Thomas Kelly (1855-1939)

Building contractor.

Born in Ireland on 15 August 1855, he emigrated to the United States in 1864 and was educated in Oneida County, New York. He commenced business in Winnipeg as a contractor in 1881 as a partner in the firm of Kelly Brothers, with his brothers Michael Kelly and Martin Kelly. In 1903 the firm of Kelly Brothers & Company was merged into The Manitoba Construction Company, of which company he was president and manager. After two years this firm went out of business and then Kelly formed the firm of Kelly Brothers, Mitchell, Limited, of which he became president and manager. In 1908 he formed the firm of Thomas Kelly & Sons.

During the many years he has been in the contracting business the following are some of the more notable buildings that have been erected by him or by the firms of which he has been the head:

• Dominion Government Post Office (Vancouver, BC)
• Canadian Bank of Commerce Buildings (Vancouver, BC)
• Dominion Government Post Office Building (Winnipeg)
• Grain Exchange Building (Winnipeg)
• Free Press Building (Winnipeg)
• Imperial Bank (Winnipeg)
• Bank of Toronto (Winnipeg)
• Bank of Nova Scotia (Winnipeg)
• Canadian Pacific Railway Shops (Winnipeg)
• Canadian Northern Railway Shops (Winnipeg

Has also constructed the substructures of several bridges across the Red and Assiniboine Rivers in Winnipeg. He was married in 1882 to Margaret Corbett. He has six sons and one daughter.

He retired to Beverly Hills, California in 1924 and died there fifteen years later.

Sources:

Who’s Who in Western Canada: A Biographical Dictionary of Notable Living Men and Women of Western Canada, Volume 1, 1911. C. W. Parker, editor. Canadian Press Association, Vancouver.

Profile revised: 3 February 2010

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