Memorable Manitobans: Benjamin Cronyn Parker (1886-1951)

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Benjamin Cronyn Parker
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Lawyer.

Born at Morden on 5 August 1886, son of Benjamin Cronyn Parker and Mary E. Stodders (?-?), he was educated at Morden and at Wesley College, receiving a BA from the University of Manitoba in 1907. He attended the Manitoba Law School, articled in law with Jeremiah Edward O’Connor and was admitted to the Manitoba Bar in 1910. He practiced with Arthur Eaton Johnston and, after the firm was dissolved, with Machray, Sharpe and Company. He was later senior partner in the law firm of Parker, Parker, Kristjansson and Parker. He was made a King’s Counsel in 1930.

He served on the Board of Regents of United College for over 30 years, and also as its Chairman, President (1944-1946) and Life Member of the Law Society of Manitoba, Chairman of the Winnipeg Public Parks Board (1944-1945), Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Manitoba (1943), a member of the Board of Trustees of the Manitoba Law School, and a member of the Canadian Bar Association. He was a Director of the Winnipeg Maroons Baseball Club, President of the Olympic Rink, and a Director of the Amphitheatre Rink.

In 1911, he married Jessie Cecilia Alward (1891-1973) and they had five children: Benjamin Stuart Parker (1914-1997), Hugh B. Parker (?-?), Gwendolyn Kay Parker (1918-1929), Robert Laird Parker (1919-1942), Shirley J. Parker (?-?, wife of J. E. Leach). The family lived at 166 Matheson Avenue (1911), 744 McMillan Avenue (1918), and 115 West Gate (c1949).

He died at Winnipeg on 28 December 1951 and was buried in the St. John’s Cathedral Cemetery.

See also:

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Chambre House (115 West Gate, Winnipeg)

Sources:

Birth and death registrations, Manitoba Vital Statistics.

“Popular young girl to be buried on Thursday,” Winnipeg Tribune, 27 March 1929, page 8.

Obituary [Gwendolyn Kay Parker], Winnipeg Tribune, 28 March 1929, page 19.

“11 Manitoba barristers named K.C.’s,” Winnipeg Tribune, 1 January 1930, page 1.

“Winnipeg flier killed in Nova Scotia crash,” Winnipeg Tribune, 17 March 1942, page 11.

“B. C. Parker, city lawyer, dies at 65,” Winnipeg Free Press, 28 December 1951.

Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 29 December 1951, page 21.

Obituary [Jessie C. Parker], Winnipeg Free Press, 6 June 1973, page 40.

Obituary [B. Stuart Parker], Winnipeg Free Press, 20 July 1997, page 54.

Obituaries and burial transcriptions, Manitoba Genealogical Society.

We thank Stan Barclay for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 18 November 2021

Memorable Manitobans

Memorable Manitobans

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