Memorable Manitobans: Arthur Beech (1876-1948)

Artist, social activist.

Born at Lancashire, England in 1876, he studied at the Oldham School of Art before emigrating to Winnipeg in 1903. He taught manual arts at many Winnipeg schools, including Greenway School (1921-1927), Lord Roberts School (1927-1934), and Kelvin High School. From 1916 to 1919 and from 1920 to 1921 he was enrolled in the Winnipeg School of Art. He was President of the Winnipeg Sketch Club in 1923 and one of those who re-formed the Manitoba Society of Artists in 1925. His work was executed in a variety of media. A charter member of the Independent Labour Party, and a Labour candidate in the 1914 provincial general election, he later joined the Cooperative Commonwealth Federation (forerunner of the NDP) when the two parties merged. He had also been a member of the Social Democratic Party. He was a candidate in the 1915 provincial general election but was defeated by Robert N. Lowery. He died at his Winnipeg home, 602 Rathgar Avenue, on 29 October 1948 and was buried in the Elmwood Cemetery.

Sources:

“Veteran laborite, manual teacher, Arthur Beech, dies,” Winnipeg Tribune, 1 November 1948, page 2.

Dictionary of Manitoba Biography by John M. “Jack” Bumsted, Winnipeg: University of Manitoba Press, 1999.

Obituaries and burial transcriptions, Manitoba Genealogical Society.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 17 January 2021

Memorable Manitobans

Memorable Manitobans

This is a collection of noteworthy Manitobans from the past, compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. We acknowledge that the collection contains both reputable and disreputable people. All are worth remembering as a lesson to future generations.

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