Memorable Manitobans: Andrew Strang (1849-1913)

Andrew Strang Click to enlarge

Businessman, municipal official.

Born in Montreal, Quebec on 9 March 1849, son of Struthers and Janet Strang, brother of Robert Strang, he spent his boyhood at Hamilton, Ontario. At sixteen he went to work for the Grand Trunk Railway in Toronto. In 1868, at nineteen, he was sent to Fort Garry by several Hamilton merchants to ascertain trade possibilities and later acted as their agent. Following that he became manager of A. G. B. Bannatyne’s business and in 1881 he went into partnership in the wholesale liquor trade with one of Mr. Bannatyne’s sons. Four years later he became sole proprietor and operator under the name of Andrew Strang & Company.

In 1870 he married Ann Harriott Sinclair of St. Andrew’s, Manitoba. They had ten children: Margaret Caroline Strang (b c1871, wife of Robert Clifford), Algernon Andrew Strang (b 1875), Campbell S. Strang (b 1877), Walter Ewing Strang (b 1880), Harriet Strang (b 1882), Ethel Sinclair Strang (b 1884, wife of R. R. Swan), Harold Beresford Strang (b 1887), Janet Marian Sinclair Strang (b 1889), Robert Sinclair Strang (b 1891), Victor Sinclair Strang (b 1896).

He was elected to the first council of the newly incorporated City of Winnipeg in 1874 and served for several years. He was a promoter of the Hudson Bay railway and was active in various organizations, including the Winnipeg Board of Trade and the Liberal Association. He served for seven years on the Exhibition Board, one year as its president. He was a director of the Winnipeg General Hospital. In 1910 he was appointed Collector of Customs for Winnipeg. He served as president of the St. Andrew’s Society of Winnipeg in 1909 and 1910.

Strang died on 4 September 1913.

Sources:

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

Birth registrations, Manitoba Vital Statistics.

“Andrew Strang called by death,” Manitoba Free Press, 5 September 1913, page 9.

Pioneers and Early Citizens of Manitoba, Winnipeg: Manitoba Library Association, 1971.

This profile was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Profile revised: 22 December 2012

A collection of noteworthy Manitobans from the past, compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. 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 Send corrections and additions to the Memorable Manitobans Administrator at biographies@mhs.mb.ca Suggest a Memorable Manitoban  |  Sources  |  Acknowledgements Support the MHS and