-- The founder of the first Canadian fireworks company came to Canada in
1873. Professor William Hand was born in Hereford, England and received pyrotechnics
training at the famous Woolwich arsenal. In 1872 he moved across the ocean to Newark, New
Jersey but went to Thorold, Ontario a year later, preferring to live under British rule.
It was there that he produced the first fireworks ever made in Canada, marking him as the
only Canadian fireworks manufacturer for several years. It was also during 1873 that the
Professor put on his first show. Held in St. Catherines, the fireworks spectacle
produced a lot of publicity, eventually landing him a second show for the fireman's
tournament in Hamilton. Due to the success of this show, William Hand decided to move to
Hamilton in 1874. In 1877, William set up a small factory at 20 Head Street. A
few years later he moved to 584 King Street West to accommodate his expanding
business. One of the company's most popular types of fireworks
performances involved huge scenic paintings as a background for a show which combined
fireworks and actors. Called Spectacular Dramas, these were started in 1893 and went
by such names as: "The Burning of Moscow," "The Siege of Santiago,"
and "The Relief of Lucknow." It was this type of show that convinced the
Toronto Exhibition to let the company handle all their fireworks displays from that point
on. This can be seen as a testament to the skill of the company, as a large English
firm previously held that role. To minimize any damage that could occur due to the
explosive nature of this business, William and his workers made their fireworks in 40
small huts as opposed to one large building. This proved to be a wise decision as the
company suffered several explosions during its time in Hamilton. The first two,
though they destroyed property, did not harm any people. However, a certain
Mrs. Oliver was quite upset about the experience: "I thought it would come to this.
I was entertaining some company and had just gone out to feed the pigs, when
ker-slam went the powder and knocked my spectacles off...Many a time last summer, when I
was hoeing potatoes in my garden have I heard the ker-swish of the rockets into the air,
when they'd be sending them up on their trial trip, but it's mighty exhausting for one of
my years to be dodging the ugly sticks as they come down." Unfortunately the
third explosion, which occurred in 1900, blew Walter Teale (a partner in the company) to
pieces. The fourth explosion, in 1901, claimed the life 
of the Professor
himself. About a decade earlier however, William had retired, leaving the operation of the
business to his son Thomas William (who began helping his father at the age of nine) and
Walter. Thomas William went on to marry his secretary and have two sons, Hugh and
Bill. They became directors in the company in 1931, ensuring that the business would
remain family owned. After acquiring control of the Dominion Fireworks Company (its
major competitor) in 1930, the company moved out of Hamilton to a 25 acre site in
Cooksville. Though several citizens petitioned for them to remain, a city bylaw had been
passed banning the manufacture of explosives within the city limits.
Eventually the company would diversify its product line. Opening a factory in
Papineauville, Québec in 1953, the company transferred all their fireworks production
there, leaving the Cooksville plant to focus on new products such as kitchenware, wall
tiles, and disposable utensils. In 1976 the recently renamed Hand Chemical Industries was
sold to Lorcon by Hugh Hand (the grandson of the founder).
