Memorable Manitobans: Robert Allan Garland (1876-1970)

Lawyer.

Born at Greenock, Scotland in 1876, he emigrated with his three sisters to Canada in May 1882. They had been orphaned by the deaths of their parents Margaret and William Mathieson in 1881 and 1879, respectively. On arrival in Canada, they were placed in the Marchmont Home at Belleville, Ontario. He was adopted by Patrick and Frances Garland who had no children of their own, and was educated at Richmond, Ontario, and Ottawa, Ontario. He then taught school in Ontario for two years.

He came to Manitoba in 1895 and taught school for three years at Carberry, while boarding with Wright Garland, brother to Patrick Garland and William Garland. He then articled in law with Gregory Barrett and was called to the Manitoba Bar. He practised at Carberry with Barrett until the time of the latter’s elevation to a Judgeship, afterwards practising alone, serving as solicitor for the Union Bank and Bank of Montreal. He retired from his law practice in 1958.

On 25 May 1909, he married Eleanor Mary “Nellie” Haslam (?-1961). They had two children: Robert Haslam Garland and Eleanor Louise Garland. He was a keen curler and golfer, and a hockey fan. He was an active member of the Carberry Lodge and the AF & AM Carberry Lodge since 1903. He served on the Carberry School Board, the Chamber of Commerce and Board of Trade. He was Town Secretary, Town Clerk, and Mayor in 1927.

He died at his daughter’s Winnipeg residence on 5 February 1970. He is commemorated by the Bob and Nellie Garland Fund of the Carberry and District Foundation, which was established in November 2007.

Sources:

Marriage registration, Manitoba Vital Statistics.

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

Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 7 February 1970, page 34.

We thank John Allan Garland, grandson of R. A. Garland, for providing additional information used in this profile.

Profile revised: 24 March 2009

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