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I-XL Industries Limited fonds
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- Source of title proper: Title based on content of records.
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Fonds
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Physical description
35.5 cm of textual records. -- 1750 photographs. -- 1 map. -- 2 technical drawings
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Archival description area
Name of creator
Biographical history
I-XL Industries Limited is the current name (since 1972), of the private company which operates brick and clay manufacturing plants in Medicine Hat and elsewhere. The original parent company, Redcliff Pressed Brick Company Limited, was established in 1912 by James Hargrave, James Mitchell (prominent ranchers/businessmen of the Medicine Hat area), and Herbert Sissons (a businessman from Montreal), as well as a number of other interested family members. The Company adopted the I-XL trademark in October 1920; a well known symbol still in use today. In 1929, the Redcliff Pressed Brick Co. Ltd, acquired the Medicine Hat Brick and Tile, one of the oldest brickmaking plants in Medicine Hat. Its beginnings can be traced back to the Medicine Hat Brick Works, started by Jacob and Charles Purmal, ca 1895. Other companies acquired throughout their history include Redcliff Premier Brick Company Limited, 1944, (now Redcliff Premier Natural Gas), National Porcelain Limited, 1959, and Alberta Clay Products Company Limited, 1960. Other subsidiary companies include Northwest Brick and Tile of Edmonton, Western Clay Products of Regina, and the Red River Brick and Tile of Lockport, Manitoba. Operation of the I-XL plant was taken over by the sons of Herbert John Sissons and Lissa R. (nee Hargrave) Sissons; Gordon (born 1920), Thomas Alexander (born 1923), and William John "Jack" (born ca. 1924). Herbert Sissons passed away on July 23, 1949. Today (1993), the plant is still overseen by the Sissons family; Jack and Tom, acting as Presidents and Gordon, as Chairman. The third generation of Sissons men have also taken on roles in the operation of the Company; Clayton as Corporate Solicitor, Graham as Real Estate Manager, and Malcolm as Manager.
Custodial history
Additional records remain in the posession of the Sissons family and with I-XL Industries Ltd. These include Minutes of the Redcliff Pressed Brick Company (1913), Redcliff Premier Brick Company (1921-1982), and the Medicine Hat Brick and Tile Company Limited (1928-1982). This additional material may be obtained by permission at the I-XL Head Office in Medicine Hat. A complete inventory and description is included in the series list.
Scope and content
Fonds consists of business records of various companies that evolved into I-XL Industries. For the following, years stated represent the range to which the records represent rather than the operating years of the entity. Companies include: Purmal Brick Company Limited (1907-1920), Medicine Hat Brick Company (1913-1914) , Gas City Brick Company (1916-1925), Medicine Hat Brick and Tile (1925-1984), Redcliff Pressed Brick (1913-1916), Gas City Clay Products(1921), Ross Clay Products (1920), and Redcliff Premier Brick Company (1939-1982), as well as I-XL Industries (1948-1990).
Records include: stock information; annual reports; financial records; correspondence, including that regarding assets and sales; description of operations; histories, legal documents, including an affidavit; catalogues and price lists plus other promotional materials; articles, blueprints including plants and a proposed Alberta-Hudson Bay Railway line; media clippings; photographs of equipment and operations.
Notes area
Physical condition
Immediate source of acquisition
Gift of I-XL Industries Limited through Malcolm Sissons, April 1983, and via Ian McLaughlin, October 25, 1994.
0525 -- Unknown donor.
P0855- gift of Fred Hauck
P1024- gift of Malcolm Sissons, November 17, 2010
Arrangement
Records are organized into 11 series (10 companies plus photographs)
Purmal Brick Company Limited records: memorandum of Association (1907); stock certificates (1914); share transfers (1911-1914); registers of share transfers and Directors (1907-1910); Annual Report (1912); financial records (1915); legal documents (1914-1920);
Medicine Hat Brick Company records: financial records (1913-1914); correspondence regarding the sale of assets (1914)
Gas City Brick Company records: Trust Deed (1922); correspondence (1916); description of operations (1923); affidavit re: law suit (1925); O.S.
Medicine Hat Brick and Tile Company records: company history (undated and 1984); transcript of radio program "Mud Magic Through the Ages" by Ralph P. Stoddart; correspondence (1925-1933); financial statements (1928); catalogues and price lists (1953-1962); miscellaneous pamphlets; calendars and notes (1927-1976).
I-XL Industries Limited records: history and description (1963-1975); magazine articles (1912-1964); Mundy's map of Medicine Hat (ca.1913); blueprints (3) (undated); newspaper clippings (1910-1982); invitation (1973); share (1909); annual report (1913); letterhead (undated);
Redcliff Pressed Brick Company records: correspondence (1913-1916);
Gas City Clay Products: Memorandum of Association (1921);
Ross Clay Products: financial statement (1920);
Redcliff Premier Brick Company: financial statement (1939); general history prepared for Centennial project (1967); research materials on clay and clay producing areas (ca. 1975); histories of clay producing industries in Western Canada, as collected by Wendy Sissons (ca. 1965); history of clay industries in Medicine Hat and Redcliff (1962); Miscellaneous documents: history of the Hargrave Family (ca. 1981); O.S. blueprints (3) re: the proposed Alberta-Hudson Bay Railway line (undated); images of various views of I-XL Industries ([ca. 1885-1982]). Contains photos of the demonlition of the I-XL Plant in Redcliff, Alberta (P 0855).
Approximately 620, largely black and white, post-war photographs (1948-1981) documenting I-XL and its predecessor companies in Medicine Hat, Redcliff, Edmonton, Regina, Saskatchewan and Lockport, Manitoba. Photographs document plants (1024.01.), products and use including construction images and product documentation and promotions (1024.02.), machinery and operations photos documenting plant equipment and production (1024.03.), personnel images (1024.04.), and marketing and promotions images (1024.05.*), consisting of events and tradeshows; correspondence (1966) & Plant Sale Ad (1990).
Language of material
- English
Script of material
Location of originals
Availability of other formats
Restrictions on access
There are no restrictions on access
Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication
Finding aids
Series List available.
Associated materials
M70.93;M74.310;M78.29;M83.46
Accruals
General note
Record No. M94.30.1-.2;M83.15;P 0154;P 0311;P 0442;P 0525;P 0855; P 1024; M2018.11<br><br>
Alternative identifier(s)
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Name access points
- I-XL Industries Limited (Subject)
- Medicine Hat Brick and Tile (Subject)
- Redcliff Pressed Brick Company (Subject)
- Purmals Brick Co. (Subject)
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- English
Script of description
Sources
Gift of I-XL Industries Limited through Malcolm Sissons, April 1983, and via Ian McLaughlin, October 25, 1994.
•0525 -- Unknown donor.
•P0855 Gift of Fred Hauck.
•P1024 -- Gift of Malcolm Sissons, November 17, 2010.