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 (circa 1910) Source: Archives of Manitoba, Churches - First Baptist #5. Calvary Temple (April 2011) Source: Gordon Goldsborough Calvary Temple (December 2020) Source: George Penner 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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