St. Lawrence Starch Company founder John Gray immigrated to Canada from Scotland in 1873. Settling in Edwardsburg (now Cardinal) Ontario, he was recruited to manage the wet milling corn starch plant of the Edwardsburg Starch Company (which later became the Canada Starch Company).

In 1889 Gray, along with three others founded the St. Lawrence Starch Company at Port Credit, the site chosen for its proximity to Toronto, to the lake and to the railroad.

Despite its geographic distance from the St. Lawrence River, the name was chosen, as it would be well recognized as Canadian.

Click to see a larger image (159K)
Colour portrait of St. Lawrence Starch founder,
John Gray, 1873
St. Lawrence Starch Company fonds
Reference Code: F 4392-6-0-2
Archives of Ontario, I0013646

Click to see a larger image (165K)
Early notebook excerpts of St. Lawrence
Starch founder, John Gray, 1872
St. Lawrence Starch Company fonds
Reference Code: F 4392-30, Box 3C
Archives of Ontario

John Gray and other family members not only owned and ran the Company but were also involved in nearly every aspect and process of its operation, from designing recipes for glucose, to designing the plant.

Click to see a larger image (253K)
Early notebook excerpts of St. Lawrence
Starch founder, John Gray, 1872
St. Lawrence Starch Company fonds
Reference Code: F 4392-30, Box 3C
Archives of Ontario

Click to see a larger image (117K)
Gray family on porch steps of their home, 1904
St. Lawrence Starch Company fonds
Reference Code: F 4392-6-0-1
Archives of Ontario, I0013645

Click to see a larger image (118K)
Gray family sons on front steps of Gray home,
left to right: Alec, Douglas, John M.,
W. T. and James, 1905
St. Lawrence Starch Company fonds
Reference Code: F 4392-6-0-1
Archives of Ontario , I0013644

Click to see a larger image(285K)
Early notes by Andrew Gray on starch production, 1905
St. Lawrence Starch Company fonds
Reference Code: F 4392-24, Box 60
Archives of Ontario

Click to see a larger image (351K)
Plans of Residence To be Erected on East
Side, Hurontario Street, Port Credit, for
Miss A. Gray [Front (West) Elevation,
D. C. Cotton, Architect, June 1939,
St. Lawrence Starch Company fonds
Reference Code: F 4392-14. AO 6384
Archives of Ontario

Click to see a larger image (423K)
First share subscription/issuance document or share subscriptions and transactions ledger excerpt, 1889
St. Lawrence Starch Company fonds
Reference Code: F 4392-20, Box 60
Archives of Ontario

The Gray family actively sponsored and supported various aspects of the Port Credit community. Today St. Lawrence Starch remains a private, family-owned business and is now owned and managed by the fourth generation of the Gray family.