Historic Sites of Manitoba: Augustine Presbyterian Church / Augustine United Church / Augustine War Memorial (444 River Avenue, Winnipeg)

Link to:
Clerics | Photos & Coordinates | Sources

The congregation’s first service was held on 26 June 1887 at the old Pembina School, having purchased this site in April 1887 at a cost of $800. A wooden frame church was erected that year with seating for 200. Completed at a cost of $2,062.71, a vestry and classroom opened on 28 August 1892. The structure was moved to the back of the property in April 1903 and used as a Sunday School. It was demolished in April 1909.

The present structure, a municipally-designated historic site, was built in 1903 to meet a rapid increase in the local population. Considered one of Winnipeg’s finest examples of Gothic Revival architecture, it is distinguished by its use of the pointed arch, flying buttresses, and rib vault. The church was designed by local architect J. H. G. Russell and built of limestone by Malcom Construction, completed in 1910 at a cost of $65,000. The cornerstone of the building was laid with a silver trowel by Lady McMillan on 23 June 1903. Its contents were:

On the front (north) lawn of the church is a beautifully carved stone memorial commemorating parishioners who died in the First World War. It was dedicated at a ceremony on 10 October 1920.

Clerics

Period

Cleric

1887

Rev. Norman Russell BA

1887-1891

Andrew Browning Baird (1855-1940)

1891-1900

Roderick George McBeth [MacBeth] (1858-1934)

1900-1915

Gilbert B. Wilson (1866-1962)

1915-1925

Rev. Dr. E. Leslie Pidgeon

1926-1929

Rev. Robert B. Cochrane

1929-1939

Dr. Alex Kerr

1939-1947

Dr. Russell McGillivray

1947-1954

Rev. George Service

1954

Rev. A. E. Armstrong

1955-1958

Rev. Rolph Morden

1958-1963

Dr. N. K. Clifford

1963-1966

Rev. W. D. Titus

1966-1969

Rev. Jim Strachan

1969-1970

Rev. David Stiven

1970-1972

Rev. Jim Strachan

1972-1978

Rev. Ron McIntosh

1979-1985

Rev. Jim Uhrich

1979-1987

Rev. Ian Macdonald

1985-1986

David Ringer

1986-?

Rev. Karen Toole-Mitchell
Rev. Peter Mitchell

Photos & Coordinates

Augustine United Church

Augustine United Church (April 2017)
Source: George Penner

Interior of Augustine United Church

Interior of Augustine United Church (April 2017)
Source: George Penner

Interior of Augustine United Church

Interior of Augustine United Church (April 2017)
Source: George Penner

Augustine War Memorial

Augustine War Memorial (October 2014)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough

Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.87925, W97.14556
denoted by symbol on the map above

Church Parishioners Killed in the First World War

Name

Occupation

Service

Rank

Birth Date

Death Date

George Adams

Teamster

43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

1883

15 April 1917

Robert Frederick Aitken
[Blue Ribbon Tea, Next of Kin]

Chemist

78th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Lieutenant

31 May 1894

9 April 1917

Earl Sabinsky Alward
[La Verendrye School, Next of Kin]

Steam fitter

9th Battalion, Canadian Railway Troops

Sapper

1 February 1896

3 November 1917

John Robertson Baird
[Blue Ribbon Tea, Canadian Club, Next of Kin]

Bookkeeper

1st Canadian Mounted Rifles

Private

2 February 1891

5 June 1916

Andrew Stuart Baird
[Law Society, Manitoba College, Next of Kin]

Lawyer

14th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Lieutenant

31 December 1891

8 August 1918

Samuel Percy Benson
[Canadian Club]

Jewelry engraver

78th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Lieutenant

1887

9 April 1917

Peter William Bissett
[Kelvin, Next of Kin, Wesley College]

Student

1st Battalion, Canadian Machine Gun Corps

Private

1896

14 July 1916

Douglas Upton Cameron
[Next of Kin]

Agent

2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles

Major

27 February 1886

30 October 1917

Cecil Jardine Farr

Accountant

46th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Lieutenant

1888

12 April 1917

Wiliam James Ferguson

Railroad Brakeman

8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

1891

5 November 1919

Leonard Foster

?

?

?

?

?

Allan Watson Fraser
[Kelvin, Next of Kin]

?

Royal Flying Corps

Cadet

?

30 May 1917

John C. Grant

Chauffeur

16th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

1888

12 April 1917

John “Jack” Grant
[Next of Kin]

Dry Goods Salesman

27th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

9 January 1892

6 November 1917

Augustin Hague

Clerk

27th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

1895

3 October 1916

William John Douglas Harrison

Contractor

8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

1887

14 June 1916

Archibald Sinclair Hunter
[Aberdeen Banff Kincardine, Next of Kin]

Coach cleaner

43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

10 February 1889

23 May 1916

J. G. Hunter

?

?

?

?

?

George Wilkin Kaslake

Teamster

10th Company, Canadian Machine Gun Corps

Private

1890

27 October 1916

Victor Robert Keeling

Trainman

Canadian Motor Machine Gun Brigade

Private

1887

24 March 1918

Maxwell George Kruspe
[Pharmacy]

Pharmacist

27th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

4 September 1892

27 July 1917

John Lumsden

Trainman

4th Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery

Gunner

1892

24 April 1917

Thomas Lumsden
[Next of Kin]

Brakeman

43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

5 January 1894

7 June 1916

Herbert George Maybank
[IODE, Kelvin]

Student

29th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

1893

19 April 1916

Donald MacDonald

?

?

?

?

?

William George McCaully

Collector

8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

1895

26 September 1916

James Irvine McClellan

Banker

16th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

1892

4 September 1916

Alexander "Scotty" McFeat MM
[Next of Kin, Westminster]

Clerk

Royal Canadian Regiment

Private

1892

22 December 1916

Donald Roy McKellar

Retail buyer and manager

16th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

1892

4 September 1916

Edgar Alexander McLennan
[Kelvin, Next of Kin]

Bank clerk

14th Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery

Driver

7 September 1897

14 September 1917

Joseph Robert Morton

Labourer

The Royal Canadian Regiment

Private

1890

31 October 1917

Thomas Patterson DCM & Bar
[Next of Kin]

Car Inspector

27th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Company Sergeant Major

1 August 1873

3 May 1917

James Ernest Robertson
[Canadian Club, Law Society]

Barrister

27th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Lieutenant

20 June 1879

9 March 1916

Robert William Shirley
[Swan Lake]

Farmer

78th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Lance Corporal

1897

11 August 1918

Clarence Gordon Simpson

Clerk

1st Canadian Mounted Rifles

Sergeant

1887

13 April 1917

William Rowe Smith

Clerk

72nd Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

1878

4 April 1917

Alfred Charles Steele

Bookkeeper

8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

1889

26 September 1916

Alexander MacBeth Sutherland
[Next of Kin]

Student

Royal Air Force

2nd Lieutenant

1897

2 July 1918

Robert Sutherland

Clerk

43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

1889

8 October 1916

Robert Buchanan Young
[Wesley College]

Bookkeeper

16th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

1893

16 May 1916

See also:

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Municipally Designated Historic Sites

Sources:

“Augustine Church,” Manitoba Daily Free Press, 9 August 1887, page 4.

“Tenders,” Winnipeg Tribune, 26 February 1903, page 2.

“Augustine Presbyterian Church,” Winnipeg Tribune, 2 March 1903, page 1.

“Lady M’Millan to lay stone,” Winnipeg Tribune, 20 June 1903, page 10.

“Opening of new St. Augustine’s,” Winnipeg Tribune, 24 June 1903, page 2.

“Augustine new church,” Winnipeg Tribune, 7 October 1904, page 1.

“Dedicatory services of Augustine Church,” Winnipeg Tribune, 17 October 1904, page 5.

“Dedication is completed,” Winnipeg Tribune, 24 October 1904, page 4.

“Augustine Church organ,” Manitoba Morning Free Press, 18 February 1905, page 14.

“Augustine addition,” Winnipeg Tribune, 19 April 1909, page 9.

“Augustine Church Fort Rouge’s pride,” Winnipeg Tribune, 19 December 1914, page 25.

“St. Augustine to call Rev. Pidgeon,” Winnipeg Tribune, 13 December 1915, page 10.

“Will dedicate war memorial,” Winnipeg Tribune, 9 October 1920, page 1.

“Toronto pastor called to pulpit in St. Augustine,” Winnipeg Tribune, 22 October 1925, page 1.

“Rev. Dr. R. B. Cochrane to arrive in January,” Winnipeg Tribune, 4 December 1925, page 8.

“Congregation honors pastor, leaving city,” Winnipeg Tribune, 1 October 1929, page 2.

One Hundred Years of Augustine: 1887-1987 by the Augustine Congregation, 1987.

Information for this page was provided by The City of Winnipeg’s Planning, Property and Development Department, which acknowledges the contribution of the Government of Manitoba through its Heritage Grants Program.

For the names of First World War casualities from Manitoba who do not appear on any physical monument in the province, see the Manitoba Historical Society War Memorial. If you know of a name that is omitted from this list, please contact the MHS War Memorial Researcher Darryl Toews (darryl@mhs.mb.ca).

Soldiers of the First World War - Canadian Expeditionary Force, Library and Archives Canada.

Canadian Virtual War Memorial, Veterans Affairs Canada.

Financial support for research reported on this page was provided by the Manitoba Heritage Grants Program (2015-2016).

Augustine United (Presbyterian) Church (444 River Avenue), City of Winnipeg Historical Buildings Committee, September 2007.

We thank George Penner for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough, Nathan Kramer, and Darryl Toews.

Page revised: 17 March 2024

Historic Sites of Manitoba

This is a collection of historic sites in Manitoba compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. The information is offered for historical interest only.

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