The Kemp Manufacturing Co.

Based in Toronto, Kemp Manufacturing was one of the forefront tinware manufacturers in Canada. The Kemp manufacturing Company was formed by Sir Edward Kemp in 1888. Edward bought out ownership of the Dominion Tin and Stamping Company from Thomas MacDonald, thus forming the Kemp Manufacturing Co. William Kemp was having success near his home in Quebec, however he left the lumber business to join his brother in Toronto. William became the C.E.O of the Kemp Mfg. Co. when his brother began to get into politics.

in 1899, the Kemp’s released their first lantern. Designed along side the Defiance lanterns made by the new Defiance Lantern & Stamping Co., of Rochester NY, and the W.W. Chown & Co. in Belleville Ontario. Kemp’s lantern used his new 1899 patented corrugated elbows (affectionately named crinkle corners by us collectors now) in the tubes. This was the first Canadian lantern to have corrugated elbows, a design that quickly became the staple of Canadian cold blast lanterns. Kemp added extra design and detail to their lanterns, which became a staple of their Lantern line.

The Business Kept Growing for the Kemp Brothers and in 1911, they saw fit to change the name of the company to the Sheet Metal Products Manufacturing Co. William Kemp would continue to head this new company until his surprise death while on vacation in 1919.