Echoes of Industry

The Palmer Piano Factory and Gold Medal Radio & Phonograph Company in Uxbridge

Tucked in the industrial memory of Uxbridge lies the fascinating story of a once-grand building that served multiple roles through the early 20th century. What began as a promising piano factory would become a hub for furniture, radios, phonographs—and ultimately, a tragic reminder of Uxbridge’s ever-changing landscape.

According to Tales From The Uxbridge Valley by Alan McGillivray, the story begins in 1907 with a devastating fire that destroyed the Uxbridge Piano and Organ Company. Seizing the opportunity to continue local manufacturing, the Palmer Piano Company constructed a massive new factory by the railway tracks, just south of where the Co-op once stood. While the facility held great promise, Palmer Piano’s operations were short-lived.

Above is a post card showing the Palmer Piano Co building in Uxbridge.

The above photo taken from “Downright Upright A History of the Canadian Piano Industry” by Wayne Kelly shows the Palmer Piano Factory located beside the train tracks, just south of where the Co-op was located.

By 1912, a new chapter began when the Gold Medal Furniture Company took over the factory. Quickly employing a staff of ninety, the company outfitted the plant with modern woodworking machinery and began making a name for itself in local manufacturing circles. But progress didn’t stop there.

In 1922, responding to the booming popularity of home audio entertainment, the company rebranded as the Gold Medal Radio & Phonograph Company. It specialized in producing Quadradyne Radios and Gold Medal Phonographs, aligning with the technological enthusiasm of the Roaring Twenties. These products brought music into homes across the region, further establishing Uxbridge as a center of innovation and craftsmanship.

However, by 1926, production came to a halt, and the factory sat silent for years—until it was repurposed again during World War II.

The map below is a section from the Uxbridge Insurance plan drawings from 1910 showing the corner of Brock St and Victoria Ave.

Map showing the location of the Palmer Piano Co building in Uxbridge.

In 1942, Textile Dyers and Finishers of Toronto relocated to the site, having moved from the old McGuire piano factory on Franklin Street. The new site offered ample space and infrastructure, but the revival was tragically short-lived. In 1944, fire struck again, and the entire building was destroyed.

For years, remnants of the factory lingered—its brick foundations and a solitary boiler chimney hidden in the forest at the end of Collins Street. These silent remains stood as a ghostly reminder of Uxbridge’s industrious past before finally giving way to residential development.

Today, nothing remains of the Palmer Piano Factory or the Gold Medal Radio & Phonograph Company, but their stories live on. They speak to Uxbridge’s resilience, its creative energy, and its ability to adapt through the ages—from the musical tones of pianos and phonographs to the hum of wartime industry.

Below is an ad from the Toronto Star advertising the Gold Medal Radio Phonographs built in Uxbridge from Nov. 7, 1924.

Photo courtesy of http://keithwright.ca/CAPP/Gold%20medal/Gold%20Medal.html

Click the link above to see more ads and photos of the Phonographs that are on display at the Uxbridge Historical Centre (Uxbridge-Scott Museum and Archives)

Ad from the Toronto Star advertising the Gold Medal Radio Phonographs built in Uxbridge from Nov. 7, 1924

The photo below was captured from the Youtube video about the The Gold Medal Radio Phonograph Corp. Ltd.

View the video here https://youtu.be/o43rps08ggM

This photo was captured from the Youtube video about the The Gold Medal Radio Phonograph Corp. Ltd.

The photo below provided by Nick Tyler shows all that was left of the factory after the fire in 1944.

Building remains

Sources and Credits

Tales From The Uxbridge Valley, written by Alan McGillivray

Nick Tyler

http://keithwright.ca/CAPP/Gold%20medal/Gold%20Medal.html