Historic Sites of Manitoba: Fort Rouge Methodist Church / Crescent - Fort Rouge United Church (525 Wardlaw Avenue, Winnipeg)

Link to:
Clerics | Photos & Coordinates | Sources

This stately church at the corner of Nassau Street and Wardlaw Avenue in Winnipeg, designed by local architect J. H. G. Russell, started life in 1910 as Fort Rouge Methodist Church. It was renamed Fort Rouge United Church following the 1925 unification of Methodist, Congregational, and Presbyterian denominations in Canada. Following a two-year trial period, in July 1937 the congregations of Fort Rouge Methodist Church and Crescent Congregational Church (whose building had been located at the corner of Arbuthnot Street and McMillan Avenue) formally merged in this building, which became known as Crescent - Fort Rouge United Church.

An honour roll tablet commemorating members of Crescent Congregational Church who served overseas during the First World War was unveiled on 6 November 1921 at a special evening service at the church. It was unveiled by Lieutenant Colonel Gilbert Godson-Godson. It was later moved to this church, along with Honour Rolls for Central Congregational Church and Fort Rouge Methodist Church.

Clerics

Period	Cleric
1910-1913	Henry Irvine
1913-1917	George Fletcher Salton (1858-1943)
1917-1921	W. L. Armstrong
1921-1926	Edward F. Church
1926-1931	Charles F. Bland
1931-1935	Allworth Eardley
1935-1939	R. McElroy Thompson
1939-1945	William M. Grant
1945-1974	George Fraser Dyker
1974-1976	James Esek Stewart
1976-1981	Ernest P. Johnston
1981-1982	Donald W. Hilton
1982-1984	Kenneth David Howlett
1984-1989	Donald W. Hilton
1989-1994	Donald Eskdale
1994	David Barrows
1994-1995	David Alvares
1995-2005	Patricia Wotton
2005-2006	Paul Peters Derry
2007-?	Irene Greenwood

Photos & Coordinates

Crescent - Fort Rouge United Church (April 2015) Source: Gordon Goldsborough Interior of Crescent - Fort Rouge United Church (April 2017) Source: George Penner Interior of Crescent - Fort Rouge United Church (April 2017) Source: George Penner Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.87611, W97.14752 denoted by symbol on the map above

First World War Casualties (Fort Rouge Methodist)

Name	Occupation	Service	Rank	Birth Date	Death Date
Parkyn Sydney Bishop [Eatons, Next of Kin, 108 Battalion]	Transportation	1st Battalion, London Regiment (Post Office Rifles)	2nd Lieutenant	1892	30 November 1917
Thomas Johnstone Logie Butchart [Fort Rouge Methodist, Next of Kin, Vimy Ridge, Wesley College]	Student (Wesley College)	44th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	30 April 1897	20 June 1917
William Henry Clipperton [La Verendrye School]	School Principal, La Vérendrye School	8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Lieutenant	10 April 1886	17 August 1917
George Daniel [Next of Kin]	Bookkeeper	4th Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery	Corporal	26 October 1897	1 October 1917
Hanford Edgar Davidson [Next of Kin]	Telegraph Operator	27th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	12 August 1884	26 September 1916
Hart Leech [Law Society, Next of Kin, Wesley College]	Student-at-Law	1st Canadian Mounted Rifles	Lieutenant	9 March 1889	15 September 1916
George Elder Mathesius	Clerk	43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	10 March 1895	15 April 1917
Forest H. Mitchell	Civil Engineer	Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve	Lieutenant	1882	6 February 1917
Durward Frederick Peck [Morris]	Bank Clerk	78th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	15 December 1896	30 October 1917
Clifton Andrew Peterson [Next of Kin]	Clerk	78th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	13 December 1895	30 October 1917
Clarke Hall Popham [Kelvin, Next of Kin, Wesley College]	Clerk	8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Lieutenant	2 June 1894	26 September 1916
Edward Silver [Bank of Montreal, Next of Kin]	Bank of Montreal	2nd Battalion, London Regiment	2nd Lieutenant	?	1 May 1918
Fred Irwin Simpson [Broadway Methodist, Law Society, Next of Kin, Virden, Virden Methodist, Wesley College]	Law Student	1st Canadian Mounted Rifles	Captain	15 April 1893	12 March 1917
Otto Russell Williams [Gladstone, Kelvin, Law Society, Next of Kin]	Student	Canadian Army Service Corps	Driver	27 May 1895	29 May 1917

See also:

MHS Centennial Organization: Crescent Fort Rouge United Church

Sources:

“Lauds women’s war service: Col. Godson-Godson unveils memorial tablet in Crescent chamber,” Winnipeg Tribune, 7 November 1921, page 6.

Crescent-Fort Rouge United Church, 525 Wardlaw Avenue by Murray Peterson, Peterson Projects, December 2009.

We thank Judith Hudson Beattie, George Penner, and Darryl Toews, for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 30 October 2022

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