Historic Sites of Manitoba: Augustine Presbyterian Church / Augustine United Church / Augustine War Memorial (444 River Avenue, Winnipeg)

Link to:
Clerics | Photos & Coordinates | Sources

The congregation’s first service was held on 26 June 1887 at the old Pembina School, having purchased this site in April 1887 at a cost of $800. A wooden frame church was erected that year with seating for 200. Completed at a cost of $2,062.71, a vestry and classroom opened on 28 August 1892. The structure was moved to the back of the property in April 1903 and used as a Sunday School. It was demolished in April 1909.

The present structure, a municipally-designated historic site, was built in 1903 to meet a rapid increase in the local population. Considered one of Winnipeg’s finest examples of Gothic Revival architecture, it is distinguished by its use of the pointed arch, flying buttresses, and rib vault. The church was designed by local architect J. H. G. Russell and built of limestone by Malcom Construction, completed in 1910 at a cost of $65,000. The cornerstone of the building was laid with a silver trowel by Lady McMillan on 23 June 1903. Its contents were:

• Scroll naming Royal, Dominion, Provincial, municipal, military and church officials
• A descriptive church history since 1887
• Program of ceremony, along with church officials
• Photographs of all four pastors to that date, along with photos of the old and new church
• Scriptures, psalter, hymnal, and brief catechism of the church
• Copies of The Record, Presbyterian, Westminster, and Witness, of Halifax
• Annual reports of the General Assembly, Synod of Manitoba and Northwest Territories, and Presbyterian churches of Winnipeg
• Sermon copy (given at Vancouver, British Columbia in June 1903) of Rev. Dr. Bryce (retired moderator of the General Assembly)
• Canadian coins since coronation of King Edward VII
• Canadian postage stamps issued during the reign of Queen Victoria
• List of financial contributors to the church building fund
• Copies of the 20 June 1903 issues of the Winnipeg Free Press, Winnipeg Telegram, Winnipeg Tribune, and Town Topics.

On the front (north) lawn of the church is a beautifully carved stone memorial commemorating parishioners who died in the First World War. It was dedicated at a ceremony on 10 October 1920.

Clerics

Period	Cleric
1887	Rev. Norman Russell BA
1887-1891	Andrew Browning Baird (1855-1940)
1891-1900	Roderick George McBeth [MacBeth] (1858-1934)
1900-1915	Gilbert B. Wilson (1867-1962)

Photos & Coordinates

Augustine United Church (April 2017) Source: George Penner Interior of Augustine United Church (April 2017) Source: George Penner Interior of Augustine United Church (April 2017) Source: George Penner Augustine War Memorial (October 2014) Source: Gordon Goldsborough Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.87925, W97.14556 denoted by symbol on the map above

Church Parishioners Killed in the First World War

Name	Occupation	Service	Rank	Birth Date	Death Date
George Adams	Teamster	43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	1883	15 April 1917
Robert Frederick Aitken	Chemist	78th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Lieutenant	1894	9 April 1917
Earl Sabinsky Alward [La Verendrye School, Next of Kin]	Steam fitter	9th Battalion, Canadian Railway Troops	Sapper	1 February 1896	3 November 1917
John Robertson Baird [Canadian Club]	Bookkeeper	1st Canadian Mounted Rifles	Private	1891	5 June 1916
Andrew Stuart Baird [Law Society, Manitoba College, Next of Kin]	Lawyer	14th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Lieutenant	31 December 1891	8 August 1918
Samuel Percy Benson [Canadian Club]	Jewelry engraver	78th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Lieutenant	1887	9 April 1917
Peter William Bissett [Kelvin, Next of Kin, Wesley College]	Student	1st Battalion, Canadian Machine Gun Corps	Private	1896	14 July 1916
Douglas Upton Cameron [Next of Kin]	Agent	2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles	Major	27 February 1886	30 October 1917
Cecil Jardine Farr	Accountant	46th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Lieutenant	1888	12 April 1917
Wiliam James Ferguson	Railroad Brakeman	8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	1891	5 November 1919
Leonard Foster	?	?	?	?	?
Allan Watson Fraser [Kelvin, Next of Kin]	?	Royal Flying Corps	Cadet	?	30 May 1917
John C. Grant	Chauffeur	16th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	1888	12 April 1917
John “Jack” Grant [Next of Kin]	Dry Goods Salesman	27th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	9 January 1892	6 November 1917
Augustin Hague	Clerk	27th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	1895	3 October 1916
William John Douglas Harrison	Contractor	8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	1887	14 June 1916
Archibald Sinclair Hunter	Coach cleaner	43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	1889	23 May 1916
J. G. Hunter	?	?	?	?	?
George Wilkin Kaslake	Teamster	10th Company, Canadian Machine Gun Corps	Private	1890	27 October 1916
Victor Robert Keeling	Trainman	Canadian Motor Machine Gun Brigade	Private	1887	24 March 1918
Maxwell George Kruspe [Pharmacy]	Pharmacist	27th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	4 September 1892	27 July 1917
John Lumsden	Trainman	4th Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery	Gunner	1892	24 April 1917
Thomas Lumsden [Next of Kin]	Brakeman	43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	5 January 1894	7 June 1916
Herbert George Maybank [IODE, Kelvin]	Student	29th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	1893	19 April 1916
Donald MacDonald	?	?	?	?	?
William George McCaully	Collector	8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	1895	26 September 1916
James Irvine McClellan	Banker	16th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	1892	4 September 1916
Alexander "Scotty" McFeat MM [Next of Kin, Westminster]	Clerk	Royal Canadian Regiment	Private	1892	22 December 1916
Donald Roy McKellar	Retail buyer and manager	16th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	1892	4 September 1916
Edgar Alexander McLennan [Kelvin, Next of Kin]	Bank clerk	14th Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery	Driver	7 September 1897	14 September 1917
Joseph Robert Morton	Labourer	The Royal Canadian Regiment	Private	1890	31 October 1917
Thomas Patterson DCM & Bar [Next of Kin]	Car Inspector	27th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Company Sergeant Major	1 August 1873	3 May 1917
James Ernest Robertson [Canadian Club, Law Society]	Barrister	27th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Lieutenant	20 June 1879	9 March 1916
Robert William Shirley	Farmer	78th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Lance Corporal	1897	11 August 1918
Clarence Gordon Simpson	Clerk	1st Canadian Mounted Rifles	Sergeant	1887	13 April 1917
William Rowe Smith	Clerk	72nd Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	1878	4 April 1917
Alfred Charles Steele	Bookkeeper	8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	1889	26 September 1916
Alexander MacBeth Sutherland [Next of Kin]	Student	Royal Air Force	2nd Lieutenant	1897	2 July 1918
Robert Sutherland	Clerk	43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	1889	8 October 1916
Robert Buchanan Young [Wesley College]	Bookkeeper	16th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	1893	16 May 1916

See also:

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Municipally Designated Historic Sites

Sources:

“Augustine Church,” Manitoba Daily Free Press, 9 August 1887, page 4.

“Tenders,” Winnipeg Tribune, 26 February 1903, page 2.

“Augustine Presbyterian Church,” Winnipeg Tribune, 2 March 1903, page 1.

“Lady M’Millan to lay stone,” Winnipeg Tribune, 20 June 1903, page 10.

“Opening of new St. Augustine’s,” Winnipeg Tribune, 24 June 1903, page 2.

“Augustine new church,” Winnipeg Tribune, 7 October 1904, page 1.

“Dedicatory services of Augustine Church,” Winnipeg Tribune, 17 October 1904, page 5.

“Dedication is completed,” Winnipeg Tribune, 24 October 1904, page 4.

“Augustine Church organ,” Manitoba Morning Free Press, 18 February 1905, page 14.

“Augustine addition,” Winnipeg Tribune, 19 April 1909, page 9.

“Augustine Church Fort Rouge’s pride,” Winnipeg Tribune, 19 December 1914, page 25.

“Will dedicate war memorial,” Winnipeg Tribune, 9 October 1920, page 1.

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.

For the names of First World War casualities from Manitoba who do not appear on any physical monument in the province, see the Manitoba Historical Society War Memorial. If you know of a name that is omitted from this list, please contact the MHS War Memorial Researcher Darryl Toews (darryl@mhs.mb.ca).

Soldiers of the First World War - Canadian Expeditionary Force, Library and Archives Canada.

Canadian Virtual War Memorial, Veterans Affairs Canada.

Financial support for research reported on this page was provided by the Manitoba Heritage Grants Program (2015-2016).

Augustine United (Presbyterian) Church (444 River Avenue), City of Winnipeg Historical Buildings Committee, September 2007.

We thank George Penner for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough, Nathan Kramer, and Darryl Toews.

Page revised: 11 November 2021

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