Memorable Manitobans: James Thomas Cressey (1859-1950)

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James Thomas Cressey
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Educator.

Born at Crofton, England on 2 January 1859, son of James Cressey, he apprenticed as a teacher and trained at York Diocese Training College. He became headmaster at St. Luke’s Boys’ School before setting off to see the world.

He arrived in Brandon in 1888 and, the next year, began a life-long teaching career, working successively at Perry School (1889), Northfield School (?), Grosse Isle School (?), Whitehaven School (?), Tyndall School (1897-1901), Beaver School (Elmwood, ?-?), Ruthenian Training School (1905-1916, Principal), and Springfield School (1917-1918, Principal). He was Principal of the Brooklands School District from 1918 until retirement in 1933, at which time he moved to Vancouver, British Columbia.

On 27 October 1898, he married Lavina Jane “Jennie” Draper (1872-1940) at Winnipeg. They had three children: Ancel Draper Cressey (1898-1968), James Arthur Cressey (1905-1960), and Jean Evelyn Cressey (1908-1999, wife of William Dempster Hamilton). While living at Winnipeg, the family resided at 168 Burrows Avenue and Suite 10 Welland Court.

He died at North Vancouver, British Columbia on 31 August 1950 and was buried beside his wife in the St. James Cemetery.

See also:

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Brooklands “White School” / Cressey School (1919 Pacific Avenue West, Winnipeg)

Sources:

Marriage registration [James Thomas Cressey, Jennie Draper], Manitoba Vital Statistics.

1901 Canada census, Automated Genealogy.

Birth registrations [James Arthur Cressey, Jean Evelyn Cressey], Manitoba Vital Statistics.

“Brooklands folk honor veteran school principal, Winnipeg Free Press, 29 June 1933, page 6.

Marriage registration [Jean Evelyn Cressey, William Dempster Hamilton], Manitoba Vital Statistics.

Death registration [Lavina Jane Cressey], Manitoba Vital Statistics.

Obituary [Lavina Cressey], Winnipeg Tribune, 26 March 1940, page 8.

“James Thomas Cressey,” Winnipeg Free Press, 5 September 1950, page 8.

Death registration, British Columbia Vital Statistics.

A Short History of Brooklands Elementary Schools including Woodsworth, Cressey, Krawchyk, Butterworth, St. James Assiniboia School Division.

Obituary [Ancel Draper Cressey], Winnipeg Free Press, 21 March 1968, page 27.

Dictionary of Manitoba Biography by John M. “Jack” Bumsted, Winnipeg: University of Manitoba Press, 1999.

Obituary [Jean Evelyn Hamilton], Winnipeg Free Press, 9 January 1999, page 47.

Obituaries and burial transcriptions, Manitoba Genealogical Society.

We thank Nathan Kramer for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 11 September 2023

Memorable Manitobans

Memorable Manitobans

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