Memorable Manitobans: William Rae Allan (1864-1926)

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William Rae Allan
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Businessman.

Born at Montreal, Quebec on 9 March 1864, son of Montreal shipping magnate Andrew Allan and Isabella Allan, he was educated at Rugby, England. He entered the services of Allan Steam Ship Company in 1882, at Boston. He came to Winnipeg in 1883, where he engaged in various mercantile matters up to 1893.

Allan entered the insurance business and, in 1904, took over the business of W. A. Archibald and merged it with his own, forming a joint stock company under the name of Allan, Lang and Killam, later Allan, Killam, and McKay. He was a Director of the Canadian Mortgage Association, Vulcan Iron Works (1883-1885), Royal Bank of Canada (1925-1926), Lake of the Woods Milling Company, Canadian Industrial Alcohol Company, and Royal Crown Soap Company. He was the President of the Board of Fire Underwriters (1902-1903) and Union Bank of Canada (1922-1925).

On 1 June 1909, he married Minnie Whyte Killam (1859-1925), widow of Albert Clements Killam. They had no children. A keen sportsman, with a love of horses, he served as President of the Winnipeg Jockey Club. He was a member of the Manitoba Club, St. Charles Country Club, St. James Club, Montreal Club, and Anglican Church.

He died at his Winnipeg residence, 15 Roslyn Road, on 18 March 1926 and was buried in the St. John's Cathedral Cemetery. He is commemorated by Allan Street in Winnipeg.

See also:

Manitoba Business: Allan, Lang, and Killam / Allan, Killam, and McKay

Sources:

Marriage and death registrations, Manitoba Vital Statistics.

Who’s Who in Western Canada: A Biographical Dictionary of Notable Living Men and Women of Western Canada, Volume 1, edited by C. W. Parker, Vancouver: Canadian Press Association, 1911.

The Leading Financial, Business & Professional Men of Winnipeg, published by Edwin McCormick, Photographs by T. J. Leatherdale, Compiled and printed by Stone Limited, c1913. [copy available at the Archives of Manitoba]

Pioneers and Prominent People of Manitoba, Winnipeg: Canadian Publicity Company, 1925.

A History of Manitoba: Its Resources and People by Prof. George Bryce, Toronto: The Canadian History Company, 1906.

“Wm. Rae Allan succumbs to brief illness,” Winnipeg Tribune, 19 March 1926, page 1.

“Free Press Necrology Files,” Winnipeg Elite Study, G. Friesen Fonds, Mss 154, Box 15, File 16, University of Manitoba Archives]

Obituaries and burial transcriptions, Manitoba Genealogical Society.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 21 November 2022

Memorable Manitobans

Memorable Manitobans

This is a collection of noteworthy Manitobans from the past, compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. We acknowledge that the collection contains both reputable and disreputable people. All are worth remembering as a lesson to future generations.

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