. R.H. had been in the
insurance business..
In Feb. 1887 the company was incorporated under the name North Brothers Mfg.
Co.
In 1892 North Bros acquired the American Machine Co. (also of
Philadelphia) and moved their entire operation to the Lehigh Ave and American
St. location.
In 1893 the Ice Cream Freezer business of the Shepard Hardware Co. of
Buffalo NY was purchased adding a line of ice cream freezers, ice shaves,
chippers, meat cutters, and fluting machines.
In 1897 they went into the tool business with the DeForest Screw Driver.
In 1898 they brought out their first Spiral driver under the name of
"Yankee". They added ratcheting screwdrivers shortly thereafter.
S.G. took care of the mechanical side of the business while R.H. handled
financial and sales. Sheldon died in 1916, R.H. in 1935. R.H.'s son J.S.
had been brought into the business and conducted it until 1940.
Then due to ill health he turned it over to a friend Mr. Rauch.
With limited resources and aging management, but, a fine line of tools
the opportunity for Stanley was obvious and it was a win win situation for all
parties when Stanley took them over.
One of the most prolific inventors of drivers like this was Zachary
Furbish of Augusta Maine. Ralph North had a summer place in Maine and I
suspect during a summer visit, he met Zachary and persuaded him to come on
board as Zachary is known to have moved to Philadelphia shortly thereafter.
Another early inventor also from Philadelphia was A.H. Reid who has
patents on the device as early as 1882 whereas Furbish's weren't until about
1895. Possibly Reid was somehow associated with Norths, but, I never did find
out for sure or how, if at all.
Other inventors connected with North Bros. who received patents were
Thomas Fegley and George Leopold. I know that some of these are for
Braces and not drivers.
In 1958 the Phil. plant was closed and moved to New Britain, then in the
70's we moved it to our Cheraw South Carolina plant.
We also had been making the line in England and now that volume has
declined with the advancements in cordless tools, we have consolidated all
production in the Sheffield England location.
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You're only young once, but you can be | Jerry Serviss
immature for a lifetime ! | Motorola Inc
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Jerry Serviss Rolling Meadows, Il
You can never own too many tools !
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