by Fred Morris
May 2025
Duffield Street runs off of Portage Avenue in between the west side of the Deer Lodge Hospital and a diversly used building at 2145 Portage Avenue. During its 70 years, 2145 Portage has been home to various offices, the Lodge Theatre, a Shop Easy Grocery Store, Block Buster Video, and currently Meta Cannabis Supply. This story remembers some of the people who lived part of their life on Duffield Street and a few nearby houses to the south east on Portage Avenue.
In the 1914 Henderson Directory, Dr. George Knipe, a general practitioner, is the first listed resident of Duffield Street. He and wife Hannah had emigrated to Canada in 1912. One of their children, Roger, became a doctor. Roger held many important medical administrative positions throughout North America. Dr. Digby Wheeler, a radiologist, lived on Portage Avenue. He helped develop the planigraph which added a third dimension to X-rays. Also, he was the Chair of Winnipeg Symphony Board. Harold Gyles, a lawyer and Provincial Court Judge, lived on Portage Avenue just west of Assiniboine Park. Dr. Alex Pincock was Manitoba's Deputy Minister of Health. A psychiatrist, he was instrumental in the formation of Winnipeg's first Alcoholics Anonymous.
Richard "Dick" Waugh's final home was 2116 Portage Avenue. He held many important public positions including the Mayor of Winnipeg, and Chair of the Manitoba Liquor Commission. He took a special interest in children's issues. He founded the Waugh Shield Garden Competition for Children Gardening. In 1956, Gary Long of Duffield Steet won the gold medal in this competition. Robert Lennox QC was the first Chair of the St. James Chamber of Commerce. Howard Curle taught theatre at the University of Winnipeg and coedited a book called Vittorio De Sica.
Agnes Reid was one of the founders of the Deer Lodge Ladies Curling Club. Ted Finkbeiner ran the Optimists St. James baseball leagues. In 1964, Jim Johnston won the St. James Outstanding Junior Athlete award. Jim, a multi-sport athlete, played on MJHL, NCAA, and little Grey Cup championship teams. On 22 January 1966, he scored the first St. James Civic Centre goal. Also, Ed Forest played in the first St. James Civic Centre Game. Don Finkbeiner played on the 1963 Manitoba Junior Men's Championship Curling team. In 1976, Don and brother Doug played on the Manitoba's Men's championship team.
In 1959, Kathleen Dalton won an honourable mention in the Winnipeg Branch of the Canadian Authors Association Short Story Contest. In 1965, Leslie Watson was the 1961-1962 St. James Collegiate Governor General Medalist, and the Lady Stick for the University of Manitoba Science Faculty. James Scaife was a City Engineer for 35 years. He was an Honourary Life member of the Western Canada Water and Waste Water Association and the American Public Works Association. Fred Tallman was the President of Citadel Life. Also, he served as Chairman of the Greater Winnipeg Economic Development Board. Johnny Curle worked for 43 years at Eatons selling radios and televisions.
Jane Rush and Anne Singbell are a couple of other members of our St. James Eatons Hall of Fame. I would appreciate our readers explaining the Duffield Street Retirement Club and its role in the community.
Page revised: 4 October 2026
