Historic Sites of Manitoba: Parkview Methodist Church / St. James Methodist Church / St. James United Church (234 Parkview Street, Winnipeg)

This brick and masonry church on Parkview Street in Winnipeg was designed by local architect John Nelson Semmens and built in 1920 at a cost of about $100,000. Initially a Methodist church, it became St. James United Church in 1925. An addition made in 1956 was designed by Semmens and Allison and built by Arlington Builders Limited. Stained glass windows installed in 1958 were the work of artist Leo Mol.

Among the clerics who served at St. James was Francis Walker “Frank” Armstrong (1951-?).

Honour rolls listing parishioners who served and died in Canadian military forces during the First World War and Second World War are displayed at the St. James Legion.

St. James United Church (January 2020) Source: George Penner First World War honour roll for St. James Methodist Church (September 2021) Source: Darryl Toews Second World War honour roll for St. James United Church (September 2021) Source: Darryl Toews Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.88051, W97.21528 denoted by symbol on the map above

First World War Casualties

Name	Occupation	Service	Rank	Birth Date	Death Date
George Osborne Bethell [Assiniboia]	Student	203rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Sergeant	26 July 1897	21 August 1916
Peter Wesley Convery [Assiniboia, Next of Kin]	Carpenter	43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	12 November 1875	16 August 1916
Daniel Bertram Ollivier (Olliver)	Trainman, CPR	27th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Corporal	24 February 1892	21 August 1917
William Stanley Charles Richards [Next of Kin]	Farming	16th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	26 November 1894	8 September 1916
Ivan Wells Tuttle	Clerk	43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	10 May 1893	27 September 1916

Second World War Casualties

Name	Service	Rank	Birth Date	Death Date
Frank Cyril Belfie	West Nova Scotia Regiment, Royal Canadian Infantry Corps	Sergeant	10 September 1918	17 December 1943
Thomas Stuart Carnegie [Eatons]	138 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force	Flying Officer	14 July 1922	1 June 1944
Douglas George Cowie [St. James School]	Royal Canadian Air Force	Pilot Officer	12 December 1919	7 August 1942
James William Gray	Lake Superior Regiment (Motor), Royal Canadian Infantry Corps	Corporal	28 October 1916	2 March 1945
Albert Raymond Green	Winnipeg Grenadiers, Royal Canadian Infantry Corps	Corporal	2 May 1911	24 February 1942
Cecil Charles David Hinks [St. James School, United College]	Royal Canadian Air Force	Warrant Officer Class II	16 January 1915	29 July 1942
Eric Houlden	50 (RAF) Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force	Sergeant	17 May 1925	4 May 1944
Thomas McLennan Miller Hunter [St. James School]	10 (RAF) Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force	Flight Sergeant	29 October 1909	1 October 1942
Frank Taylor Leithead [St. James School]	408 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force	Flying Officer	6 April 1915	5 January 1945
Alexander Morton Mackie DFC	424 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force	Flying Officer	4 January 1916	12 January 1945
Bernard Eric McKinney [St. James School]	1 Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery	Gunner	13 November 1922	13 October 1944
Graham Alexander McLeod	405 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force	Sergeant	28 December 1919	8 November 1941
Donald Howard Peters [St. James School]	419 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force	Pilot Officer	13 December 1919	6 June 1942
Leonard James Richardson	2nd Royal Lincolnshire Regiment, British Army	Lieutenant	24 January 1921	9 July 1944
William Cross Russell	1 Division Petrol Company, Royal Canadian Army Service Corps	Private	15 April 1920	4 December 1942
Hermann John Taylor	61 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force	Flight Sergeant	20 May 1912	19 August 1942

See also:

Memorable Manitobans: John Nelson Semmens (1879-1960)

Manitoba Business: Arlington Builders Limited

Sources:

Municipality of St. James Building Permit 8525/1956 [St James United Church], Box A1261, City of Winnipeg Archives.

For the names of First World War casualities from Manitoba who do not appear on any physical monument in the province, see the Manitoba Historical Society War Memorial. If you know of a name that is omitted from this list, please contact the MHS War Memorial Researcher Darryl Toews (darryl@mhs.mb.ca).

Soldiers of the First World War - Canadian Expeditionary Force, Library and Archives Canada.

Canadian Virtual War Memorial, Veterans Affairs Canada.

Financial support for research reported on this page was provided by the Manitoba Heritage Grants Program (2015-2016).

St. James United Church and Hall, Winnipeg Architecture Foundation.

We thank Jordan Makichuk for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by George Penner, Darryl Toews, and Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 4 July 2024

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