Historic Sites of Manitoba: Brandon College and Clark Hall Buildings (270 Eighteenth Street, Brandon)

Link to:
Photos & Coordinates | Sources

A stone monument erected in 1999 beside Brandon University’s Clark Hall commemorates Prairie College, from whose walls it is constructed. Prairie College was the first post-secondary educational institution on the Canadian prairies west of the 1870 “postage stamp” border of Manitoba. Established in 1880 just north of the Village of Rapid City, it trained Baptist ministers for service on the western agricultural frontier and provided general literary instruction to the rapidly growing population of the area.

Prairie College owed its existence to Reverend John Crawford, formerly a member of the Theology Department at the Canadian Literary Institute in Woodstock, Ontario. Crawford was assisted in the venture by Reverend G. B. Davis, a graduate of the Canadian Literary Institute. The college was created with the unofficial endorsement and support of the Baptist Union of Ontario and Quebec. In 1883, the college was incorporated into the new McKee Academy under Reverend S. J. McKee which, in 1890, was relocated to Brandon. The same Baptist idealism and educational traditions that shaped the brief life of Prairie College provided the inspiration for the establishment of Brandon College.

Brandon College was formally established by the Baptist Union of Canada in 1899 and became an affiliate of Ontario’s McMaster University in 1910. Financial difficulties forced the Church to withdraw its support in 1938, after which Brandon was incorporated as a non-denominational college of the University of Manitoba. Brandon University was established as an independent institution in July 1967.

The original Brandon College building, designed by Winnipeg architect Hugh McCowan and constructed by local contractor Thomas M. Harrington, was completed in 1901. Although resembling other educational structures being constructed in Winnipeg during this period, Brandon College was a somewhat larger, more dignified and distinctive structure. Built of locally produced brick and Manitoba limestone, this imposing edifice displays a handsome Romanesque tower with graceful arches and small turrets at each corner.

A commemorative plaque at the site was erected by the Manitoba Heritage Council. An Honour Roll at Brandon University commemorates students of Brandon College killed during the First World War.

Photos & Coordinates

Brandon College

Brandon College (circa 1909) by William Martel
Source: Illustrated Souvenir of Brandon

Postcard view of Brandon College

Postcard view of Brandon College (date unknown)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough, 2013-0135

Clark Hall

Clark Hall (no date)
Source: Christian Cassidy

Brandon College and Clark Hall buildings

Brandon College and Clark Hall buildings (May 2018)
Source: George Penner

Brandon College and Clark Hall buildings

Brandon College and Clark Hall buildings (August 2023)
Source: Eva Janssen

Brandon College commemorative monument

Brandon College commemorative monument (April 2010)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough

Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.84539, W99.96249
denoted by symbol on the map above

First World War Casualties

Name

Occupation

Service

Rank

Birth Date

Death Date

James Andrew Adams
[Armoury]

Labourer

5th Canadian Mounted Rifles

Lance Sergeant

24 March 1893

7 November 1917

Samuel Franklin Attridge
[Armoury]

Farmer

The Fort Garry Horse

Private

4 July 1888

1 April 1918

Richard Middleton Beaumont
[Armoury, Minnedosa]

Farmer

Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry

Private

4 November 1884

30 October 1917

Henry Victor Best
[Virden]

School teacher

1st Battalion, Canadian Machine Gun Corps

Private

30 April 1896

10 August 1918

Norman Blackburn MM
[Armoury]

Farmer

3rd Battalion, Canadian Machine Gun Corps

Private

11 September 1896

24 September 1918

Harry Leslie Burke

Farmer

9th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

29 June 1894

11 August 1918

Kenneth Preston Campbell
[Armoury]

Student

196th Royal Air Force

Lieutenant

27 October 1897

28 November 1918

Robert George Chapman
[Agricultural College, Armoury]

Farmer (Brandon)

27th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

18 March 1888

21 August 1917

Jean Joseph Cloutier
[Armoury, Merchants Bank]

Bank Clerk

1st Canadian Mounted Rifles

Private

24 May 1896

29 October 1917

Milton Castle Crozier
[Armoury]

Student

46th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

2 January 1896

2 September 1918

Robert Wallace Cruise
[Armoury, Dauphin]

Jockey

31st Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

3 August 1899

28 September 1916

Andrew John Cumberland
[Armoury]

Chaffeur

Royal Flying Corps

Second Lieutenant

29 April 1895

3 January 1918

William Benjamin Cunningham
[Armoury]

Clerk

44th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Corporal

30 December 1895

27 October 1917

Henry John Davis
[Armoury, Brandon Hills]

Student

46th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

7 April 1894

6 May 1917

Carlyle Douglas
[Armoury, Griswold]

Farmer

1st Canadian Mounted Rifles

Private

18 December 1895

5 June 1916

Frank Stanley Durrant
[Agricultural College, Alexander, Armoury]

Student

Canadian Machine Gun Corps

Private

23 July 1892

24 March 1918

Charles Linnell Dutton
[Armoury]

Bank Clerk

10th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

1 October 1892

15 April 1916

Frederick George Fisher

?

?

?

?

?

Herbert Lynn Gainer

Clerk

50th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

30 May 1895

26 August 1917

Wellington Clinton Hainer

Student

11th Reserve Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

3 January 1899

6 January 1918

Ernest Walter Hallam

Insurance Broker

18th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Captain

16 April 1884

29 September 1915

James Arlon Hamilton MC

Railway Conductor

27th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Lieutenant

23 March 1880

18 September 1916

George Jellett Henderson
[Armoury]

Student

Lord Strathcona's Horse

Trooper

31 January 1895

30 March 1918

Hugh Hetherington
[Armoury]

Vice-Principal of Industrial School

8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Lieutenant

26 July 1885

15 April 1917

Frank Alexander Higgins
[Nassau Baptist, Roland]

Teacher

Canadian Army Service Corps, 3rd Division Mechanical Transport Company

Private

10 June 1896

4 February 1919

John Stanley Hollies

School Teacher

Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry

Private

5 September 1889

19 September 1916

Arthur David Hosie
[Armoury, Orange Lodge]

Fire Insurance Act

43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Lieutenant

3 May 1893

9 October 1916

Robert James Hosie MC
[Armoury]

Physical Director

54th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Lieutenant

23 January 1891

22 March 1922

Wesley Williams Irvine
[Hartney, Maryland Methodist, Wawanesa, Wawanesa, Wesley College]

Teacher

43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Lieutenant

5 April 1893

28 September 1918

Frank Sterling Irving
[Armoury]

Farmer

44th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

22 September 1897

16 August 1918

Orrin Athal Jones
[First Baptist, Kelvin, Next of Kin, Wesley College]

?

1st Canadian Mounted Rifles

Private

26 July 1896

5 June 1916

Wilfred Anson Kerr

Farmer

27th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

25 February 1888

21 August 1917

Gerald Edward Latimer
[Armoury, Bank of Commerce, Next of Kin]

Bank Clerk

Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry

Private

9 September 1892

9 April 1917

Frank Otto Lau
[Armoury, Forrest]

Student

1st Canadian Mounted Rifles

Private

7 January 1897

18 December 1918

Harold Arthur Lawton
[Armoury, Next of Kin]

Scholar

8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

21 November 1898

15 August 1917

Duncan Dewar Lindsay
[Armoury]

Student

46th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

2 February 1892

28 September 1918

Robert Alton Logan

Farmer

1st Depot Battalion (Manitoba Regiment), Canadian Infantry

Private

1 February 1897

30 June 1918

Ivan Clark Maharg
[Armoury]

Student

1st Canadian Mounted Rifles

Lieutenant

16 March 1896

29 September 1918

Campbell Arnett Matheson
[Armoury]

Bank Clerk

46th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

1 February 1898

26 October 1917

Charles Edgar McCulloch
[Deloraine]

Farmer

19th Reserve Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

19 October 1898

17 April 1917

Peter Roy McGregor
[Armoury, Rapid City]

Clerk

43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Corporal

15 June 1887

5 June 1916

John Alden McIntyre
[First Baptist, Next of Kin]

Stenographer

27th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

21 July 1887

1 October 1918

Robert Allan McKee
[Armoury, First Baptist]

Student

196th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

9 October 1893

13 February 1919

William Carey McKee
[Armoury, First Baptist]

Law Student (Professional Teacher)

1st Canadian Mounted Rifles

Lieutenant

3 February 1892

26 August 1918

Alistair Forbes Menzies DCM, DSO
[Westminster]

Clerk

17th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers

Captain

1 June 1892

4 May 1918

Daniel Fleming Pack
[Field Ambulance, Medical College]

Student

Canadian Army Medical Corps

Private

30 December 1894

12 September 1917

Lewis Sherwood Pickett
[Armoury]

Student

16th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

8 April 1899

1 October 1918

George Nelson Pugh
[Armoury, Lenore, Union Bank]

Bank Clerk (Union Bank of Canada)

46th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

1 April 1898

21 June 1917

Harry Larne Quackenbush
[Armoury, First Baptist]

Student

1st Canadian Mounted Rifles

Private

1898

29 September 1918

William Ross
[Armoury, Carmel Presbyterian, Virden]

Teamster

27th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Corporal

17 April 1888

1 May 1917

Josiah Aikens Scott
[Armoury]

Clerk, Real Estate

Lord Strathcona's Horse

Private

6 April 1895

30 March 1918

Goodman Sigurdson
[Armoury, Brierley School]

Farm Worker

8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Sergeant

22 February 1894

10 November 1917

Alexander McGregor Simpson

Teacher

8th Battalion, London Regiment (Post Office Rifles), British Army

Second Lieutenant

15 April 1888

5 September 1918

Harry W. Thompson

?

?

?

?

?

Joseph Bedford Thompson

Farmer

78th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

4 August 1895

9 April 1917

William Percival Underwood

Student

8th Field Ambulance, Canadian Army Medical Corps

Private

22 February 1890

16-Nov-17

James Ward Warriner
[Armoury]

Farmer

27th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Corporal

24 April 1897

19-Apr-17

George Markland Yeomans
[Alexander, Next of Kin]

Student

4th Field Ambulance, Canadian Army Medical Corps

Private

12 October 1896

23-Jan-19

Arthur Cecil Young
[Alexander]

Student

46th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

9 August 1893

13-Apr-17

See also:

Memorable Manitobans: Hugh McCowan (1841-1908)

Memorable Manitobans: Thomas M. Harrington (1847-1937)

MHS Centennial Organization: Brandon University

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Brandon Citizens’ Science Building / Knowles-Douglas Student Union Centre (270 Eighteenth Street, Brandon)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: First Baptist Church (1037 Lorne Avenue, Brandon)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Postage Stamp Province 1870 (RM of Louise)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Fraser Block / Chrest Block (1031 Rosser Avenue, Brandon)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Prairie College (RM of Oakview)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Provincially Designated Historic Sites

Doors Open Brandon

Sources:

Brandon College and Clark Hall Buildings, Manitoba Historic Resources Branch.

We thank Christian Cassidy, Darryl Toews, George Penner, and Eva Janssen for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 2 May 2024

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