This firm was established in 1871 as John Laurie & Bro., to manufacture steam engines. In 1888 they built a new factory. In 1894 the business reorganized and incorporated under the name of Laurie Engine Co., with a capital of $260,000. In 1906 the name was changed to Laurie Engine & Machine Co., and the company's officers were given license to sell the company or its assets. In 1909 another Montreal business, the Parker Foundry Co., Ltd., purchased the Laurie foundry and adjoining land, and J. T. Schell of Alexandria, Ontario, acquired the rights to Laurie's "Rival" steam engine designs. It appears that Laurie Engine & Machine Co. had ceased to do business by that time.

Laurie manufactured large stationary steam engines. Six 800 HP Laurie engines powered the Montreal street-car system. Laurie engines also powered various municipal water systems.

From July 1906 Canadian Machinery

Information Sources

• 1874-1877—Scots in the USA and Canada, 1825-1875, Volume 3, by David Dobson, lists "Laurie, ..., daughter of John Laurie, was born at 27 Victoria Street, Montreal, on 9 April 1874. Laurie, ..., son of John Laurie, was born in Montreal on 13 April 1877.
• 1893 Sessional Papers of the Dominion of Canada, in a report on an exhibition, "John Laurie & Bro. Montreal, Que." was among the exhibitors.
• 1894 Canadian Mining Manual

  Laurie Engine Co., Montreal—Established 1871. Incorporated 1894. Authorized capital, $260,000. Works, 1012-4 St. Catherine street. Built 1888.

• 1895-10-16 The Electrical Engineer, article on the Montreal street railway system, and, in a section on the power house: "The equipment at present comprises six cross-compound condensing engines made by the Laurie Engine Co., of Montreal, and rated at 800 H. P each..."
• 1897-06-03 American Machinist article on "A Canadian Example of Heavy Flywheel Construction".
• 1906 Engineering Institute of Canada: Report of the Annual Meeting.

  Thomas Edward Lamb, A. M. Can. Soc. C. E., was born hat Montreal, 25th April, 1864. He began his professional career as an apprentice with John Laurie & Bro. (afterwards Laurie Engine Co.) in 1881, and remained with that company until 1903, successively as draughtsman, shop foreman, mechanical superintendent and chief engineer. ...

• Ad in July 1906 Canadian Machinery.
• September 1908 Canadian Municipal Journal obituary of Mr. T. Edward Lamb:

  ...we record the death of Mr. T. Edward Lamb of the firm of Laurie & Lamb, Consulting and Contracting Engineer, Montreal... he was for many years Superintendent and Chief Engineer of the original Laurie Engine Company, Montreal... his partner, Major W. H. Laurie, with whom Mr. Lamb has worked continuously since leaving school at the age of seventeen, when he entered the service [in about 1881] of John Laurie & Bro. (afterwards formed into The Laurie Engine Co.) as apprentice draftsman, rising subsequently to the position of chief draftsman, shop foreman, superintendent, chief engineer, and for the last three years has been a partner with Mr. Laurie as consulting engineers.

• 1908 Report of the Secretary of State for Canada contains a "List of Companies Incorporated by Letters Patent, &c.", including

  Laurie Engine Co.—April 12, 1905
  ditto (Sup. Let. Pat. (changing name to Laurie Engine and Machine Co.)—February 9, 1906
  Laurie Engine and Machine Co., Sup. Let. Pat. (formerly Laurie Engine Co.)—February 9, 1906.

• 1906-7 Sessional Papers of the Third Session of the Tenth Parliament of the Dominion of Canada records the Supplementary Letters patent that changed the company name from Laurie Engine Company to "Laurie Engine and Machine Company (Limited). In addition, the capital stock was divided into 1,500 shares of ordinary stock and 1,000 shares of preferred stock that earned a fixed dividend of 7% per year. Finally, "extending the undertaking of the company" to include raising more money, entering partnership, amalgamation or other arrangement, and to sell or dispose of the property, assets or else distribute the assets among the shareholders.
• February 1909 Canadian Machinery and Manufacturing News (page n179).

  The Laurie Engine and Machine Company, Montreal, have acquired the sole rights to manufacture and sell in Canada, the pulp grinders and wet machines of the Dilks Machine Works, Fulton, N.Y.
  The patent rights to make and sell the Wing turbine blower in Canada have been granted the Laurie Engine & Machine Company, Montreal. This blower is a combination of a disc fan and turbine engine and the exhaust enters the furnace with the air, heating it and economizing fuel in this way.

• August 1909 Canadian Machinery and Manufacturing News.

  J. T. Schell, Alexandria, Ontario, has acquired the right from the Laurie Engine Co., to manufacture their line of "Rival" horizontal engines.

• 1909-11-11 The Iron Trade Review.

  The Parker Foundry Co. Ltd., Montreal, has purchased the foundry and adjoining land of the Laurie Engine & Machine Co., and will shortly have the plant fully equipped and operating. Arthur Irvine is the manager of the Parker company, with whom are associated Allen L. McAvity and Andrew U. Jones.