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Joseph L. Coyle fonds
- Date Range
- [1910; 1916; 1942]
- Collection
- Joseph L. Coyle fonds
- Description Level
- Fonds
- GMD
- textual record
- Scope and Content
- Fonds includes correspondence and ephemera. Ephemera includes business cards and signs for egg-safety cartons, as well as an order book for his company: Coyle-Riegle Specialty Co.
- Collection
- Joseph L. Coyle fonds
- Description Level
- Fonds
- GMD
- textual record
- Fonds No.
- PF16
- Accession No.
- 1987.1
- Physical Description
- 2.5 cm of textual records
- Date Range
- [1910; 1916; 1942]
- History / Biographical
- Joseph Leopold Coyle was born in Ontario in 1871 and began his career as a journalist apprentice. Coyle first moved to New Jersey, then Alaska, before settling in the Bulkley Valley in 1906. He founded several newspapers, including the Omineca Herald, Bulkley Pioneer and Interior news. He is best known for inventing the egg carton in 1911, patented 1918, settling a dispute between a farmer and hotel owner near Aldermere, B.C, over broken eggs being delivered. While the original carton was created by hand, Coyle later designed, engineered and fabricated a machine for the mass production of egg cartons in Smithers. To finance this endeavor, Coyle sold his interests in the Interior News, as well as all of his holdings in the Bulkley Valley. He later moved his base of operations first to Vancouver, B.C., and then to Los Angeles, California. Coyle also invented other items, such as a coin counter/separator, an automobile anti-theft club and a pocket cigar-cutter. Coyle passed away in New Westminster, B.C. on April 18, 1972.
- Scope and Content
- Fonds includes correspondence and ephemera. Ephemera includes business cards and signs for egg-safety cartons, as well as an order book for his company: Coyle-Riegle Specialty Co.
- Type of Record
- Archival Description
Less detail