by Fred Morris
January 2026
During the St. James Street Series, I often pointed out that the residents in mentioned in the stories lived part of their lives on the featured street. Very few people live their entire lives on one street. Any questions about this methodology can be directed to me.
In 1906, John Queen age 24 arrived in Winnipeg. In 1916, he was first elected as an Alderman to Winnipeg City Council. During the 1919 Winnipeg General Strike, he was a leader. Mr. Queen was incarcerated for his role in the Strike. He served as an MLA between 1920 and 1941. Between 1934 and 1942, he served almost continuously as Winnipeg's Mayor. In the early hours of 14 July 1946, he died at his Ruby Street home.
Katherine Gloria Queen Hughes, one of John and Katherine's daughters, was a real trailblazer. In 1928, she was a Free Press sportswriter covering the Girls Senior Soft Ball Championship at Sherburn Park. In 1933, at age 34, she began seven years as a Winnipeg School Trustee. Gloria successfully fought to get Grade 12 without fees. She and John were likely the first father and daughter to hold elective office in Winnipeg at the same time. During the Second World War, Gloria organized the Women's Auxiliary Corp.
Jessie MacLennan (1873-1942) served 17 years on the Winnipeg School Board (1926-1942). In 1937, she was the Board Chair. As a political activist, Jessie was instrumental in getting pensions for the blind.
In 1997, another Ruby Street resident was elected to Parliament for Winnipeg Centre. Pat Martin, a journeyman carpenter, defeated Liberal incumbent David Walker. I personally remember attending a meeting when Pat took the lead in criticizing CIBC, closures of bank branches in Weston, Tuxedo, and the West End. However, Pat will probably be best remembered for making Canada pennyless. In 2008, as an Opposition MP, he introduced a private members bill calling for the elimination of the penny. Each penny cost more than one cent to be produced. Private Members Bills usually find their final resting place in a filing cabinet quickly. However, the Harper Government implemented Pat's idea in 2012. Pat and Barbara's son Liam has long been involved politics. Between 2012 and 2016, he was Premier Greg Selinger's Chief of Staff.
During the golden years of children's newspaper stories, Ruby Street was often mentioned. In 1925, Katherine Hamilton won first prize in the Winnipeg Free Press Save the Forest Week Essay Contest. She won a radio set. The following year, Hazel Tugsdin wrote a letter about neighbourhood children building a fort. In 1927, Beatrice Ransby won a Free Press Colouring Contest. In 1929, Alison Warner wrote a letter about a 25th Pack of Girl Guides Party. In 1930, Robert Flynn wrote a Halloween poem.
In January 1945, a couple of Ruby Street residents were recognized for for their service in the Second World War. Samuel Baird was Mentioned in Dispatches for his service off the French Coast. Raymond Fink was awarded the RCAF Distinguished Flying Cross.
I found a couple of items for the unusual file. In 1950, Marie Caron had an unusual peony growing in her front yard. In 1959, Joyce Hyman was one of the winners in a Safeway contest featuring a flight over Winnipeg.
In this series, I often end the story with a miracle. In 1962, Bruce Motherall, then a Ruby Street resident of the RCAF, was the spotter in a search aircraft. Bruce spotted Stonewall's Noel Hickey whose plane had gone down several days earlier in a remote area on the east side of Lake Winnipeg.
Page revised: 21 August 2026
