Memorable Manitobans: Herbert Howard Cottingham (1880-1960)

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Herbert Howard Cottingham
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Businessman, civil servant.

Born at Liverpool, England on 10 November 1880, son of Herbert M. Cottingham and Josephine Cottingham, he came to Canada in his youth and was educated at St. Boniface College. After graduation he went into business as Manager of the Canadian Life Insurance Company.

He was President of Cottingham Wood Limited from 1929 until he joined the Manitoba Power Commission (MPC) in 1932. Under his direction, the number of Manitoba cities and towns served with electricity increased rapidly and a massive program of farm electrification was launched. He retired as General Manager and Chairman of the MPC in 1946 and moved to Simcoe, Ontario in 1954.

On 8 September 1909, he married Marie Adrienne Alexandrine Dubuc (1885-1960, daughter of Joseph Dubuc) and they eventually had five children: Adrienne Joseph Cottingham (1912-?, wife of L. W. Barry), Esther Berthias Cottingham (1914-?, wife of E. Woliver), David Cottingham (1919-?), Sheila Cottingham (?-?), and Alix Cottingham (?-?, wife of George Novak).

He died at Galt, Ontario on 18 September 1960 and was buried in the St. Boniface Basilica Cemetery.

Sources:

Birth and marriage registrations, Manitoba Vital Statistics.

“Cottingham – Dubuc,” Winnipeg Tribune, 8 September 1909, page 9.

“Ex-Power Commission Chairman dies in East,” Winnipeg Free Press, 20 September 1960.

“Mrs. Adrienne Cottingham,” Winnipeg Tribune, 16 November 1960.

We thank Bruce Owen (Manitoba Hydro) and Ian Cottingham for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 11 July 2022

Memorable Manitobans

Memorable Manitobans

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