Finding Aid : GA 145 Lang Tanning Company, Ltd. fonds.

Special Collections, University of Waterloo Library Finding Aid : GA 145 Lang Tanning Company, Ltd. fonds. Special Collections, University of Waterloo Library GA 145 : Lang Tanning Company, Ltd.. Special Collections, University of Waterloo Library. Page 1

GA 145 : Lang Tanning Company, Ltd. Lang Tanning Company, Ltd. fonds. - 1888-1974. - 40 cm of textual records and graphic material. The founder of The Lang Tanning Company Limited, Reinhold Lang, came to Berlin (now Kitchener) from a small village in the German Rhineland with his eldest son George, and established a small tannery in 1849. The tannery was located on Foundry (now Ontario) Street in Berlin, and was moved to an area between Wilmot (now Victoria) and Francis Streets after fire destroyed the original plant. This area was chosen because there was a natural spring there that could be used as water supply for the tannery. The Lang Tanning Company then went on to become the largest sole leather producer in the British Empire, and Reinhold Lang, who was also a member of the Berlin Council in 1859, became a prominent local citizen. During the First World War, Lang Tanning produced huge amounts of saddle material, and in the Second World War it supplied sole leather and leather linings for aircraft gasoline tanks. The company discontinued operations as a tannery in 1954 due to competition from synthetic materials, but kept its five-acre downtown site and complex of 35 buildings until 1974, when the property was sold to Ball Brothers Limited (a Kitchener contracting firm). In 1954, at the time that the Lang Tanning Company ceased operations, Jerome Lang was president, and Reinhold (Bun) Lang was Chairman of the Board. In 1974, at which time the President of the company was Reinhold (Bun) Lang, the company held a final meeting where they wound up business: the payment of bills, the disposition of assets, and the surrender of the 1917 charter to the Federal Government. Fonds consists of material relating to the administration and operation of the Lang Tanning Company in Kitchener Ontario, from approximately 1897 to 1974. Contains minutes, agreements, clippings and a photograph album. Title from content of the fonds. Donated in 1992 by William Stoody. Finding aid available : file level description. File 1 Board of Directors minute book. - 1911-1930. Contents: contains a minute book for Lang Tanning Company Limited. Includes minutes for 1911-1930 and the "General code of by-laws" written in 1926. File 2 Clippings. - [19--]. Contents: contains photocopies of newspaper clippings and other documents relating to the history of the Lang Tanning Company Limited. File 3 Deed of land. - 1897. Contents: contains a deed of land between Mary Anna Rohleder and John S. Kuhl for a parcel of land "north of King Street and south of the Grand Trunk Railway". File 4 Grand Trunk Railway siding agreements. - 1901-1918. Contents: contains material relating to the Lang Tanning Company Limited's agreement with the Grand Trunk Railway for use of siding leading up to the Lang Tanning Company's factory. Includes an order of the Railway Committee, correspondence to and from the Lang Tanning Company, maps of the area in question, signed agreements, bills, and memoranda. File 5 The Lang Tanning Company Limited : stock register. - 1954-1974. Contents: contains a stock register with lists of stocks transferred and a ledger of individual accounts. File 6 Letters patent. - 1930-1955. Contents: contains letters patent relating to the incorporation of Lang Tanning Company Limited. File 7 Sewage by-laws. - 1903-1904. Contents: contains material relating to by-laws regarding the disposal of sewage at Lang Tanning. Includes copies of by-laws no. 791 and no. 786 and correspondence to and from the Lang Tanning Company. File 8 Trademark papers. - 1888. Contents: contains documents relating to the registration of the trademark of "R. Lang & Son". GA 145 : Lang Tanning Company, Ltd.. Special Collections, University of Waterloo Library. Page 2

File 9 The Lang Tanning Company, Ltd. photograph album : introductory text. - [1943]. - 1 photograph : b&w ; 20 x 25 cm. Contents: contains a photograph of the introductory text to a photograph album for the Lang Tanning Company Limited. Subject: Lang Tanning Company Limited - Ontario - Kitchener TGM1 terms:leather industry - Ontario - Kitchener File 9-33 The Lang Tanning Company, Ltd. photograph album. - [1943]. Contents: This collection of photographs was originally contained in a photograph album created to showcase the activities of The Lang Tanning Company Limited. It tells the story of a three generation manufacturing company and depicts several steps in the leather tanning process. The photographs are listed in their original order. File 10 The Lang Tanning Co. Limited building. - [1943]. - 1 photograph : b&w ; 20 x 25 cm. Contents: contains a photograph of a drawing of the Lang Tanning Company Limited building on King St. West in Kitchener as it was in 1850. Includes a note on the photograph stating that it burned down in 1853. Subject: Lang Tanning Company Limited - Buildings - Ontario - Kitchener TGM1 terms:leather industry - Ontario - Kitchener File 11 Chemical laboratory. - [1943]. - 1 photograph : b&w ; 20 x 25 cm. Contents: contains a photograph of the chemical laboratory at the Lang Tanning Company Limited with employees working. TGM1 terms:leather industry - Ontario - Kitchener; Laboratories - Ontario - Kitchener; Women - Employment - Ontario - Kitchener File 12 Refrigerated hide storage. - [1943]. - 1 photograph : b&w ; 20 x 25 cm. Contents: contains a photograph of the refrigerated hide storage area at Lang Tanning Company Limited, with two unidentified employees at work. File 13 Beam house. - [1943]. - 1 photograph : b&w ; 20 x 25 cm. Contents: contains a photograph of the Lang Tanning Company Limited "Beam house". Subject: Lang Tanning TGM1 terms:leather industry - Ontario - Kitchener File 14 Pack handling leather in tan yard. - [1943]. - 1 photograph : b&w ; 20 x 25 cm. Contents: contains a photograph of an unidentified employee in the Lang Tanning Company Limited tan yard. GA 145 : Lang Tanning Company, Ltd.. Special Collections, University of Waterloo Library. Page 3

File 15 Handling sole leather from oil drums. - [1943]. - 1 photograph : b&w ; 20 x 25 cm. Contents: contains a photograph of an unidentified employee handling sole leather from oil drums. File 16 Setting out sole leather. - [1943]. - 1 photograph : b&w ; 20 x 25 cm. Contents: contains a photograph of an unidentified employee setting out sole leather. File 17 Preparing sole leather for finishing. - [1943]. - 1 photograph : b&w ; 20 x 25 cm. Contents: contains a photograph of 2 unidentified employees preparing sole leather for finishing. File 18 Grading sole leather. - [1943]. - 1 photograph : b&w ; 20 x 25 cm. Contents: contains a photograph of 4 unidentified employees grading sole leather. File 19 Cutting soles. - [1943]. - 1 photograph : b&w ; 20 x 25 cm. Contents: contains a photograph of 2 unidentified employees cutting soles. TGM1 terms:leather industry - Ontario - Kitchener; Women - Employment - Ontario - Kitchener; Hides & skins File 20 Inspecting and sorting out soles. - [1943]. - 1 photograph : b&w ; 20 x 25 cm. Contents: contains a photograph of an unidentified employee inspecting and sorting out soles. File 21 Equipment for waterproofing harness leather. - [1943]. - 1 photograph : b&w ; 20 x 25 cm. Contents: contains a photograph of an unidentified employee working on waterproofing equipment. Company Limited - Equipment & supplies - Ontario - Kitchener GA 145 : Lang Tanning Company, Ltd.. Special Collections, University of Waterloo Library. Page 4

File 22 Setting out harness leather. - [1943]. - 1 photograph : b&w ; 20 x 25 cm. Contents: contains a photograph of an unidentified employee setting out harness leather. File 23 Brushing and selecting harness leather. - [1943]. - 1 photograph : b&w ; 20 x 25 cm. Contents: contains a photograph of 2 unidentified employees brushing and selecting leather. File 24 Jack rolling strap leather. - [1943]. - 1 photograph : b&w ; 20 x 25 cm. Contents: contains a photograph of an unidentified employee rolling strap leather. ; Lang Tanning Company Limited - Equipment & supplies - Ontario - Kitchener File 25 Finishing strap leather backs. - [1943]. - 1 photograph : b&w ; 20 x 25 cm. Contents: contains a photograph of 2 unidentified employees finishing strap leather backs. Company Limited - Facilities TGM1 terms:leather industry - Ontario - Kitchener; Women - Employment - Ontario - Kitchener; Hides & skins File 26 Splitting and gauging leather for men's waist belts. - [1943]. - 1 photograph : b&w ; 20 x 25 cm. Contents: contains a photograph of 3 unidentified employees gauging and splitting leather for belts. Company Limited - Equipment & supplies - Ontario - Kitchener; Lang Tanning Company Limited - Facilities - Ontario - Kitchener File 27 Embossing case leather. - [1943]. - 1 photograph : b&w ; 20 x 25 cm. Contents: contains a photograph of 2 unidentified employees embossing case leather. Company Limited - Equipment & supplies - Ontario - Kitchener TGM1 terms:leather industry - Ontario - Kitchener; Women - Employment - Ontario - Kitchener; Hides & skins GA 145 : Lang Tanning Company, Ltd.. Special Collections, University of Waterloo Library. Page 5

File 28 Spray finishing bag leather. - [1943]. - 1 photograph : b&w ; 20 x 25 cm. Contents: contains a photograph of an unidentified employees spray finishing leather. File 29 Shaving Air Force shoe upper leather. - [1943]. - 1 photograph : b&w ; 20 x 25 cm. Contents: contains a photograph of an unidentified employee shaving the shoe upper leather for the Air Force shoe. Company Limited - Equipment & supplies - Ontario - Kitchener; Lang Tanning Company Limited - Facilities - Ontario - Kitchener - Ontario - Kitchener File 30 Staking shoe upper leather to soften. - [1943]. - 1 photograph : b&w ; 20 x 25 cm. Contents: contains a photograph of an unitentified employee staking shoe upper leather. File 31 Toggle drying. - [1943]. - 1 photograph : b&w ; 20 x 25 cm. Contents: contains a photograph of 2 unidentified employees toggle drying a hide. File 32 Machine buffing shoe upper leather. - [1943]. - 1 photograph : b&w ; 20 x 25 cm. Contents: contains a photograph of an unidentified employee machine buffing leather. Company Limited - Equipment & supplies - Ontario - Kitchener; Lang Tanning Company Limited - Facilities - Ontario - Kitchener File 33 Colouring upper leather for shoes. - [1943]. - 1 photograph : b&w ; 20 x 25 cm. Contents: contains a photograph of 5 unidentified employees colouring leather. File 34 The Lang Tanning Company Limited : minute book. - 1930-1974. Contents: contains one minute book. Includes minutes, motions, by-laws, and memoranda. File 35 Minute book : by-laws and shareholders' meetings. - 1930-1974. Contents: contains one minute book. Includes by-laws and minutes of the shareholders' meetings. GA 145 : Lang Tanning Company, Ltd.. Special Collections, University of Waterloo Library. Page 6