Historic Sites of Manitoba: First Baptist Church / Calvary Temple (400 Hargrave Street, Winnipeg)

Link to:
Clerics | Photos & Coordinates | Sources

In 1873, the First Baptist congregation in western Canada was formed in Winnipeg by Rev. Alexander McDonald. He organized the building of their first church on Rupert Avenue in 1875. Under the leadership of Rev. Alexander Grant, the third minister to the congregation, the prominent Toronto architects Edward Langley and Edmund Burke were commissioned to design a church building at the corner of Hargrave Street (then Charlotte Street) and Cumberland Avenue. Construction started in 1893, with local architect Hugh McCowan supervising the $45,000 project. The building was completed the following year.

In 1904, local architect J. H. G. Russell and builder Andrew McBean made a two-storey addition to the main auditorium that doubled seating capacity to 1,500 people. In 1939, the Baptists sold their building to the Pentecostals and joined with the Broadway Baptist congregation to form the Broadway First Baptist Church. The Pentecostals reopened the building as Calvary Temple. In 1974, a larger structure, seating 2,400, was built next door, while the old church was used for youth groups and education sessions.

The building was demolished in 1985 to make way for a new Christian education facility, and only its former bell tower remains at the site. The tower is a municipally-designated historic site.

A list of parishioners who were killed during military service in the First World War is displayed at Broadway First Baptist Church.

Clerics (First Baptist)

Period

Cleric

1873-1882

Rev. Alexander McDonald

1882-1889

Rev. A. A. Cameron

1889-1897

Rev. Alexander Grant

1899-1906

Rev. John McNeill

1907-1911

Rev. Avery A. Shaw

1911-1916

Rev. A. N. Marshall

1916-1919

Dr. F. W. Patterson

1919-1921

Dr. J. S. Kirtley

1921-1926

Rev. Charles R. McNally

1926-1927

Rev. J. D. Freedman

1927-1939

Rev. Herman C. Olson

Clerics (Calvary Temple)

Period

Cleric

1907-1912

Andrew Harvey Argue

1913-1914

W. E. Moody

1915-1916

W. Armstrong

1916-1920

C. O. Benham

1920-1921

W. E. Moody

1921-1922

Harvey McAlister

1922-1924

H. L. Turner

1924-1925

Andrew Harvey Argue

1925-1937

Daniel Newton Buntain

1937-1948

Watson Argue

1948-1953

Theodore Ness

1953-1997

Herbert Hanbidge Barber (1922-2020)

1997-2022

Bruce A. Martin

Photos & Coordinates

First Baptist Church

First Baptist Church (circa 1910)
Source: Archives of Manitoba, Churches - First Baptist #5.

Calvary Temple

Calvary Temple (April 2011)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough

Calvary Temple

Calvary Temple (December 2020)
Source: George Penner

Calvary Temple

Calvary Temple (October 2022)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough

Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.89646, W97.14638
denoted by symbol on the map above

First World War Casualties

Name

Occupation

Service

Rank

Birth Date

Death Date

Arthur Ashton

?

?

?

?

?

Percy William Aukland
[Vimy Ridge]

Railroad Ticket Agent

44th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

6 June 1894

3 June 1917

Stanley Ernest Dennis

Teamster

27th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

11 July 1891

3 May 1917

Edward Algernon Duff
[Next of Kin]

Banker

8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Captain

13 July 1878

22 September 1919

Shaver Eadie
[Next of Kin]

Orchardist

8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Captain

27 March 1869

2 March 1916

John Harris Fairchild

Salesman

7th Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery

Gunner

26 September 1892

2 November 1916

Ernest Brainerd Findlay
[Next of Kin]

Office Equipment Supply Company

54th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Lieutenant

10 February 1889

3 September 1918

Frank Findlay

Salesman

21st Training Deport Station, Royal Air Force

Second Lieutenant

12 October 1886

27 February 1919

Lloyd Irving Glover

Clerk

52nd Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

15 September 1897

6 October 1916

Stanley Hodge
[Bank of Commerce, Stonewall]

Bank Manager

1st Canadian Mounted Rifles

Private

11 March 1897

14 September 1918

Orrin Athal Jones
[Brandon College, Kelvin, Next of Kin, Wesley College]

?

1st Canadian Mounted Rifles

Private

26 July 1896

5 June 1916

William Francis “Frank” Jamieson DSO
[Manitoba College, Next of Kin]

Student

52nd Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Captain

1892

28 September 1918

Ernest George Strong Lowe

Gardener

3rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

15 August 1884

13 May 1916

Wellesley McCann

Banker

44th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Sergeant

18 January 1889

1 November 1918

John Alden McIntyre
[Brandon College, Next of Kin]

Stenographer

27th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

21 July 1887

1 October 1918

William George McIntyre
[Clearwater, Crystal City]

Teacher

29th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Lieutenant

19 June 1888

9 April 1917

John Mansfield

?

?

?

?

?

Alfred Joseph Matthews

Merchant

27th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Captain

18 August 1878

26 February 1916

Keith Ogilvie Millar

Student

88th Squadron, Royal Air Force

Lieutenant

1 June 1898

21 May 1918

Roland George Peerless
[Next of Kin]

Decorator

78th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Sergeant

24 August 1888

9 April 1917

Robert Gordon Raymer
[Next of Kin]

Clerk

124th Canadian Pioneers

Sergeant

18 June 1895

3 June 1917

Herbert Waterman Rittenhouse
[Next of Kin]

Student

Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry

Sergeant

16 September 1894

2 June 1916

Charles Melville Sayer
[Next of Kin]

Student

4th Squadron, Royal Flying Corps

Second Lieutenant

1894

17 June 1917

Fred Stonehouse
[Next of Kin]

Driver

The Fort Garry Horse

Trooper

16 February 1894

15 August 1918

James Stout
[Next of Kin]

Baker

44th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

22 December 1882

21 September 1916

Neilson Riley Youhill

Clerk

34th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

7 July 1897

9 December 1916

See also:

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Broadway First Baptist Church (706 Honeyman Avenue, Winnipeg)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Wesley Methodist Church / Wesley Pentecostal Gospel Mission (520 William Avenue, Winnipeg)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Municipally Designated Historic Sites

Sources:

Calvary Temple / First Baptist Church (400 Hargrave Street), Winnipeg Historical Buildings Committee, March 1984.

Winnipeggers remember the legacy of Pastor H. H. Barber, prominent spiritual icon,” CTV News, 25 October 2020.

We thank Alice-Marie Dyck (Broadway First Baptist Church), Jason Kuffner, and George Penner for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough and Darryl Toews.

Page revised: 4 February 2023

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