Historic Sites of Manitoba: Travellers’ Block (283 Bannatyne Avenue, Winnipeg)

The Travellers Block was erected on Bannatyne Avenue in 1907 as headquarters for the North West Commercial Travellers’ Association. Architects Darling and Pearson provided many amenities such as meeting rooms, lounges, and even a Turkish bath in this municipally-designated historic site. A plaque is mounted on the southeast corner of the building.

On 13 January 1917, an honour roll for the Winnipeg Typographical Union was unveiled by Salem Goldworth Bland at a patriotic concert held in the Travellers’ Block. It identified 75 members of the local union who had enlisted for military service in the First World War, some of whom were killed.

Travellers' Block

Travellers’ Block (September 2015)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough

Travellers' Block

Travellers’ Block (August 2020)
Source: George Penner

Travellers’ Block commemorative plaque

Travellers’ Block commemorative plaque (2009)
Source: City of Winnipeg

Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.89835, W97.14112
denoted by symbol on the map above

War Casualities in Winnipeg Typographical Union Members

Name

Occupation

Service

Rank

Birth Date

Death Date

Maxwell Frederick William Drennan
[Next of Kin, St. Matthew's Anglican]

Printer

8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Lance Sergeant

25 September 1892

10 November 1917

John Thomas Evans
[Next of Kin, Vimy Ridge]

Printer

44th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

19 July 1879

31 March 1917

Percy Ogilvie Fowler
[Next of Kin]

Printer

27th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

11 January 1890

14 November 1921

Roy Fowler
[Next of Kin, Vimy Ridge]

Printer

44th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

26 April 1892

3 February 1917

Frederick Kennedy
[Next of Kin]

Printer

10th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

12 March 1890

22 April 1915

Daniel Joseph Madden

Printer (Winnipeg Telegram)

27th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

29 January 1886

29 March 1917

James Masterton
[Brandon Armoury, Kildonan Presbyterian, Next of Kin]

Printer

78th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Company Quarter Master Sergeant

27 January 1873

9 April 1917

James Harvey Montgomery
[Virden]

Printer

28th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

4 June 1890

4 January 1916

Douglas Robert Whyte
[Next of Kin]

Printer

8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

6 February 1891

14 June 1916

Josiah Wilkinson
[Next of Kin]

Printer

1st Canadian Mounted Rifles

Private

1 November 1879

12 April 1917

See also:

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Inglis Building / North West Commercial Travellers’ Association Building (291 Garry Street, Winnipeg)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Municipally Designated Historic Sites

Sources:

“Dr. Bland Unveils Printers’ Honor Roll,” Winnipeg Tribune, 15 January 1917, page 11.

“3 Winnipeg Printers Named in Honor Roll,” Winnipeg Tribune, 2 May 1917, page 5.

Travellers Building (283 Bannatyne Avenue), City of Winnipeg Historical Buildings Committee, 1979.

Information for this page was provided by The City of Winnipeg’s Planning, Property and Development Department, which acknowledges the contribution of the Government of Manitoba through its Heritage Grants Program.

We thank Darryl Toews and George Penner for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 24 April 2022

Historic Sites of Manitoba

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