“In the end, passion kept me here. I followed in my father’s footsteps because I was happy here…”
-Lucile Martineau
Customers from all corners of the Outaouais region of Quebec and Ontario have done business with the company located in Sainte-Cécile-de-Masham. If the walls of the shop could talk, they would have a lot to say about the three generations of owners, the evolution of services, the development of the means used to fulfill orders, and the workforce.
Timeline
Having learned the basics of carpentry on construction sites in Haute-Gatineau at the beginning of the century, Jean-Baptiste Martineau began occasionally helping out residents in his neighborhood.
The business had modest beginnings in a shed next to the Moulin schoolyard and officially opened in 1911.
In 1934, Jean-Baptiste decided to build a larger workshop across the road. Around 1930, Jean-Baptiste’s son Lorenzo joined the team. In 1953, he became the second owner. In 1958, Lorenzo’s daughter Lucile decided to follow in the footsteps of her father and grandfather. In 1975, she purchased the property. She is still the owner today.
Services for every era
At the beginning of the century, Maurice Bertrand’s company was involved in wood processing. Jean-Baptiste’s work focused on repairing agricultural machinery: wooden parts, wooden wheels, metal rims, forging, and shoeing horses. He also began manufacturing poles equipped with hooks and spikes for the C.I.P. This new product line brought in significant orders for boat hooks, lumberjack sleeves, sleds, rowboats, and more. Until 1960, these items were the company’s priority during the winter.
Following the fire at Mr. Bertrand’s sawmill, the Martineau workshops decided to diversify their products. Lorenzo launched the production of doors and windows, which became the company’s main focus. Gradually, other items began to emerge from the workshop: tables, swings, platforms. With the arrival of Lucile, woodworking products began to appear in the store: cabinets, furniture, decorative items, and children’s furniture.
Increasingly sophisticated methods
In the first workshop, all work was done by hand. The machinery was powered by human activity: hand-operated forge fans, wall drills, foot-powered wood lathes, etc. The construction of the new shop allowed for the installation of a gasoline-powered engine, which became the driving force behind the workshop. Using a metal rod, all the machines could be connected with belts. Machines invented by the workers appeared: a wood lathe that could accommodate a 16-foot-long piece, saws, sanders, etc.
The most ingenious invention was the dowel machine. The traction mechanism was installed using parts from a worn-out harvester. Once the engine was running, it produced enough power to light the workshop and a few surrounding residences. Then, each machine was equipped with an individual motor. In the 1950s, Lorenzo acquired several machine tools known as table machines. Later, during Lucile’s time, portable tools were introduced: sanders, routers, drills, etc. Today, the workshop operates with mechanisms made by the founder, industrial machines, and modern tools.
The workforce
During those years, the workforce consisted mainly of the owners and their families. In Jean-Baptiste’s day, his brothers and brothers-in-law answered the call. Lorenzo worked with his father and brother Aurèle. Then it was his children—four boys and five girls—who took over the tasks. Aline, his wife, would come by to paint. In Lucile’s day, her nephews and nieces helped her in the workshop and the wood yard.
114 years later
Three generations have worked in this family business. Ingenious ideas have enabled this business to survive the obstacles of the 20th century. To achieve this, these three owners shared a single passion: a love of wood. Originally written by Lucile Martineau in 2001, this text was condensed and revised in 2025 to provide an updated overview of the workshop’s history.