Historic Sites of Manitoba: St. George’s Anglican Church / Copley Anglican Church and Cemetery (Municipality of Two Borders)

Known formally as St. George’s Anglican Church, local names for this abandoned fieldstone structure in the Municipality of Two Borders were Butterfield Church and Copley Church. Through the fundraising efforts of Goddard Frederick Gale, construction by local settler William Cornwallis Bate began in the autumn of 1890 and the church was ready for use by the spring of 1892. On 4 September 1892, it was consecrated by Bishop Robert Machray, assisted by Canon Samuel Pritchard Matheson, Reverend Charles Wood, and Reverend Frank Mercer. The first burial in the associated cemetery occurred a month later.

As settlement in the surrounding area waned, church attendance diminished until the building was deconsecrated in June 1913. Church equipment was taken to a new building at Pierson while the organ and pictures were taken to Eunola School. Local lore indicates that, during the years of Prohibition, the isolated location of the building and its close proximity to the American and Saskatchewan borders made it attractive to bootleggers. Efforts were made in 1932 to protect the building from vandalism, by boarding the doors and windows. Since then, the elements have taken a toll. Still intact in 1967, only remnants of the original walls were present at the time of a 2011 site visit.

Copley Anglican Church (circa 1892) Source: Phil Rippin Parishioners of Copley Anglican Church (circa 1920-1930) Source: Laura Murray Collection, Daly House Museum Copley Anglican Church, erected in 1892 (1967) Source: Archives of Manitoba, Architectural Survey - Lyleton District. Interior of Copley Anglican Church (1967) Source: Archives of Manitoba, Architectural Survey - Lyleton District. Remains of the former St. George’s Anglican Church (October 2011) Source: Gordon Goldsborough Remains of the former St. George’s Anglican Church (May 2021) Source: Desirée Rolfe Remains of the former St. George’s Anglican Church (September 2021) Source: Rose Kuzina Remains of the former St. George’s Anglican Church (September 2021) Source: Rose Kuzina Aerial view of the former St. George’s Anglican Church and cemetery (September 2021) Source: George Penner St. George’s Anglican Cemetery (October 2011) Source: Gordon Goldsborough St. George’s Anglican Cemetery (September 2021) Source: Rose Kuzina Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.03012, W101.25183 denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Memorable Manitobans: Goddard Frederick Gale (1858-1938)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Abandoned Manitoba

Sources:

A list of burials in this cemetery is available from the Manitoba Genealogical Society, including a searchable online database available to members at the MGS Manitoba Name Index (MANI). Some additional information is contained in the 1996 MGS publication Carved in Stone: Manitoba Cemeteries and Burial Sites, revised edition, Special Projects Publication, 106 pages.

Harvests of Time: History of the R.M. of Edward by Edward History Book Committee, 1983, pages 146-148.

We thank Phil Rippin, Desirée Rolfe, Eileen Trott, Rose Kuzina, and George Penner for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 22 December 2021

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