Gurney Heater Mfg. Co. circa 1913

jesmed1

I recently put an old Gurney steam pressure gauge on our expansion tank just for nostalgia's sake, and because I love old things that were well-made. The gauge is large, easy to read, still works, and is perfectly calibrated.

Many people here seem not to have heard of Gurney, even though it was apparently quite a large company with a plant in the Boston area and an office in New York. I found this 1913 Gurney catalog and am posting a few pics for the sake of history. The catalog says Gurney has "fifty years' experience in the manufacture and sale of high-grade heating apparaturs and accessories," which puts its founding back circa 1863, or Civil War era. Look at the size of the plant in the picture (South Framingham, MA). I don't know if the scale is correct relative to the tiny steam train to the left, but it looks massive.

Also, I found a bit of old Gurney advertising that I think will amuse @EdTheHeaterMan . He may need to find a time machine to go back and correct the guy who wrote the ad copy…and the other one who named the company!

EBEBRATT-Ed

Yeah. Looks like a big plant. Wonder when they went out of business?

@leonz will like the coal fire.

Looks like a lot of pipes sticking out of the top of the boiler. I have heard the Gurney name.

EBEBRATT-Ed

The E.C. Gurney Company, a major Canadian manufacturer of cast iron stoves and boilers, was sold in 1920 and subsequently closed in 1931. The company's operations evolved over time, becoming known as Gurney Tilden and later the Hamilton Stove and Heater Company before operations ceased. Key details regarding the company's timeline include:

• Founding: Established by brothers Edward and Charles Gurney in Hamilton, Ontario, focused on cast iron products.
• Expansion: The company expanded to five locations, including a prominent foundry in Toronto.
• Closure: After the family sold the company in 1920, the main operations closed in 1931. 

jesmed1

Here is a very recent post showing a "900 Series" Gurney boiler. There's a picture in my catalog showing the 900 series as almost identical to this one, except the round air shutter isn't shown in the 1913 version.

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/203254/help-with-replacing-valves-on-an-1920-s-coal-burning-furnace

EBEBRATT-Ed

@jesmed1

I saw a book on Amazon for sale (Gurney Oxford Heating) about $22

jesmed1

@EBEBRATT-Ed Thanks, Ed. I got this Gurney catalog from eBay, and now I may have to get that "Heating Engineer's Companion to go with it!

jesmed1

And this appears to be a Gurney "400 Series" boiler.

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/160332/old-coal-boiler

jesmed1

In an old post, @Steamhead said Gurney became part of National Radiator Corporation in 1928.

EBEBRATT-Ed

I think Gurney made radiators as well. I guess they started in Canada.

When you see all the old brick buildings and how many boiler MFGs were around in the old days I think everyone was a bricklayer or a boiler installer.

My grandfather owned a two family in Springfield that he bought before 1920. He lived their untill 1970 and was in his 90s when he passed he was still burning coal.

We found receipts of when he had the old hot air furnaces ripped out and put in 2 steam boilers , 14 radiators and complete install was like $750.00

jesmed1

@EBEBRATT-Ed Yes, my Gurney catalog has a radiator section too.

Speaking of brick buildings and boilers, there's an old postcard for sale on eBay with a picture of a brick building labeled "Gurney Heater Co, So. Framingham Ma. The ground around the building looks freshly dug, so I'm guessing the photo was taken during or right after the plant was built. Who today would make a postcard showing a new boiler/radiator factory?

EBEBRATT-Ed

The building does look new. I was told they dug foundation holes with horses back in the day.

I would love to go back to the 20s……………..but maybe just for one day

EdTheHeaterMan

@jesmed1 said: Also, I found a bit of old Gurney advertising that I think will amuse @EdTheHeaterMan .

It is all in context. They had hot water heaters back in the day. They were just more covered up. Here is the previous years advertisement, but thay had to take this on off the market because it was to Risqué

jesmed1

@EdTheHeaterMan LOL. Back in those days, their "hot" water heaters could only show some ankle!