Memorable Manitobans: William Henry Girling (1874-1941)

Building contractor, architect.

Born at Stratford-on-Avon, England on 15 January 1874, he came to Canada in 1903 and lived at Manitou, Glenlea, and Wawanesa. He worked as a building contractor at Portage la Prairie. In 1907, he moved to Rivers, spending six years there before moving to Transcona in the employ of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway. He worked in its motive power and car departments before retiring in 1935.

He and wife Alice Burgess (1880-1943) had a son, William Arthur Girling (1904-1967, husband of Mary Alexandra Mitchell). He died at his Transcona home, 78 Harvard Avenue West, on 15 November 1941 and was buried in the Transcona Cemetery.

Some of his architectural works in Manitoba included:

Building

Location

Year

Status

Blais House

315 Victoria Avenue East, Winnipeg

1913-1914

 

Transcona Cemetery Chapel and Winter Vault

Dugald Road, RM of Springfield

1932

 

Sources:

Birth and death registrations, Manitoba Vital Statistics.

“Engagements,” Winnipeg Free Press, 10 December 1932, page 15.

Obituary, Winnipeg Tribune, 17 November 1941, page 19.

Obituary [Alice Girling], Winnipeg Tribune, 29 December 1943, page 19.

Obituary [William Arthur Girling], Winnipeg Free Press, 11 May 1967, page 40.

Obituaries and burial transcriptions, Manitoba Genealogical Society.

Eusebe Joseph Blais House, 315 Victoria Avenue East, City of Winnipeg Historical Buildings Committee, October 2012.

We thank Glen Toews for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 15 November 2023

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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