Memorable Manitobans: William Godfrey “Bill” Brigden (1916-2005)

Athlete, canoe builder.

Born at Winnipeg on 11 April 1916, he graduated from Daniel McIntyre Collegiate in 1932. A member of the Winnipeg Canoe Club, he excelled at swimming, canoeing, and kayaking, winning the Gold Rush Canoe Race at Flin Flon twice and Manitoba Le Voyageur Race. He represented Canada in tandem kayaking in the 1952 Olympic games at Helskinki, Finland. He was well-known for designing and building canoes and kayaks. In 1992, he was inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame. He died at the St. Boniface Hospital on 16 January 2005.

Sources:

Birth registration, Manitoba Vital Statistics.

“Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame inductees 1992,” Winnipeg Free Press, 8 November 1992, page 20.

“St. Vital man’s canoes, paddling legendary,” Winnipeg Free Press, 18 January 2005, page 18.

Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 19 January 2005.

We thank Doug Belcher for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 31 December 2016

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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