Historic Sites of Manitoba: Little Britain United Church and Cemetery (RM of St. Andrews)

Little Britain United Church, built between 1872 and 1874 by stonemason Duncan McRae, is the oldest United Church building in Manitoba. Initially Presbyterian, the original congregation was served by Reverend John Black, the first Presbyterian minister at the Selkirk Settlement. The church was constructed by two of the most important stonemasons of the era, John Clouston and Duncan McRae. The tower was added in 1920, a memorial to the dead of the First World War.

Next to the church is a plaque, erected in 1983 by the Historic Sites Advisory Board of Manitoba, in commemoration of stonemason Duncan McRae. A stone cairn near the church was erected in 1933 to commemorate the beginning of worship in this Parish under Reverend John Black in 1853. It was relocated from the original site on River Road North of the Lockport Dam and was rededicated on 30 September 2012 to celebrate the 160th anniversary of services.

Among the clerics who served at Little Britain United Church was Thomas Burridge Pearson.

Among the noteworthy people buried in its cemetery is Duncan McRae.

Plaques inside the church commemorate parishioners who were killed during military service in the First World War.

New roof on Little Britain United Church (August 2021) Source: Rose Kuzina Little Britain United Church (December 2015) Source: George Penner Little Britain United Church (2016) Source: Desiree Rolfe Interior of Little Britain United Church (December 2015) Source: George Penner Commemorative plaques inside Little Britain United Church (January 2021) Source: Tanya Wiegand Little Britain commemorative monument (December 2015) Source: George Penner Site Coordinates (lat/long): N50.10280, W96.94020 denoted by symbol on the map above

First World War Casualties

Name	Occupation	Service	Rank	Birth Date	Death Date
Harry Cosbey Clarke [Next of Kin, St. Andrews, Selkirk]	Salesman	8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	30 December 1888	26 September 1916
William Calder Cumming [St. Andrews, Selkirk]	Student	4th Battalion, Gordon Highlanders	Second Lieutenant	10 June 1894	24 April 1922
Thomas James Davis [St. Andrews, Selkirk]	Farm Hand	1st Company, Canadian Machine Gun Corps	Private	13 November 1896	9 April 1917
George Donald [St. Andrews, Selkirk]	Teamster	8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	3 February 1897	8 September 1916
Edwin Fidler [St. Andrews, Selkirk]	Farmer	43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	28 August 1892	12 August 1916
Jacob Martin Johnston [St. Andrews, Selkirk, 108 Battalion]	Scholar	43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Corporal	28 October 1897	27 December 1917
Colin Angus McDonald [St. Andrews, Selkirk]	Farmer	8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	4 August 1895	28 September 1918
Thomas Mowat [St. Andrews, Selkirk, 108 Battalion]	Labourer	78th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	4 March 1887	9 April 1917
James Stewart Swain [Armoury, St. Andrews, Selkirk]	Labourer	29th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Lance Corporal	15 May 1890	13 August 1918

See also:

Church History Resources of Manitoba by G. B. King
MHS Transactions, Series 3, 1944-45 Season

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Provincially Designated Historic Sites

Sources:

Little Britain United Church, Manitoba Historic Resources Branch

MHM - Duncan McRae - Little Britain MB, Waymarking.

The Old Stone Church. The History of Little Britain United Church (est. 1852) by K. Schneider and Gwen Fox.

We thank George Penner, Desiree Rolfe, Tanya Wiegand, and Rose Kuzina for providing information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough and Darryl Toews.

Page revised: 7 December 2021

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