Memorable Manitobans: Francis Robert “Frank” Dowse (1876-1948)

Businessman, municipal official.

Born at Franklin Centre, Quebec on 9 April 1876, son of Henry Dowse and Margaret Rennie, he was educated at Valleyfleld. He came West in 1892 and organized the Dowse Sash and Door Works in 1913, serving as its President and General Manager. He also served as President of the Tyee Stucco Works, President of the Winnipeg Builders’ Exchange (?), and President of the St. Boniface Board of Trade (1925).

On 25 April 1899, he married Agnes Masson Stewart (?-?) and they had two sons and three daughters. He served as an Council Alderman for the City of St. Boniface (1922-1923) and Mayor of St. Boniface (1933). He was a member of the Masons (Past Worshipful Master of King Edward Lodge No. 93), IOOF (Past Noble Grand, DDGM, District No. 1), and Rotary Club. He served as President of the Hoo Hoo Club and Heather Curling Club (1917-1918), and Secretary-Treasurer and Manager of the Norwood Recreation Committee.

He died at Victoria, British Columbia on 15 February 1948 and was buried in Winnipeg’s Brookside Cemetery. He is commemorated by Dowse Street in Winnipeg.

Sources:

Marriage registration, Manitoba Vital Statistics.

1901 Canada census, Automated Genealogy.

Pioneers and Prominent People of Manitoba, Winnipeg: Canadian Publicity Company, 1925.

“Funeral Saturday for F. R. Dowse,” Winnipeg Free Press, 18 February 1948.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 27 February 2023

Memorable Manitobans

Memorable Manitobans

This is a collection of noteworthy Manitobans from the past, compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. We acknowledge that the collection contains both reputable and disreputable people. All are worth remembering as a lesson to future generations.

Search the collection by word or phrase, name, place, occupation or other text:

Custom Search

Browse surnames beginning with:
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | Y | Z

Browse deaths occurring in:
1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024


Send corrections and additions to this page
to the Memorable Manitobans Administrator at biographies@mhs.mb.ca

Criteria for Memorable Manitobans | Suggest a Memorable Manitoban | Firsts | Acknowledgements

Help us keep
history alive!