Born at Lackenby, Yorkshire, England on 20 December 1888, he came to Canada in 1909 and worked as a wheelwright. In April 1916, he enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force and went overseas, serving in France with the First Division Motor Transport. He returned to Canada in May 1919 and was a general contractor around Winnipeg for the next several decades.
On 9 December 1913, he married Elsie Anne Bishop (c1891-?) at Winnipeg. They had three children: Arnold John Holmes (1920-1922), Glenn Edward Holmes (1924-?), and Sheila Holmes (c1926-?). He was a member of the Presbyterian church and Canukeena Club. He lived at 91 McAdam Avenue (circa 1916) and 510 Telfer Street South (circa 1940).
Some of his construction work in Manitoba included:
Building
Location
Year
Status
321 Inkster Boulevard, Winnipeg
1929
317 Inkster Boulevard, Winnipeg
1929
323 Inkster Boulevard, Winnipeg
1937
“Society,” Winnipeg Tribune, 4 December 1913, page 8.
Marriage registration [Arthur Edward Holmes, Elsie Anne Bishop], Manitoba Vital Statistics.
Attestation papers, Canadian Expeditionary Force, Library and Archives Canada.
Birth registrations [Arnold John Holmes, Glenn Edward Holmes], Manitoba Vital Statistics.
1921 and 1931 Canada censuses, Ancestry.
Death registration [Arnold John Holmes], Manitoba Vital Statistics.
“Canukeena Club elects Muton as President,” Winnipeg Tribune, 18 May 1937, page 4.
“The Real Property Act,” Winnipeg Tribune, 21 January 1961, page 123.
We thank Jordan Makichuk for providing additional information used here.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 4 January 2026
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