Memorable Manitobans: Edgar Prain (1881-1958)

Architect.

Born at Broughty Ferry, Scotland on 21 March 1881, he trained as a draftsman in Scotland before moving to England where he worked as an architect from 1902 to 1907.

He emigrated to Winnipeg in 1908, working briefly for architect Hugh Gordon Holman then forming a partnership with him from 1909 to 1910. He designed apartment blocks, private residences, and educational buildings. His best known work is St. John’s Anglican Cathedral (1925-1926) done collaboratively with Gilbert C. Parfitt. After 1950, he was partner in the architectural firm of Prain and Ward, and later consultant to its successor, Ward and McDonald. He served as President of the Manitoba Association of Architects (1939-1940).

On 30 September 1909, he married Elizabeth Jane Williamson (1879-1962) and they had a son, Frederick Kennedy Prain (1910-1910), who died at their apartment in Victoria Court.

He retired in December 1957 and died at his Winnipeg home, 126 Mossdale Avenue, on 29 January 1958. He was buried in the Old Kildonan Cemetery.

Some of his architectural works in Manitoba:

Building	Location	Year	Status
Eastman Building	324 Young Street, Winnipeg	1910
Scott House	190 Kingsway, Winnipeg	1910
Livinia Court	351 Victor Street, Winnipeg	1911
Verona Apartments	730 Victor Street, Winnipeg	1911
Brown Block	902 Home Street, Winnipeg	1912
Lanark Apartments	693 Maryland Street, Winnipeg	1912
Reliance Block	480 Young Street, Winnipeg	1912
Governor Semple School	Jefferson Avenue, Winnipeg	1913
Centennial School	Royal Avenue, Winnipeg	1913
Westholme Apartments	729 Wellington Avenue, Winnipeg	1913
Kenwood Apartments	689 Maryland Street, Winnipeg	1913	Demolished (?)
Elenora Apartments	748 McDermot Avenue, Winnipeg	1914	Demolished (?)
Elvira Court	116 Emily Street, Winnipeg	1914	Demolished (?)
Scott Apartments	426 Maryland Street, Winnipeg	1914	Demolished (2020)
Salisbury School	795 Prince Rupert Avenue, Winnipeg	1920
Cathedral Church of St. John	135 Anderson Avenue, Winnipeg	1926
Maritime Apartments	477 Wardlaw Avenue, Winnipeg	1926
St. Patrick’s and St. Jude’s Anglican Church	612 Valour Road, Winnipeg	1926
Balfouria Apartments A	191 Cathedral Avenue, Winnipeg	1927
John Black Memorial United Church	898 Henderson Highway, Winnipeg	1927
Quinton Dyers and Cleaners Building (addition)	Daly Street, Winnipeg	1927	Demolished (?)
St. John’s Presbyterian Church	251 Bannerman Avenue, Winnipeg	1928
Balfouria Apartments B	195 Cathedral Avenue, Winnipeg	1929
Manning House	116 Ash Street, Winnipeg	1929	Demolished (2021)
Whitehall Apartments	100 Osborne Street North, Winnipeg	1929	Demolished (?)
Wingham Consolidated School No. 1921	RM of Grey	1929
Donald McLeod School No. 2221	270 Wallace Avenue, RM of East St. Paul	1930
Perth Dye Works (addition)	482-484 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg	1933	Demolished (?)
Windsor Theatre	590 St. Mary's Road, Winnipeg	1935
Perth Dye Works (addition)	482-484 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg	1937-1938	Demolished (?)
Deer Lodge United Church	2093 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg	1947
Lord Kitchener School / John Pritchard School (expansion)	1490 Henderson Highway, Winnipeg	1947
Charleswood School (renovations)	Roblin Boulevard, RM of Charleswood	1947
West St. Paul School	3740 Main Street, RM of West St. Paul	1947
Centennial School (expansion)	240 Royal Avenue, Winnipeg	c1948
Roland School (addition)	Roland, RM of Roland	1948
Sanford United Church	4 Main Street, Sanford, RM of Macdonald	1948-1953
Rosedale United Church	525 Beresford Avenue, Winnipeg	1949
Salisbury School No. 1 (renovations)	795 Prince Rupert Avenue, Winnipeg	1949
Daerwood School	211 Main Street, Selkirk	1949
Governor Semple School	150 Hartford Avenue, Winnipeg	1950
Lord Wolseley School (four-classroom brick and concrete addition)	939 Henderson Highway, Winnipeg	1950
New Rosewell School	1455 Molson Street, Winnipeg	1950
Victory School (six-classroom expansion)	395 Jefferson Avenue, Winnipeg	1950
After 1950, see Prain and Ward

Sources:

Marriage registration, Manitoba Vital Statistics.

Obituary [Fredrick Kennedy Prain], Winnipeg Tribune, 27 December 1910, page 5.

“Fraser and MacDonald have been awarded the contract,” Winnipeg Tribune, 4 November 1927, page 8.

“Tenders for school [Wingham Consolidated School],” Manitoba Free Press, 15 April 1929, page 20.

“Advance for 1929 over 1928 total $160,000,” Manitoba Free Press, 11 May 1929, page 57.

“Two new homes on Ash St.,” Winnipeg Tribune, 5 October 1929, page 28.

“Perth Dye Works today opens extended plant,” Winnipeg Tribune, 25 March 1933, page 4.

“Theatre for St. Vital [Windsor Theatre],” Manitoba Free Press, 25 May 1935, page 6.

“Architects elect Prain as President,” Winnipeg Tribune, 19 January 1939, page 16.

“Deer Lodge United to dedicate church,” Winnipeg Free Press, 25 January 1947, page 10.

“Tenders,” Winnipeg Free Press, 31 January 1947, page 16.

“Tenders [Lord Kitchener School],” Winnipeg Free Press, 4 April 1947, page 2.

“Tenders [Charleswood School],” Winnipeg Free Press, 27 June 1947, page 22.

“Tenders [Libau School],” Winnipeg Free Press, 26 September 1947, page 24.

“School District of West Kildonan No. 8,” Winnipeg Free Press, 7 August 1948, page 19.

“Tenders [Selkirk School District No. 69],” Winnipeg Free Press, 17 January 1949, page 17.

“Old and new churches filled at Rosedale United dedication,” Winnipeg Free Press, 7 March 1949, page 7.

“Tenders [Victory School],” Winnipeg Free Press, 6 October 1949, page 6.

“Tenders [Salisbury School No. 1],” Winnipeg Free Press, 27 October 1949, page 52.

“Tenders [Lord Wolseley School],” Winnipeg Free Press, 30 January 1950, page 27.

“Tenders [North Kildonan School District No. 2116],” Winnipeg Free Press, 8 March 1950, page 29.

Winnipeg Building Index.

Biographical Dictionary of Architects in Canada, 1800-1950 by Robert G. Hill, Toronto.

Obituaries and burial transcriptions, Manitoba Genealogical Society.

We thank Gail Singleton and Jordan Makichuk for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough and Nathan Kramer.

Page revised: 15 May 2023

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