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BC Almanac Book of Greatest British Columbians (Harbour $39.95) includes obligatory notables such as Emily Carr, Terry Fox and W.A.C. Bennett, plus a few surprises. One of their Almanac listeners apprised them of the following item:
"Joseph Leopold Coyle was an inventor of the egg carton. He lived in Aldermere, a historic community close to Telkwa/Smithers in central B.C. Lynn Sherville, a local historian, talks about the reasons for this invention. "Gabriel Lecroix, a local rancher, was in the business of shipping eggs to the Aldermere Hotel. Few of Lacroix eggs ever arrived intact, leading to loud criticisms and recriminations between the packer and the hotel.
"As Coyle's newspaper office was in immediate vicinity, he was privy to the disagreements and decided to do something about it." He invented the egg carton and built the machine to turn it out. He had no mechanical training and had a grade education in a small rural school. He bought a book on mechanical drawings, paper and the instruments, then started teaching himself. He also started the first newspaper in Smithers, The Interior News that we still have today.
"In 1918 Coyle sold the newspaper and moved to New Westminster to manufacture his egg carton. He never got rich because he sold his patent due to a lack of funds to manufacture it. He died in New Westminster."; The Who's Who project evolved from Almanac's request for its listeners to nominate the 100 Greatest British Columbians of all time. These suggestions have been augmented by invited submissions from provincial experts and divided into sections such as Crusaders & Reformers, Scientists & Innovators, Rogues & Rascals, etc.
1-55017-368-5
"Joseph Leopold Coyle was an inventor of the egg carton. He lived in Aldermere, a historic community close to Telkwa/Smithers in central B.C. Lynn Sherville, a local historian, talks about the reasons for this invention. "Gabriel Lecroix, a local rancher, was in the business of shipping eggs to the Aldermere Hotel. Few of Lacroix eggs ever arrived intact, leading to loud criticisms and recriminations between the packer and the hotel.
"As Coyle's newspaper office was in immediate vicinity, he was privy to the disagreements and decided to do something about it." He invented the egg carton and built the machine to turn it out. He had no mechanical training and had a grade education in a small rural school. He bought a book on mechanical drawings, paper and the instruments, then started teaching himself. He also started the first newspaper in Smithers, The Interior News that we still have today.
"In 1918 Coyle sold the newspaper and moved to New Westminster to manufacture his egg carton. He never got rich because he sold his patent due to a lack of funds to manufacture it. He died in New Westminster."; The Who's Who project evolved from Almanac's request for its listeners to nominate the 100 Greatest British Columbians of all time. These suggestions have been augmented by invited submissions from provincial experts and divided into sections such as Crusaders & Reformers, Scientists & Innovators, Rogues & Rascals, etc.
1-55017-368-5
Submitted on August 16, 2007 in By David.
