Tour of the Scrapyard~
On a foggy night about 1971 or so I was riding a bicycle around St. Thomas with a group of friends. None of us had cars then, and we would go out riding in the late evening sometimes. I think there were four or five of us. We were riding in the fog, turning a corner and heading up this road. I believe I was third in line.
All the sudden this creature came out of nowhere lunging for my feet, drooling and making noises. I swear it had jaws the size of a refrigerator. I began peddling like mad, visions of Basil Rathbone in The Hound of the Baskervilles flashing through my mind. As I got away, I looked back and in the fog saw the beast going for the next in line, who was also making time by this point.
That was my introduction to Sophy Segal’s Scrapyard.
A few years later I went back with the camera I had acquired from Cliff Maxwell Cameras on Talbot Street. Not sure what drew me in, guess I was just curious. They were very nice people, didn’t seem to mind me wandering around for a bit. Things were different in those days. Best guess was 1973-74, not sure.
Above~ Scrap from the wheelbarrow cutouts from the Erie Iron Works Factory that was just down the street at 99 – 101 Edward Street. Erie Iron was going gangbusters then. Made in Canada, shipped everywhere. Good product, still is.
Slideshow~
Above~ Images from the scrapyard. Pentax Spotmatic II, 55mm lens, black and white film developed in my little darkroom on Hiawatha Street. Negatives and slides scanned on a Konica/Minolta Dimage Scan Dual IV.
Above~ Typical scene at a scrapyard, material waiting to be baled and cubed. You can see the building housing the hydraulic press on the left. Notice the three transformers it took to power it.
Below~ The controls of the hydraulic baling press.
Even an Airplane~
I really enjoyed my time there and appreciate that they let me walk around. All that remains now are two posts where the entrance was (below).
History~
Although we knew it as Sophy Segal’s Scrapyard or simply Sophy Segal’s, that does not appear to be the actual name of the business, which was Canada Scrap Iron & Metal Ltd., just like the name on the truck door (duh!).
The 1945 & 1967 City Directory via the Elgin County Archives lists Canada Scrap Iron & Metal at 91 Centre St.
Local historian Steve Peters gives some more hints on a Facebook page in 2020:
“Edward Segal and his wife Sophy started a scrap business in the 1940’s from their home at 91 Centre with a warehouse on William Street. Edward was killed in a car accident in 1956 and Sophy ran the business, relocating it to Edward St (TSC today) in the late 1950’s. The business remained in operation until the mid 1970’s when it was sold to Jack Wood and it became Scrappy Jack.”
Other people also comment on the same page about playing in the pond and the airplane as kids and so on.
Sources~
Heritage Collections (Elgin County Archives)~ good, searchable, and indispensable collection.
You Knew You Grew Up in St. Thomas When…~ FB Page, good information from Steve Peters and others. Searchable within the page.
See also~
Metal Sculptures at Zubick’s Scrapyard~ Fanshawe Fine Art program meets Zubick Scrap Metal in London, ON.
D & M Tools in PEI~ Incredible salvage yard in O’Leary, PEI.
If you see errors in my recollections or have a comment please leave them in the box below. Your email address is never shared. A name of some type is required, first name (or any name) will do. Thanks.
John
7 Aug 2023Amazing photos! Always loved black and white, they really capture a feel for the era.