Memorable Manitobans: Robert Watson (1856-1920)

Robert Watson Click to enlarge

Building contractor.

Born at Whitby, Ontario on 31 January 1856, son of William and Mary Watson, through the 1880s and early 1890s he worked as a plasterer and contractor at Toronto. He came to Winnipeg in the mid-1890s and worked as a building contractor. For the last three years of his life, he was an inspector and valuator for the Capital Loan Company.

He was married twice, first to Margaret Parkes (?-?) with whom he had three sons: Robert Charles Watson (1883-1933), Samuel Henry “Harry” Watson (1885-?), and Arthur R. Watson (1886-?). On 29 August 1888, he married widow Christina Russell Hough McCloskey (1862-?) and they had three children: Sydney St. C. Watson (1891-?), Clara Gertrude Watson (1895-?, wife of William Jennings Batsford), and Lilian Jane Watson (1897-?). The family lived at 12 Balmoral Place (c1906-c1911).

He died at his Winnipeg home, 1 Lenore Street, on 1 June 1920 and was buried at Toronto, Ontario.

Some of his construction work in Manitoba included:

Building	Location	Year	Status
Fire Hall No. 1 / Central Fire Hall	110 Albert Street, Winnipeg	1898-1899	Demolished (1966)
Cockshutt Plow Building (with John Alexander Girvin)	238 Princess Street, Winnipeg	1902
Bank of Montreal Building	464 Stradbrook Avenue, Winnipeg	1905
McIntyre Block (expansion)	416 Main Street, Winnipeg	1906	Demolished (1979)
Northern Crown Bank Building	654 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg	1908	Demolished (?)
Miller House	42 Balmoral Street, Winnipeg	1909
Braemar Court	470-476 Balmoral Street, Winnipeg	1910
Braemar Court (annex)	470-476 Balmoral Street, Winnipeg	1910
Rubidge Block	336-338 Colony Street, Winnipeg	1911	Demolished (?)

Sources:

Ontario birth registrations [Robert Charles Watson, Samuel Henry Watson, Sidney Watson], Ancestry.

Ontario marriage registration [Robert Watson, Christina Russle McClockey], Ancestry.

Birth registrations [Clara Gertrude Watson, Lillie Watson], Manitoba Vital Statistics.

1901 and 1911 Canada censuses, Automated Genealogy.

“Society,” Winnipeg Tribune, 26 September 1912, page 9.

Marriage registration [Clara Gertrude Watson, William Jening Batsford], Manitoba Vital Statistics.

Attestation papers [William Jennings Batsford], Canadian Expeditionary Force, Library and Archives Canada.

Death registration [Robert Watson], Manitoba Vital Statistics.

Obituary, Winnipeg Tribune, 3 June 1920, page 19.

“Funeral service for R. Watson at Thomson's this evening,” Manitoba Free Press, 3 June 1920, page 8.

We thank Rosemary Parmley for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 7 January 2026

Memorable Manitobans This is a collection of noteworthy Manitobans from the past, compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. We acknowledge that the collection contains both reputable and disreputable people. All are worth remembering as a lesson to future generations. 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 Browse deaths occurring in: 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 Send corrections and additions to this page to the Memorable Manitobans Administrator at biographies@mhs.mb.ca Criteria for Memorable Manitobans | Suggest a Memorable Manitoban | Firsts | Acknowledgements Help us keep history alive!