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The Sparrow Bros. Limited received its charter of incorporation via Letters Patent on 6 May 1919 under The Manitoba Joint Stock Companies Act, and represented the formalization to the prior Sparrow Brothers non-registered partnership of contractor-siblings Frank Allen Sparrow and David Henry Sparrow (1871-1959), both of whom had been carrying on business together at Winnipeg since around 1904.
The founding (1919) members of the firm were Frank Allen Sparrow and his spouse Annie Mary Sparrow, David Henry Sparrow, Marion Shelmerdine (stenographer), and John Stanley McRae (barrister), all of Winnipeg. The brothers each served as Directors (1919-1958) along with McRae (1919-?) or James Coupar (c1934-1958). Its initial capital stock was set at $40,000 and the headquarters were located at 484 Academy Road [now re-indexed as 167 Borebank Street]. The firm focused on general construction and contracting, with an emphasis on residental dwellings in the River Heights, Crescentwood, Tuxedo, and Fort Rouge areas through the 1920s.
During the mid-1930s, the firm unintentionally neglected to file its annual returns, which lead to its charter being cancelled on 10 November 1937. However, upon receiving formal notice of the forfeiture, the proper documentation was filed, required fees paid, and a request submitted to revive the charter. That oversight was restored retroactively on 11 October 1938 and backdated to November 1937, smoothing over the interruption. From around 1940 to 1943, the company operated an equipment and vehicle manintenance garage at 308 Morley Avenue.
In May 1958, the company gave public notice of winding up its operations. Having concluded its procedural requirements by early June 1959, application to surrender its charter and registration were submitted to the Companies Office, and both were officially revoked by Order-in-Council on 19 June 1959.
Building
Location
Year
Status
342 Dromore Avenue, Winnipeg
1912
66 Harvard Avenue, Winnipeg
1925
101 Park Boulevard, Winnipeg
1926
225 Lamont Boulevard, Winnipeg
1926
207 Park Boulevard, Winnipeg
1927
229 Lamont Boulevard, Winnipeg
1927
210 Lamont Boulevard, Winnipeg
1929
120 Lamont Boulevard, Winnipeg
1929
12 West Gate, Winnipeg
1929-1930
155 Waverley Street, Winnipeg
1931
White House
202 Handsart Boulevard
1931
39 Nanton Boulevard, Winnipeg
1936
See also:
Memorable Manitobans: Frank Allen Sparrow (1878-1967)
Companies Office corporation documents (CCA 0059), 459S - Sparrow Bros. Limited, GR6427, Archives of Manitoba.
Companies Office corporation documents (CCA 0059), 2001 - Sparrow Bros. Limited, GR15138, Archives of Manitoba.
Companies Office corporation documents (CCA 0059), Sparrow Bros. Limited - annual returns [1919-1931], GR14243, Archives of Manitoba.
Orders-In-Council (EC 0003B), Order-in-Council #1066/38 & 852/59, GR0589, Archives of Manitoba.
“Under The Companies Act [Sparrow Brothers Limited],” Winnipeg Tribune, 14 July 1958, page 22.
“Funeral Tuesday for D. H. Sparrow,” Winnipeg Free Press, 15 August 1959, page 4.
“David H. Sparrow retired contractor,” Winnipeg Tribune, 15 August 1959, page 31.
Death notice [David Henry Sparrow], Winnipeg Free Press, 17 August 1959, page 23.
“Tuesday funeral for D. H. Sparrow,” Winnipeg Tribune, 17 August 1959, page 27.
We thank Jordan Makichuk and Blair Bingeman for providing additional information used here.
This page was prepared by Nathan Kramer and Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 4 August 2025
