Hello,
Unfortunately, no serial number records are known to have survived. However I suspect that a canoe with a serial number that low likely was built in the first couple of years of the company's existence.
Strickland & Co, aka Lakefield Canoe Works was established in 1892 by Robert Strickland and his son George. George had previously worked for the pioneer canoe builder Thomas Gordon as well as independently on a small scale. With his father living in England, handling the sales for Europe, the company became very successful. In the first five years more than 600 canoes was sold to England alone.
The Peterborough Examiner reported in 1898 that the company that year had shipped 200 canoes to England, 100 canoes to the Yukon and 25 freighters to be used as patrol boats in Africa.
In July of 1904 the Strickland & Co merged with the Thomas Gordon Canoe building firm to form the Lakefield Canoe and Manufacturing Company.
Dick Persson
Buckhorn Canoe Company