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Enthusiast Souvenirs
For Canadian residents, 8% PST and 5% GST, or 13% HST and a small customs fee are payable upon delivery.
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New Carriages Encyclopedia
Order this beautiful 272 page hardcover encyclopedia, "Wheels Across America". Wm. Gray & Sons Carriages are beautifully outlined among 30,000 carriage manufacturers across the U.S. and Canada. For ordering information, please contact this website. Our NEW price of $59.99 plus $12.00 shipping, you can have this beautiful book. |
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Posted by im_an_elf on Thursday, April 16 @ 06:12:38 EDT (72 reads)
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Historical Gray-Dort Inn in Toronto
To begin this article I have to begin with an apology. A computer crash lost this picture deep in a folder and subsequently lost who the kind person was that sent it to me. So if you recognize this picture and you are the one who sent it to me, please contact me by phone or email so I can thank you properly. Nevertheless, "Ye Gray-Dort Inn" was in Toronto. I have not been able to find any further information to this. If you have any other information regarding this establishment, please contact me and I can add it to this story and provide the proper credit. Thanks.
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Posted by im_an_elf on Monday, April 13 @ 09:43:04 EDT (90 reads)
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1917 Newspaper Advertisment ''The Double Guarantee''
The article from the Weekly Albertan, Calgary Wednesday November 17, 1917 sent to us from our friend Ted Warnell reads as follows,
"The Quality Goes Clear Through"
Two reputations guard your investment when your purchase a Gray-Dort.
Two liabilities are your assurance of double satisfactory use and service.
Two institutions striving in united effort to maintian the foundation on which they been built - full value to you, the purchaser.
In Chatham, Ontario, the Wm. Gray & Sons Company and Gray-Dort Motors Limited - the one hale and strong at sixty-two, the other strong and lusty in two years.
In Flint, Michigan, since 1885, the Durant-Dort Carriage Company; since 1915, the Dort Car Company.
Gray - the Industry and its Builder
Our fathers and grandfathers rode in Gray Carriages - and found them built on honor and character.
In 1855, William Gray built the first of them - built them so well that Gray quality became proverbial.
Under his guiding hand the Gray institution has been builded solidly on its original foundation - value and service to the purchaser.
When others rushed into the motor car industry , Robert Gray bided his time.
Others experiment - on the motorist.
Others gained the reputaion of the day - and lost it.
Robert Gray knew that the car bearing his name must have the same underlying qualifications as the Gray carriage - so he waited.
Dort - at the Same Time, in Flint
Paralleling the growth of Gray in Canada was a similar institution in the United States.
Blue Ribbon Buggies were to Americans what Gray Buggies were to Canadians.
J.D. Dort, too, was building in Flint, as Robert Gray was building in Chatham.
J.D. Dort, too, was analyzing the motor car industry.
In 1915, Robert Gray, decided that a good motor car could be built and sold at a reasonable price.
In 1915, J.D. Dort, studying the situation from the same angle came to the same conclusion.
The two men met. Their identical views and aspirations inevitably attracted them to one another.
They chose as the engineering groundwork for their organization, Etienne Planche, designer of the world-famed Peugeot motor. They surrounded him with men of equal calibre, who round out an institution unique in man-power.
After Such Preparation -
With two institutions so solidly founded the first Gray-Dort was built.
Is it any wonder that in three days the entire 1916 output was sold.
It was expected that a doubled output for 1917 was heavily oversold.
The output for 1918 is doubled again - and may be inadequate.
Note the Car for 1918
PRICES - TOURING CAR $945; ROADSTER $945; f.o.b. CHATHAM. PRICES SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE
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Posted by im_an_elf on Friday, March 13 @ 10:07:24 EDT (165 reads)
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Postcard Donated To Archive
A great supporter of the Gray family and Gray-Dort Enthusiasts is Janice Fountain of Peterborough. She has donated a response card from the Wm. Gray & Sons factory to M.B. Cosby in Smithville, Ont. (which is near Hamilton) The order is for 3 Brace rods for a delivery cart. The response card is dated June 28, 1916 and the order was placed June 26 with only a 2 day turn around time. The card indicates that not only was the company great at making delivery wagons for dairies, bakeries, grocers, laundry, butchers, hardware, and parcel post but they were great at customer service marketing.
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Posted by im_an_elf on Tuesday, January 20 @ 08:31:38 EST (184 reads)
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Chatham Cultural Centre Offers Gray-Dort Ornament
Our Enthusiast friend, Laurie Langford, from the Chatham Cultural Centre has been kind enough to forward us this press release. For 2008, The Chatham-Kent Museum has commissioned a limited-edition, Canadian made pewter ornament of the 1919 Gray-Dort Touring. An example of the 1919 Gray-Dort Touring is part of the Museum's permanent collection.
The Ornament can be purchased through the Chatham-Kent Museum for a cost of $9.99 plus tax plus $3.00 for shipping (total $14.29). The Gray-Dort Ornament is a beautifully-made keepsake that would make an excellent gift for any occasion. Quantities are limited! Cheques are payable to the Municipality of Chatham-Kent. You can order by credit card through the Cultural Centre Box Office at 1-866-807-7770 or 519-354-8338.
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Posted by im_an_elf on Monday, December 01 @ 17:24:16 EST (246 reads)
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Gray-Dort Family Saddened By Loss
It is with great sadness that the Enthusiasts have lost a dear family member in Marlene Stewart Fallon. Marlene was a very special and ardent supporter of both the Gray-Dort Enthusiasts and the Gray family. She will be greatly missed.
FALLON, Marlene Stewart - Peacefully on Monday November 10, 2008, Marlene Stewart Fallon of Burlington left us. Loving life partner, soul mate and best friend of Casey. Dear sister of Suzanne (Sue) Stewart of London. Predeceased by her beloved parents, Bob and Edna Stewart. Dear sister in law of Darcy Fallon of Delaware and Sandra Fallon of London. Also predeceased by mother in law, Ellen and brother in law, Chris. Special cousin of Lorraine Stade, her daughters Jennifer and Tracey and a treasured friend to countless. Her compassion and commitment to her health promotion programs with the Canadian Cancer Society, the Ontario Breast Screening Program and Hamilton Public Health's Healthy Workplace Program prevented or led to the early detection of more serious diseases for so many of us. Her enthusiasm was as infectious as her laugh and her smile. Marlene was also instrumental in her work with Zonta in helping women around the world. But it was Marlene's true friendship that enriched so many of our lives. Friends were received at BAY GARDENS FUNERAL HOME, Burlington (905-527-0405) on Monday November 17, 2008. Friends will be received at WESTVIEW FUNERAL HOME, 709 Wonderland Road N. London on Thursday November 20 from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. A Celebration of Marlene's life will be held at Westview Funeral Chapel on Friday November 21, 2008 at 12 noon. To honour Marlene's great love of animals in need, a donation to the your local humane society would be greatly appreciated. Please send condolence messages to condolences@westviewfuneralchapel.com
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Posted by im_an_elf on Monday, December 01 @ 17:02:01 EST (239 reads)
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Anne of Green Gables Raspberry Cordial Luncheon in Chatham Ontario
Laurie Langford was kind enough to include me in her mailing about the Anne of Green Gables Raspberry Cordial Luncheon being celebrated by both the province of Prince Edward Island and the Milner Heritage House and the Chatham-Kent Public Library in Tecumseh Park. The Luncheon is being held on Saturday August 2, 2008. If you need further information you can contact Laurie at 519.354.8346 ext 40. Further information regarding the celebration of the century anniversary of Anne of Green Gables in Prince Edward Island go to Anne2008.com
Now I am sure you are wondering why Laurie would include GrayDortMotors.com and all the Enthusiasts in the celebration of Anne of Green Gables being published 100 years ago this year. What has the author Lucy Maud Montgomery and Gray-Dort Motors got to do with each other?
It just so happens that "Maud" and her family of MacDonalds would go on cross country driving trips together in their 1921 Gray-Dort. As a matter of fact she called her beloved automobile "Lady Jane Gray-Dort". So there is a lot more to this story and Laurie was kind enough to bring this story to my attention. She is a native Islander and directed me to some books about L.M. Montgomery. The story expands from here but I have to get some permissions to reprint and publish some pictures. So everyone has to stay tuned to hear more about one of Canada's most famous authors and how she enjoyed touring the Canadian countryside in her "Lady Jane Gray-Dort".
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Posted by im_an_elf on Thursday, July 17 @ 11:59:17 EDT (401 reads)
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DeSalvo Carriage Unveiled at Chatham-Kent Museum
This is a reprint of the article in the Chatham Daily News regarding the unveiling of the Dorchester Trap at the Chatham-Kent Museum found by Joe De Salvo in Wenham, Massachusetts and restored by Stan Uher. Appropriately the unveiling was on the 4th of July. Joe contacted me through the website having found this carriage in a terrible state. He wanted to know more about it. So I went down and visited him and his lovely wife Terry with my family. That area of Massachusetts is full of stately homes and horse farms. So it is appropriate that a William Gray Carriage would end up there. Joe restored the carriage a first time and had it on his lawn for all to see for many years. He even built a shelter over it to protect it in the winter. Passersby would knock on his door and ask him about the carriage and where it came from. He would also lovingly show them the two candle lamps that managed to survive from the original. Joe was immensely proud of that carriage that he saved from the junk pile. We are also immensely proud of him. It is appropriate the unveiling took place on the 4th of July because Joe is a decorated WW II hero. Joe put himself directly in harms way for the US Coast Guard and piloted his Higgins boat to get US Soldiers onto the beaches in Normandy, Iwo Jima, and Guadalcanal. He and his boat were sunk at Guadalcanal where he remained in the water for hours and eventually ended up losing the use of one of his lungs. We are very grateful to Joe for many reasons.
Carriage unveiled
Posted By BY BOB BOUGHNER, THE DAILY NEWS
Posted 4 days ago
A rare piece of local history was officially unveiled Friday at the Chatham-Kent Museum.
A turn-of-the-century carriage, built in Chatham and known as a Dorchester Trap, is the latest addition to other carriages, a swan-looking sleigh and a Gray Dort automobile now on display at the museum.
"As far as we know the Dorchester Trap is the only carriage of its kind in existence,'' said museum curator Dave Benson.
He said the carriage was purchased more than two years ago from a Boston resident for $3,000. Funding came from the Kent Historic Auto Club, the Chatham-Kent Community Foundation, Stan Uher of Classic Coachworks in Chatham, John Verkaik of Chatham Towing and numerous individual donors.
Benson said the carriage, referred to in the Gray and Sons catalogue as a Dorchester Trap, was the top-of-the-line model made by the company, which once operated on William Street and employed more than 800 workers.
The carriage features decorative spindle work, nickel-plated trim, a forward-tilting front seat to allow access to the back and a fold-down rear seat to provide cargo space when not in use.
Benson said the "extremely valuable'' piece of Chatham-Kent history was painstakingly restored after more than 300 hours of donated work by Uher and his staff at Classic Coachworks.
He said the 86-year-old Boston resident had purchased the carriage from an antique dealer in Maine.
"He called me one day and said the carriage rightfully belonged back in Chatham-Kent,'' said Uher, who is passionate about Gray-Dort memorabilia.
Veteran towing service owner John Verkaik offered to drive to Boston to pick up the carriage and return it to Chatham-Kent at no cost.
Uher said the carriage was made in Chatham in 1898 at the William Gray and Sons Carriage Company on William Street.
He said the Gray company turned out horse-drawn carriages and automobiles for a number of years in the early 1900s.
The museum display includes a wooden sleigh shaped like a swan. It was made for Winifred Gray, daughter of William Murray Gray.
The link for the article is
here
Pictures of the carriage before the restoration by Stan are here
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Posted by im_an_elf on Friday, July 11 @ 08:25:47 EDT (471 reads)
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2008 ReUnion A Resounding Success
To all the organizers, participants, owners, and family for this years Gray-Dort ReUnion 2008, we would like to thank you for all your hard work in making it a great success. The drive through the countryside near St. Thomas was fabulous going through Sparta and Port Burwell seeing the wind turbines majestically spinning while the gentle Lake Erie breezes blew. The event was particularily exciting for Robyn Mackenzie (Gray) and her family of Cam, Karli, Christine, and Claire. Robyn received for her 50th birthday a brand new (and somewhat used) 1922 Gray-Dort Touring Car. It will be quite the head-turner in North Vancouver. The wine and cheese at the Campbell's and the dinner at the somewhat restored St. Thomas train station was a real highlight. Many pictures were taken. A few are available for viewing in the gallery here.
As an additional note, many of our family and loved ones have been affected by cancer. GrayDortMotors.com is now actively raising funds for cancer research. Please give generously to the The Terry Fox Marathon of Hope and let's make cancer history.
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Posted by im_an_elf on Friday, June 13 @ 17:43:30 EDT (448 reads)
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Enthusiast Contact Info
To contact us telephone (613)547-5786 between 9 am and 4 pm EST or mail Gray-Dort Motors and Wm Gray & Sons Carriage Enthusiasts, 182 Helen Street, Kingston, Ontario, Canada, K7L 4P4.
Email is now working.
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Become an Enthusiast
Help to support this website and receive our quarterly newsletter full of photos and newstories about Gray-Dort Automobiles and Wm. Gray & Sons Carriages.
To become an enthusiast click on the PayPal button and you can securely become a member for one year for $21.95 CDN per year. |
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Gray-Dort Newsletter
When you become an enthusiast we will send you our quarterly newsletter complete with colour photos and engaging stories. Our Newsletter Editor is vehicle restorer Stan Uher of Classic Coachworks. If you would like to become a member or submit a story please contact us at info(at)graydortmotors(dot)com |
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