Memorable Manitobans: Alexander “Alex” Taylor (1899-1961)

Click to enlarge

Alexander Taylor
Click to enlarge

Civil servant.

Born on the family farm near Ballycastle, County Antrim, Northern Ireland on 6 May 1899, he married Mary Kane (1892-1982) in 1920 and they moved to Belfast where they resided until emigrating to Canada in 1923 with their two-year-old son Alex Jr. They went directly to Transcona to join Mary’s older sister Jane and her husband Sam Simpson, who was working as a boilermaker in the CNR Shops.

Alex and Mary had two daughters born to them after coming to Canada, Kathleen Taylor (1924-2008, wife of Bob Blaikie, mother of William Alexander Blaikie), and Maureen Taylor (1929-?, wife of ? Sheldon). After a few years Alex secured a job with the Town of Transcona, and in 1929 he joined the local police force. He was the Police and Fire Chief for Transcona from 1945 to 1953, and served as the Justice of the Peace for Transcona until his death on 3 January 1961.

He was known for his devotion to the community, and his kindly ways towards those in trouble. He is buried in Transcona Cemetery, alongside Mary. Alex Taylor Drive in the east end of Transcona was named in his honour.

See also:

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Transcona Wall of Fame (Regent Avenue West, Winnipeg)

Sources:

Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 6 January 1961, page 26.

Obituary [Kathleen Blaikie], Winnipeg Free Press, 14 June 2008.

This page was prepared by Bill Blaikie and Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 24 December 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.

Search the collection by word or phrase, name, place, occupation or other text:

Custom Search

Browse surnames beginning with:
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | Y | Z

Browse deaths occurring in:
1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024


Send corrections and additions to this page
to the Memorable Manitobans Administrator at biographies@mhs.mb.ca

Criteria for Memorable Manitobans | Suggest a Memorable Manitoban | Firsts | Acknowledgements

Help us keep
history alive!