Historic Sites of Manitoba: Westminster Presbyterian Church / Westminster United Church (745 Westminster Avenue, Winnipeg)

Link to:
Clerics | Photos & Coordinates | Sources

During the early 20th century, Manitoba’s economy boomed and its population grew dramatically. With sharp increases in memberships, many churches found it necessary to replace their buildings. In 1909, the members of Westminster Presbyterian (now United) Church concluded that their 1893-1894 building was inadequate for a congregation of almost 1,000. This site, closer to the homes of the parishioners, was selected and the church was built between 1910 and 1912. For its grandest buildings—Westminster, Augustine (1903-1904) and Knox (1914-1918)—the Presbyterian Church in Winnipeg called upon renowned architect J. H. G. Russell. For each church, Russell relied on a different interpretation of the Gothic Revival, a popular architectural style that drew its inspiration from medieval churches. Russell’s design was based upon the English expression of Gothic and emphasized pinnacle towers, slender vertical supports and large openings, in this case featuring a beautiful rose window.

Inside the church are plaques commemorating parishioners who served and were killed during military service. A First World War plaque was unveiled at the morning service on 4 February 1923 by Harriet Bevan, the eight-year-old daughter of Private Sydney Bevan who died during the Battle of Vimy Ridge and whose name appears on it. There is also a plaque for casualties of the Second World War.

In 1992, the Manitoba Heritage Council unveiled a commemorative plaque to recognize this fine stone church, a provincially- and municipally-designated historic site. A collection of photographs of the building by J. H. G. Russell is held at the Archives of Manitoba.

The church received a Conservation Award from Heritage Winnipeg in 2020.

Clerics

Period	Cleric
1893-1905	Charles Bruce Pitblado (1836-1913)
1905-1909	Clarence Mackinnon (1866-?)
1909-1929	David Christie (1865-1943)
1929-1935	John Sutherland Bonnell (1893-1992)
1935-1948	Ernest Marshal Howse (1902-1993)
1948-1955	Allen Richard Huband (1903-1993)
1955-1962	Nelson Richardson Mercer (1914-1991)
1963-1979	Reid E. Vipond (1914-2001)
1979-1989	Robert D. Thompson
1989-2016	Robert Campbell

Photos & Coordinates

Westminster United Church (May 2011) Source: Gordon Goldsborough Aerial view of Westminster United Church (June 2024) Source: George Penner Westminster United Church (July 2024) Source: Greg Petzold Interior of Westminster United Church (October 2016) Source: George Penner Interior of Westminster United Church (October 2016) Source: George Penner One of two original First World War Honour Rolls at Westminster United (April 2019) Source: Darryl Toews Second of two original First World War Honour Rolls at Westminster United (April 2019) Source: Darryl Toews First World War commemorative plaque (March 2019) Source: Darryl Toews Second World War commemorative plaque (March 2019) Source: Darryl Toews Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.88210, W97.16127 denoted by symbol on the map above

First World War

Name	Occupation	Service	Rank	Birth Date	Death Date
David Wilson Aitken [Next of Kin]	Tailor	78th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Company Sergeant Major	13 January 1882	9 April 1917
William Austin Armstrong [Next of Kin]	Student	73rd Squadron, Royal Air Force	Lieutenant	22 February 1896	25 July 1918
Harry Bain	Farmer	8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	17 March 1885	28 September 1918
Sydney James Bevan [Next of Kin]	Homesteader	1st Canadian Mounted Rifles	Private	28 January 1891	9 April 1917
Ralph Russell James Brown [Law Society, Masonic, Next of Kin, Wesley College]	Student at Law	44th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Major	21 November 1875	31 October 1917
Kenneth Turner Campbell [Kelvin, Next of Kin]	?	210th Squadron, Royal Air Force	Second Lieutenant	2 June 1899	17 June 1918
Andrew Fleming Christie [Next of Kin]	Clerk	27th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Lieutenant	15 December 1893	26 August 1918
James Dean Collins	Clerk	Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry	Sergeant	12 March 1894	29 September 1918
John Arnold Collins	Student	49th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Lieutenant	19 August 1895	29 September 1918
William Henry Puddicomb Collum [Canadian Club, Masonic, Next of Kin]	Financial Agent	27th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Major	11 October 1884	14 August 1917
John Cowan	Secretary	16th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Lieutenant	8 August 1889	9 April 1917
Douglas Arthur Cram [Kelvin, Morden, Next of Kin]	Chauffeur	43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	28 April 1896	8 November 1916
William Howard Cram [Morden, Next of Kin]	Clerk	16th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	17 April 1888	26 February 1917
Robert Lawson Cumming [Rossburn, Russell, Shoal Lake]	Commercial Traveller	8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Lance Corporal	3 December 1888	27 November 1916
Robert Alexander Cunningham [Agricultural College, Brandon Armoury, Next of Kin]	Professor of Chemistry	46th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Lieutenant	22 July 1888	27 September 1918
John Frederick Davidson [Next of Kin, Lakeside]	Bank Manager, Union Bank of Canada	43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	27 April 1888	29 September 1918
Richard Stanley Dawson [Next of Kin, Winnipeg Hydro]	Meter Reader	8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	28 October 1887	9 August 1918
John Dick	Clerk	5th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	15 February 1891	4 October 1916
David John Doig [Next of Kin]	Clerk	43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Corporal	5 August 1893	17 March 1916
John Winfield Downey [Ogilvie]	Clerk	43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	26 May 1889	12 November 1917
Stewart Esplin	Tinsmith	16th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Lance Corporal	6 June 1889	23 April 1915
Samuel Ewing [Next of Kin]	Teamster	52nd Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	15 September 1891	30 October 1917
Cyrus Wilton Field	School Teacher	78th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	7 April 1894	19 February 1917
Harry Forrester [Next of Kin]	Electrician	43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	25 December 1892	27 January 1918
Alexander Garden [Next of Kin]	Accountant	38th Battery, 10th Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery	Corporal	6 August 1890	27 April 1917
William John Knox Graham [Elm Creek]	Farmer	Royal Air Force	Second Lieutenant	9 May 1894	17 May 1918
Howard Eckhardt Grundy [Next of Kin]	Clerk	Royal Naval Air Service	Probationary Flight Officer	24 December 1891	1 May 1917
William Forbes Guild [Brandon Armoury, Canadian Club, Law Society, Manitoba College, Next of Kin]	Barrister-at-Law	52nd Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Captain	2 December 1886	10 April 1917
Herbert Russell Hamill [Next of Kin]	Book-keeper	78th Battalion Canadian Infantry	Private	17 December 1894	2 September 1918
Oswald John Donaldson Hanna	Clerk	203rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	6 September 1887	26 July 1917
Neil Alexander Hood [Next of Kin]	Laborer	23rd Battalion, Australian Infantry, AIF	Private	1885	9 May 1918
Richard Arthur Hopkinson [Next of Kin]	Shoemaker	18th Battery, 5th Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery	Driver	16 May 1870	27 July 1916
William Innes	Clerk	43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	4 December 1883	4 October 1916
William Jackson [Next of Kin]	Bricklayer	16th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Company Sergeant Major	21 June 1883	14 May 1916
William Brooks Jasper [Next of Kin]	Cabinet Maker	44th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Sergeant	7 December 1884	14 October 1916
George James Jessiman [Aberdeen Banff Kincardine, Next of Kin]	Clerk	27th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	15 June 1890	15 September 1916
John Orr MacDonald [Next of Kin]	Paper Hanger	44th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Sergeant	3 June 1896	9 August 1918
William MacDonald	?	?	?	?	?
John Stirling MacInnes [Next of Kin, Osler Hammond & Nanton, St. Johns]	Clerk	7th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	7 March 1897	9 April 1917
Ian MacMillan [Next of Kin, Ogilvie]	Clerk	49th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	26 October 1897	30 October 1917
Alexander Marr	Plumber	8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	29 August 1892	25 April 1915
Elphinstone Forrest Struthers Mather [Next of Kin]	Journalist	8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Captain	18 January 1888	9 April 1918
Peter Ballantyne McBride	Grocer	No. 3 Company, Canadian Machine Gun Corps	Private	4 March 1885	3 November 1917
Alexander "Scotty" McFeat MM [Augustine, Next of Kin]	Clerk	The Royal Canadian Regiment	Private	29 September 1892	22 December 1916
Robert Herbert McGirr [Morden, Next of Kin]	Drug Clerk	8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	13 February 1894	23 August 1917
Stuart Scott McIntyre [Kelvin, Manitoba College, Next of Kin]	Student	1st Canadian Mounted Rifles	Private	29 June 1897	26 October 1917
Richard Flemming McQueen	Printing Pressman	1st Canadian Mounted Rifles	Private	30 July 1888	2 November 1917
Robert Grant “Putts” McVicar MM [Next of Kin, Ritchot]	Clerk	78th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Lance Corporal	1 January 1895	23 December 1917
Alistair Forbes Menzies DCM DSO [Brandon College]	Clerk	17th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers	Captain	1 June 1892	4 May 1918
Stanley Hall Mitchell [Manitoba College, Masonic, Next of Kin]	Merchant	11th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Lieutenant	10 June 1886	8 April 1915
John Roderick Morrison	Clerk	43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Company Sergeant Major	3 May 1886	22 May 1916
Andrew Gray Nicol [Ashdown Hardware, Next of Kin]	Clerk	Canadian Railway Troops	Lance Corporal	19 August 1886	4 April 1917
Glen Norton [Law Society, Manitoba College, Next of Kin]	Law Student	1st Canadian Division Signal Company, Canadian Signal Corps	Lieutenant	17 March 1891	26 September 1916
John Frederick Norton DCM [Engineering, Next of Kin]	Civil Engineer	Canadian Engineers	Lance Corporal	23 July 1893	7 August 1919
Robert Paterson	Laborer	43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Lance Corporal	4 May 1891	11 January 1917
Thomas Gordon Playford	Physician	Canadian Army Medical Corps	Lieutenant	3 May 1896	5 June 1919
Lawrence Ducharme Pridham [Next of Kin]	Clerk	4th Canadian Mounted Rifles	Company Sergeant Major	25 January 1890	9 August 1918
William Alexander Ross	Salesman	27th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Corporal	24 July 1888	17 November 1915
John Shaw [Next of Kin]	Farrier & Bank Clerk	43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Lieutenant	23 April 1892	1 October 1918
Alex T. Sim	?	?	?	?	?
Alexander Beverage Sinclair [Next of Kin, UGG]	Clerk	87th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	17 April 1895	5 September 1916
Robert James Smith	Steel Moulder	Training Depot, Canadian Engineers	Sapper	27 August 1890	4 December 1915
Garnet Kelvin Stewart [Kelvin, Manitoba College, Next of Kin]	Student of Arts	Lord Strathcona’s Horse	Private	28 September 1897	2 April 1918
Benjamin Strachan	Accountant	12th Squadron, Royal Flying Corps	Second Lieutenant	16 June 1888	18 May 1917
Bessie Gray Sutherland	Nurse	Scottish Women's Hospital	Nursing Sister	16 October 1871	26 September 1915
Alexander Taylor	?	?	?	?	?
Frederick Johnston Watson	Chartered Accountant	43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Lieutenant	24 June 1888	10 June 1916
Edward Hull Williams [Next of Kin]	Accountant	43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Sergeant	31 January 1885	8 October 1916
Major Percy Willson	Salesman	5th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Lieutenant	23 August 1883	30 September 1916
William Johnstone Wilson [Next of Kin]	Clerk	78th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	3 November 1896	27 November 1916

Second World War

Name	Service	Rank	Birth Date	Death Date
Clifford Nairn Ackland	Lake Superior Regiment (Motor), Royal Canadian Infantry Corps	Lieutenant	28 May 1916	1 March 1945
Jack Douglas Baird	Royal Canadian Air Force	Flying Officer	29 March 1924	6 December 1944
James Murray Beatty	Royal Canadian Air Force	Flight Sergeant	16 October 1923	2 December 1943
Dennis Bryan Bennett	Royal Winnipeg Rifles, Royal Canadian Infantry Corps	Lieutenant	1 May 1921	14 September 1944
John Douglass Best	1666 Heavy Conversion Unit, Royal Canadian Air Force	Flight Lieutenant	19 October 1919	11 July 1944
Frank Dowler Bollert [United College]	Royal Canadian Air Force	Aircraftman 1st Class	9 July 1920	20 June 1942
Wilson Gilmore Caldwell	102 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force	Flight Sergeant	18 March 1915	16 December 1941
Douglas Earl Cawker	432 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force	Flight Lieutenant	26 January 1920	22 March 1944
John Frederick Creba	427 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force	Flying Officer	27 February 1916	15 March 1944
Ralph Nelson Adams Creswell	Royal Canadian Air Force	Flight Sergeant	9 November 1916	31 May 1942
Roderick James Dunphy DFC	426 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force	Flight Lieutenant Navigator	15 June 1923	20 December 1943
Raymond Lee Duthoit	11 Field Ambulance, Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps	Private	18 January 1924	2 July 1945
William Messinger Hazelton	Royal Canadian Air Force	Pilot Officer	12 November 1921	5 August 1945
Donald Louden Henderson	408 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force	Flight Sergeant	19 August 1913	10 January 1942
Gordon Kirby Hignell	197 (RAF) Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force	Pilot Officer	20 December 1918	23 July 1943
William John Kotchapaw [Kelvin, St. James School]	1st Herefordshire Light Infantry (TA)	Lieutenant	25 November 1923	10 September 1944
Robert John Lawrie	53 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force	Warrant Officer Class II	6 February 1923	17 April 1944
Allan Munro Livingston [Law Society]	Royal Canadian Artillery	Lieutenant	21 July 1918	2 September 1944
Robert John MacFarlane	HMCS Chatham, Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve	Signalman	4 January 1924	12 October 1942
Angus Gordon MacIntosh	3 Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery	Gunner	28 June 1922	4 September 1944
James Archibald MacKelvie	414 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force	Flight Lieutenant	?	18 June 1944
William MacKenzie Manson	428 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force	Flight Sergeant	5 February 1920	29 April 1943
Wallace Andrew McKay	Royal Canadian Engineers	Sergeant	5 February 1915	30 April 1941
Hugh Stanton McRae	Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada, Royal Canadian Infantry Corps	Captain	9 August 1914	30 April 1943
Harold Frederick Mogey	15 Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery	Captain	13 May 1913	28 October 1944
George Dixon Morrow	2 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery	Captain	22 February 1885	30 April 1941
Gordon Joseph Mullin	426 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force	Flying Officer	16 February 1917	1 November 1944
Frank MacGregor Myers	426 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force	Flying Officer	20 April 1924	5 March 1945
William James Pope	Royal Canadian Air Force	Flight Sergeant	1 June 1919	9 November 1942
John Murray Roberts	409 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force	Flying Officer	9 October 1914	27 July 1944
Gordon Melville Steventon	Royal Canadian Air Force	Leading Aircraftman	28 April 1917	15 September 1942
John Richards “Tuck” Tucker	401 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force	Pilot Officer	23 February 1921	26 July 1942
Agnes Wightman Wilkie [Carman]	HMCS Avalon, Royal Canadian Navy	Nursing Sister	5 September 1904	14 October 1942

See also:

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Provincially Designated Historic Sites

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Municipally Designated Historic Sites

Sources:

“Noted divine to get call,” Winnipeg Tribune, 10 September 1909, page 9.

“Memorial to Dead Unveiled at Westminster,” Winnipeg Tribune, 5 February 1923, page 7.

Obituary [Nelson Richardson Mercer], Winnipeg Free Press, 9 January 1991, page 43.

Obituary [Allen Richard Huband], Winnipeg Free Press, 26 November 1993, page 49.

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.

Westminster United Church, Manitoba Historic Resources Branch.

We thank George Penner and Greg Petzold for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough and Darryl Toews.

Page revised: 7 September 2024

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