Historic Sites of Manitoba: Elmwood Presbyterian Church / King Memorial Presbyterian Church / King Memorial United Church / Gordon-King Memorial United Church (127 Cobourg Avenue, Winnipeg)

Link to:
Clerics | Photos & Coordinates | Sources

This Winnipeg church began as the Elmwood Mission which gathered at Martin School in November 1903 under the leadership of Thomas B. Kilpatrick, a professor at Manitoba College. The Elmwood Presbyterian Church was formed on 16 March 1904 with 19 charter members and Reverend Daniel Norman McLachlan (first appointed as a missionary) formally assuming Pastor duties in October 1904. Arising from the need for greater capacity, scouting began for a new church building, and a new site was identified on the west side of Kelvin Road (now Henderson Highway), just north of Riverton Avenue. A wooden frame structure was erected there in 1904 and expanded in 1907.

By 1912, that site was outgrown so the congregation acquired this Cobourg Avenue site and a new church was built in three phases. A stone basement, with seating for 700, was designed by architect George Gaspar Teeter and built between 1912 and 1913 by contractor James Worswick at a cost of about $13,500. It was dedicated on 18 May 1913, at which time the name was changed from Elmwood Presbyterian Church to King Memorial Presbyterian Church (shortened to King Memorial Church), in commemoration of the late John Mark King.

In 1914, the second phase, consisting of the expansion of the foundation with twin wings on the east and west sides, measuring 14 feet by 56 feet, was designed by Teeter and built by contractor Worswick at a cost of about $3,200. An $8,500 pipe organ was also installed at that time. During the First World War, 33 of the 273 congregants who served in the military were killed.

The congregation worshiped in a covered basement for 14 years while raising the necessary funds to complete their envisioned structure. In 1927, the third phase consisting of a superstructure designed by Teeter was built by contractor Arthur John Bonnett. The work began with a cornerstone-laying ceremony on 9 April 1927. The church was opened and dedicated by the congregation’s former Reverend McLachlan on 2 October 1927. With seating for 550 on the main floor and a further 200 in the gallery, the east and west wings were designed to allow a main sanctuary capacity increase to 1,000. When finished, the structure contained 25 classrooms for Sunday School classes. The total cost for the building was some $100,000, including around $66,000 for the new edifice.

The name was later changed to King Memorial United Church. Following a decision in March 1967, Winnipeg Presbytery approved the merger of the King Memorial United Church and Gordon United Church (commemorating cleric Andrew Gordon). After amalgamating in April 1967, the church was renamed to Gordon-King Memorial United Church.

A list of parishioners of Gordon Methodist Church (Gordon United Church) who were killed during military service in the First World War and Second World War are displayed here.

Clerics (King Memorial)

Period	Cleric
1903-1904	Thomas Buchanan Kilpatrick (1857-1930)
1904-1920	Daniel Norman McLachlan (c1875-1943)
1920	Hugh John Robertson (1868-1952) (acting)
1920-1929	Edwin Gardiner Dunn Freeman (1890-1973)
1930-1942	David Gavin Paton (1892-1990)
1942-1947	Rev. William G. Berry
1947-1950	Rev. Harry S. Dodgson
1951-?	Rev. H. G. Tolton
?-?	Rev. Ernest P. Johnston
?-1967	?
1967-?	Rev. W. N. Higham

Photos & Coordinates

Gordon-King Memorial United Church (May 2017) Source: George Penner Gordon-King Memorial United Church (January 2024) Source: Jordan Makichuk Interior of Gordon-King Memorial United Church (May 2017) Source: George Penner First World War honour roll for Gordon Methodist Church (February 2026) Source: Amanda Kroeker First World War honour roll for King Memorial Presbyterian Church (February 2026) Source: Amanda Kroeker Second World War honour roll for Gordon United Church (February 2026) Source: Amanda Kroeker Second World War honour roll for King Memorial United Church (February 2026) Source: Amanda Kroeker Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.91553, W97.11598 denoted by symbol on the map above

First World War Casualities (Gordon Methodist)

Name	Occupation	Service	Rank	Birth Date	Death Date
Albert Arthur Avery	Car Cleaner	Private	27th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	31 December 1885	29 August 1918
Cyril James Coleman [Hudson's Bay Company]	Bandsman	Gunner	5th Siege Battery, Canadian Garrison Artillery	12 March 1895	21 April 1917
George Greenwood [Next of Kin]	Customs	Private	78th Battalion Canadian Infantry	22 October 1875	13 January 1918
George Baldwin Hamilton	Clerk	Private	2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles	20 August 1897	10 April 1917
Leslie Hudson	Tinsmith	Private	10th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	27 September 1894	3 June 1916
Milton George Johnson [Next of Kin, St. John's Technical High School, King Memorial Church (Winnipeg)]	Clerk	Private	5th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	18 April 1898	15 August 1917
Albert La Verne (Vernie) Johnston [Next of Kin]	Machinist	Private	10th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	21 May 1895	10 April 1917
Robert William Mountain [Next of Kin, Eatons]	Checker	Sergeant	78th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	19 January 1897	9 April 1917

First World War Casualities (King Presbyterian)

Name	Occupation	Service	Rank	Birth Date	Death Date
James Hamilton Algeo [Next of Kin]	Driver	78th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	12 May 1897	28 August 1915
Luther Algeo [Next of Kin]	Carpenter	11th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Corporal	5 May 1890	21 December 1916
Charles Bunch [Oak Bluff]	Flour Packer	44th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	26 September 1883	25 October 1916
George Burton	Roofer	16th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	29 January 1878	15 August 1916
John Pagan Copeland	Clerk	1st Canadian Mounted Rifles	Private	13 October 1876	6 May 1917
John Dick [Westminster United]	Clerk	5th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	15 February 1891	4 October 1916
Max MacDougall Dickie [Next of Kin, Vimy Ridge]	Clerk	44th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	28 July 1896	7 September 1917
Andrew Don [Next of Kin]	Machinist	43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	30 May 1896	21 September 1916
Andrew Amos Dove	Machinist	Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry	Lance Corporal	28 March 1887	17 September 1916
Frederick John Drewe [Next of Kin]	Salesman	1st Canadian Mounted Rifles	Private	30 June 1885	29 March 1917
James Ferguson [Next of Kin]	P.O. Clerk	5th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Lance Corporal	3 February 1896	15 August 1917
James Daniel Milne Gavin [Next of Kin, Aberdeen, Banff and Kincardine Shires]	Compositor	7th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	14 June 1895	24 April 1915
James Jarvis Geddes [City of Winnipeg Employees, Next of Kin, Winnipeg City Police Plaque]	Policeman	43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Sergeant	8 October 1890	8 October 1916
John Gregson [City of Winnipeg Employees, Next of Kin, Winnipeg City Police Plaque]	Police Constable	8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	24 September 1891	14 June 1916
Archibald Henderson	Salesman	Canadian Light Horse	Corporal	2 August 1884	18 July 1917
George Horne	Carpenter	43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Sergeant	14 March 1891	8 October 1916
William Hutcheon [Aberdeen, Banff and Kincardine Shires]	Teamster	16th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	26 July 1883	18 August 1917
Francis (Frank) Jenkins [Next of Kin]	Carpenter	43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Sergeant	19 March 1897	8 October 1916
Milton George Johnson [Next of Kin, St. John's High]	Clerk	5th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	18 April 1898	15 August 1917
Richard Bathoe Jones [Next of Kin, Union Bank]	Bank Clerk, Union Bank of Canada	44th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	22 August 1894	25 October 1916
John Keddie [Next of Kin]	Teamster	16th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	7 January 1889	28 July 1918
William Cooper McGregor [Vimy Ridge]	Bookkeeper	44th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	24 March 1897	7 May 1917
Thomas McIlveen [Next of Kin]	Salesman	8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Lance Corporal	4 May 1889	27 November 1916
Samuel McMillan	Stationary Engineer	52nd Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	6 January 1883	16 September 1916
George Robert McNeilage	Shoemaker	8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	18 November 1874	10 November 1917
John Alexander McRae [Next of Kin]	Butcher	1st Canadian Mounted Rifles	Private	5 October 1896	5 June 1916
George Anderson Morton [Winnipeg Grain Exchange]	Grain Merchant	Royal Flying Corps	Cadet	20 September 1895	11 August 1917
James Robinson MM [Next of Kin, Swift Canadian Company]	Clerk	27th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	9 August 1897	1 October 1918
Alexander Tocher Shand [City of Winnipeg Employees, Next of Kin, Winnipeg City Police Plaque]	Policeman	16th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	30 April 1889	25 October 1916
Robert Candy Sherrit MM [Next of Kin]	Soda Dispenser	16th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Lance Corporal	5 November 1897	1 October 1918
Alexander Smith	Bench Carpenter	44th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	2 November 1883	4 December 1917
Ernest Stigant [Next of Kin]	Motor Driver	6th Field Company, Canadian Engineers	Sapper	17 January 1876	3 January 1918
Avid Emanuel Strindlund [Next of Kin]	Farmer	78th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	3 June 1894	28 July 1918
William Wilson [Eatons]	Shipper	9th Field Ambulance, Canadian Army Medical Corps	Private	22 August 1897	29 August 1918

Second World War Casualities (Gordon Methodist)

Name	Service	Rank	Birth Date	Death Date
James Hamilton Balloch [RCAF Brandon]	Flying Officer	427 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force	10 November 1917	22 October 1943
Alfred Carlson [RCAF Brandon, Eatons]	Pilot Officer	426 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force	21 November 1923	27 January 1944
George Henry Groves	Private	Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, Royal Canadian Infantry Corps	5 June 1920	14 July 1943
Gordon Groves	Private	Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, Royal Canadian Infantry Corps	28 March 1924	23 May 1944
Samuel Hollingworth	Warrant Officer Class I	No 6 Ordnance Corps, Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps	28 April 1908	17 September 1945
Charles James Roy [RCAF Brandon]	Leading Aircraftman	Royal Canadian Air Force	1 May 1909	14 July 1945

Second World War Casualities (King United)

Name	Service	Rank	Birth Date	Death Date
Robert Keith Alexander	HMCS Chippawa, Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve	Signalman	12 January 1924	30 August 1945
Hugh Donald Beattie [RCAF Brandon, St. John's High School]	405 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force	Flying Officer	28 April 1922	14 May 1943
Norman Garnet Betts [RCAF Brandon, St. John's High School]	434 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force	Flight Sergeant	25 January 1916	23 August 1943
George Beverley [RCAF Brandon]	Royal Canadian Air Force	Sergeant	27 December 1916	26 February 1943
George Allan Birkett [St. John's High School]	Winnipeg Grenadiers, Royal Canadian Infantry Corps	Lieutenant	15 July 1907	19 December 1941
Philip Stuart Camsell [RCAF Brandon]	61 (RAF) Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force	Flight Sergeant	7 July 1914	2 October 1943
Dale Gladstone Carlson	HMS Dipper, Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve	Sub-Lieutenant (A)	15 November 1924	9 November 1945
Neil Allister Dewar [United College, UM Brown & Gold, St. John's High School]	HMS Arrow, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve	Sub-Lieutenant	9 March 1916	4 August 1943
Allen Laird Edy [RCAF Brandon, St. John's High School]	457 (RAAF) Squadron, Royal Air Force	Flight Lieutenant Pilot Instructor	7 May 1916	5 December 1941
Robert Clive Felstead [St. John's High School]	Lanark & Renfrew Scottish Regiment, Royal Canadian Infantry Corps	Lieutenant	29 March 1918	3 December 1944
James Gordon [RCAF Brandon]	Royal Canadian Air Force	Sergeant	4 March 1917	8 July 1941
Charles William Howard [RCAF Brandon]	Royal Australian Air Force attached to Royal Canadian Air Force	Flying Officer	1 October 1923	19 August 1944
John Lindsay [Eatons]	Fort Garry Horse, Royal Canadian Armoured Corps	Sergeant	31 May 1905	16 July 1942
John Wilfred Lofvendahl	2nd Armoured Regiment, Lord Strathcona’s Horse (Royal Canadians), Royal Canadian Armoured Corps	Sergeant	1 July 1918	1 September 1944
Hugh James MacKerracher [UM Brown & Gold]	Royal Winnipeg Rifles, Royal Canadian Infantry Corps	Sergeant	27 December 1920	5 July 1944
Hugh McColl	Canadian Scottish Regiment, Royal Canadian Infantry Corps	Private	29 January 1923	14 October 1944
R. H. Mullins	?	?	?	?
Alvin Gustaf Olson [RCAF Brandon, Stonewall, St. John's High School]	420 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force	Sergeant	8 May 1916	21 January 1943
Robert Albert Shannon DFM [RCAF Brandon, St. John's High School]	427 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force	Flying Officer	2 April 1922	31 March 1944
Morley Vivian Snow [RCAF Brandon, RM Victoria Beach]	431 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force	Flying Officer	30 January 1920	4 December 1943
Lyle Thomas Tarbuth [St. John’s High School]	Winnipeg Grenadiers, Royal Canadian Infantry Corps	Captain	31 October 1910	19 December 1941
James Gordon Tomlinson [RCAF Brandon, St. John's High School]	434 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force	Flight Sergeant	13 January 1922	23 November 1944
William O’Lynn Turk [Eatons]	2nd Armoured Regiment, Lord Stratchcona's Horse (Royal Canadians), Royal Canadian Armoured Corps	Sergeant	19 April 1918	25 May 1944
Leslie Ward [RCAF Brandon, St. John's High School]	113 (RAF) Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force	Warrant Officer	13 September 1913	06 June 1943
George Hamilton Webster [RCAF Brandon, St. John's High School]	214 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force	Pilot Officer	1 August 1919	28 January 1942
Charles Edward Welbanks [Fort Garry Horse, St. John's High School]	10th Armoured Regiment, Fort Garry Horse, Royal Canadian Armoured Corps	Sergeant	27 December 1919	10 June 1944
John Lenus Yeo [RCAF Brandon, St. John's High School]	Royal Canadian Air Force	Sergeant	31 December 1920	11 November 1941

See also:

Memorable Manitobans: Andrew Gordon (1830-1922)

Memorable Manitobans: John Mark King (1829-1899)

Memorable Manitobans: George Gaspar Teeter (1874-1949)

Memorable Manitobans: James Worswick (1876-1951)

Memorable Manitobans: Arthur John Bonnett (1874-1942)

Sources:

“Ladies' Aid will be at home,” Winnipeg Tribune, 29 January 1904, page 3.

“Sunday services in Winnipeg churches [Elmwood Mission],” Winnipeg Tribune, 16 July 1904, page 3.

“Elmwood,” Manitoba Morning Free Press, 18 January 1905, page 15.

“Site for church secured,” Winnipeg Tribune, 16 February 1911, page 5.

City of Winnipeg Building Permit 2928/1912, City of Winnipeg Archives.

“King Memorial Church,” Winnipeg Tribune, 10 May 1913, page 12.

City of Winnipeg Building Permit 722/1914, City of Winnipeg Archives.

“Rev M'Laughlan back to city,” Winnipeg Tribune, 11 July 1914, page 25.

“Rev M'Laughlan will come back,” Winnipeg Tribune, 20 June 1914, page 25.

“M'Lachlan praised for work as Pastor,” Winnipeg Tribune, 23 June 1920, page 3.

“Rev. Freeman, Toronto, called as Pastor of King Memorial Church,” Winnipeg Tribune, 21 September 1920, page 13.

“Fire damages former Elmwood church home,” Winnipeg Tribune, 11 December 1922, page 5.

“Board will consider building new church,” Winnipeg Tribune, 5 November 1926, page 18.

“King Memorial plans for new church edifice,” Winnipeg Tribune, 26 February 1927, page 14.

City of Winnipeg Building Permit 634/1927, City of Winnipeg Archives.

“King Memorial corner stone will be laid,” Winnipeg Tribune, 9 April 1927, page 2.

“Church to buy $8,500 organ,” Winnipeg Tribune, 13 April 1927, page 6.

“King Memorial Church edifice is complete,” Winnipeg Tribune, 24 September 1927, page 18.

“New Elmwood Church,” Manitoba Free Press, 1 October 1927, page 20.

“King Memorial Church to hold dedication meet,” Winnipeg Tribune, 1 October 1927, page 10.

“King Memorial will celebrate 32nd birthday,” Winnipeg Tribune, 3 October 1936, page 15.

“King Memorial congregation to celebrate,” Winnipeg Tribune, 6 October 1934, page 6.

“36th anniversary,” Winnipeg Tribune, 5 October 1940, page 8.

“King Memorial induction Thursday,” Winnipeg Tribune, 4 November 1942, page 13.

“King Memorial United,” Winnipeg Tribune, 29 January 1943, page 5.

“Farewell services at King Memorial,” Winnipeg Free Press, 21 June 1947, page 10.

“Rev. H.S.Dodgson to succeed Berry,” Winnipeg Free Press, 21 June 1947, page 10.

“Rev. H.S. Dodgson,” Winnipeg Free Press, 14 December 1950, page 8.

“Pastor expected at King Memorial by June 1,” Winnipeg Free Press, 28 March 1951, page 17.

“King Memorial United Church,” Winnipeg Free Press, 2 October 1954, page 31.

“Rev. H. Dodgson Still at Knox,” Winnipeg Free Press, 28 July 1962, page 39.

“Gordon-King Memorial holds first service,” Winnipeg Free Press, 8 April 1967, page 30.

We thank Jordan Makichuk and Amanda Kroeker for providing additional information used here.

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

Page revised: 18 March 2026

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