Gourlay, Winter & Leeming Ltd.

Gourlay, Winter & Leeming, Ltd.

Gourlay, Winter & Leeming, Ltd. Toronto retailer of pianos, player pianos, organs, music boxes, and phonographs, and manufacturer of pianos. The firm was established in 1890 by Robert S. Gourlay (b New York 21 Sep 1852, d Toronto 28 Nov 1932), Francis William Winter, and Thomas Leeming. Formerly the general manager of Mason & Risch, Gourlay assumed the same position with the new company. The firm was incorporated, with Gourlay as president, in 1915, when Winter and Leeming retired and Gourlay's sons David and Albert became sales manager and manufacturing supervisor respectively. Gourlay himself was active in civic affairs and served terms as president of the Toronto Board of Trade and the Canadian Manufacturers' Association. After his retirement in 1923 the firm was forced into receivership. In 1924 Sherlock-Manning purchased its name, stock, patterns, and scales.

Throughout its history the company had a retail store on downtown Yonge St. It began by selling Heintzman pianos and imported Steinway pianos and Estey reed organs. By 1904 it had begun the production of its own pianos, and by 1911 the factory employed 225 persons. By 1915 8000 Gourlay pianos had been built. The Gourlay company also sold the Gourlay-Angelus line of player piano.