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1899-1965 (Creation)
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Physical description
38 cm of textual records
ca. 195 photographs
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Biographical history
William M. Gray (b. 1891) was the grandson of the founder of Gray Carriage Company, Chatham, a manufacturer of Gray-Dort automobiles, 1917-1924, and Industrial Commissioner of Chatham, 1944-1952.
He was born in Chatham, Ontario on July 16, 1891. William M. Gray built the first horseless carriage in 1905, and the Gray Carriage Company soon became involved in the manufacture of automobile bodies for other companies. Eventually an association was established with Josiah Dallas Dort of Flint, Michigan, a former associate of William C. Durant, and production of the Gray-Dort motor car began in Chatham around 1917. In 1924, Josiah Dort ceased production in Flint. As a result, Gray was forced to close his plant. Gray was given the post of Industrial Commissioner by the city of Chatham in 1944. The aim of the post was to provide jobs for men returning from the Second World War. Promoting Chatham's industrial sites, Gray used his land yacht, "Graysland" (a large enclosed automobile), to take prospective developers on tour, and he was able to double the city's industries from 63 to 126.
Custodial history
Scope and content
Fonds consists mainly of records relating to Gray's work as Industrial Commissioner, including subject files containing newspapers, clippings, correspondence, and speech notes. Also included are various periodicals and publications from the 1940's and 1950's containing articles about Chatham's industrial growth under the guidance of Bill Gray as Industrial Commissioner. Fonds also includes some material relating to the Gray Carriage Company and the Gray-Dort Motorcar Company, as well as photographs of family members, Industrial Commissioner activities, and photos related to the Gray-Dort Company.
For a more detailed description, use this link to the Archives of Ontario's descriptive database: http://ao.minisisinc.com/scripts/mwimain.dll/144/PROV/PROV/REFD+F+149?SESSIONSEARCH
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No restrictions on access.
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Copyright held by creator. These materials cannot be published without permission of the copyright holder.
Finding aids
For a more detailed description, use this link to the Archives of Ontario's descriptive database: http://ao.minisisinc.com/scripts/mwimain.dll/144/PROV/PROV/REFD+F+149?SESSIONSEARCH