Manitoba Business: Winnipeg Amusements Limited

Presidents | Venues | Sources

The Winnipeg Amusements Limited was incorporated on 30 June 1920 via Letters Patent as a limited partnership under The Companies Act. It received its charter on 11 January 1921 and based its operations at Winnipeg. The founding partnership was formed by a pair of theatre managers: Kenneth McClure Leach and Michael Conger Healy, along with Furry Ferguson “Ray” Montague (barrister), Isabella Murray (accountant), and Marjory Gilmour (stenographer). The venture held an initial capital stock of $60,000, with Leach, Healy, and Montague serving as initial Directors. The new firm’s first two local projects were the Starland Theatre and the College Theatre in 1921, as well as acquiring the Lyceum Theatre that same year. In 1935, all three of these venues were sold to Jacob “Jack” Miles of the Allied Amusements Limited.

Not to be mistaken for the similarly-named Winnipeg Amusement Company Limited, a much smaller capital stock firm of $2,400 that was founded in April 1909, though still active at the time the WAL was established.

Presidents

Period

President

1921-?

Kenneth McClure Leach

Venues

Building

Location

Year

Status

College Theatre

1296 Main Street, Winnipeg

1921

 

Lyceum Theatre

Winnipeg

?

 

Starland Theatre

626 Main Street, Winnipeg

1921

Demolished (2008)

Sources:

Companies Office corporation documents (CCA 0059), 253W - Winnipeg Amusement Company Limited, GR6427, Archives of Manitoba.

Companies Office corporation documents (CCA 0059), 651W - Winnipeg Amusements Limited, GR6427, Archives of Manitoba.

“Over half million investment in two new theatres for Winnipeg,” Winnipeg Tribune, 5 March 1921, page 33.

“New syndicate to take over Universal Theatres in city,” Winnipeg Tribune, 5 March 1921, page 33.

This page was prepared by Nathan Kramer.

Page revised: 10 February 2019