Memorable Manitobans: John Girdlestone Glassco (1879-1948)

Engineer, civil servant.

Born at Hamilton, Ontario on 10 September 1879, son of John Thomas Glassco and Charlotte Stinson, he was educated at the Hamilton public and high schools and McGill University. He lectured at McGill and did postgraduate work leading to a Master of Science degree. He started work with the Montreal Light, Heat and Power Company, later with the Southern California Edison Company. He returned to Hamilton in 1905 as Chief Engineer of the Dominion Power Company. He came to Winnipeg in 1909 and worked as an electrical engineer on the power construction work of the Winnipeg municipal power plant. In 1912, he was appointed Manager of the Winnipeg Hydro Electric System. He saw the growth of the Hydro System grow from assets of $3,000,000 to $17,000,000, serving 47,000 customers, and with a maximum output of 125,000,000 electrical units.

On 30 December 1903, he married Esther Jane Grant (1877-1954) of Montreal. They had six children: John Grant Glassco (1903-1968, husband of Willa Price), Phyllis Marjorie Grant Glassco (1906-2006, wife of Stewart Alfred Young), Meredith Grant Glassco (1910-2005, husband of Jean Kidder), Hugh Stinson Glassco (1919-1945), Esther Joan Glassco (1913-1993, wife of Henry Trevor Lloyd), and Barbara Ruth Glassco (1914-1977, wife of Thomas E. Moore). He was a member of Manitoba Club, St. Charles Country Club, Pine Ridge Golf Club, Winnipeg Golf Club, and Anglican Church. He served on the Winnipeg City Council from 1945 to 1946. In 1925, he lived at 2 Evergreen Place, Winnipeg.

He died at Winnipeg on 12 April 1948 and was buried in the St. John’s Cathedral Cemetery.

See also:

Historic Sites of Manitoba: John G. Glassco School (Pointe du Bois, Whiteshell Provincial Park)

Sources:

Birth and marriage registrations, Manitoba Vital Statistics.

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

“Men of Winnipeg in Diamond Jubilee Sketches” Winnipeg Free Press, December 1934. [Winnipeg Elite Study, G. Friesen Fonds, Mss 154, Box 15, File 8, University of Manitoba Archives & Special Collections]

“Glassco funeral arrangements set,” Winnipeg Free Press, 13 April 1948, page 11.

“Mrs. J. G. Glassco memorial service planned,” Winnipeg Free Press, 27 September 1954, page 22.

Obituaries and burial transcriptions, Manitoba Genealogical Society.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 1 June 2018

Memorable Manitobans

Memorable Manitobans

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