Historic Sites of Manitoba: Winnipeg Electric Railway Building (213-219 Notre Dame Avenue, Winnipeg)

Link to:
Photos & Coordinates | Sources

This eleven-storey brick, steel, and terra cotta building at the northeast corner of Notre Dame Avenue and Albert Street in Winnipeg, measuring 80 feet by 100 feet, was designed by the local architectural firm of Pratt and Ross. It was built between 1912 and 1913, using structural steel provided by Dominion Bridge, by the construction firm of Carter-Halls-Aldinger for the Winnipeg Electric Railway Company at a cost of about $800,000.

The company occupied its basement and first two floors but, by 1944, had expanded into about half of the space. In 1953, the provincial government purchased the firm’s plants, distribution facilities, and bus system on behalf of the Manitoba Hydro-Electric Board. The Board used this building as its corporate headquarters until 1963.

In July 1917, the company published an honour roll listing its employees who had enlisted in the First World War as of 31 March 1917. Five hundred bound copies of a booklet (available at Peel's Prairie Provinces digital collection at the University of Alberta) were produced and made available to the public for free. The honour roll identified each employee's occupation or work area with the company. Most entries also included the employee's rank and battalion. Twenty-eight employees were identified as having been killed or died of wounds. Additional research has identified more than 60 additional employees listed in the document were also killed in the war. The majority of these employees were killed after 31 March 1917.

The building is a municipally-designated historic site.

Photos & Coordinates

Electric Railway Building

Electric Railway Building (June 2011)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough

Richly detailed terra cotta on the Electric Railway Building

Richly detailed terra cotta on the Electric Railway Building (July 2015)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough

Richly detailed terra cotta on the Electric Railway Building

Electric Railway Building (November 2021)
Source: George Penner

Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.89556, W97.14055
denoted by symbol on the map above

First World War Casualties

Name

Occupation

Service

Rank

Birth Date

Death Date

Robert Adam

Motorman

8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Company Sergeant Major

10 April 1891

9 August 1918

David Lowson Adamson
[Next of Kin, St. James Presbyterian]

Steamfitter

27th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

11 July 1881

10 October 1917

George Aitkens
[Next of Kin]

Railway Conductor

16th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

13 December 1893

23 April 1915

John Anderson

Labourer

8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

3 June 1877

13 April 1916

Louis Henry Anderson

Clerk

31st Battalion Canadian Infantry

Private

25 December 1887

3 May 1917

Edwin Vere Ball
[Next of Kin]

Motorman

16th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

26 August 1879

9 April 1917

Thomas John Barr

Motorman

8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Sergeant

22 August 1882

9 July 1916

Leonard Richard Bartlett

Motorman

3rd Divisional Ammunition Column, Canadian Field Artillery

Driver

11 November 1891

22 February 1917

Joseph William Bell
[Next of Kin, St. Matthew's Anglican]

Laborer

78th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

9 April 1884

27 September 1918

Fred Birchenall
[Next of Kin]

Street Railway Conductor

43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

8 December 1883

8 October 1916

Thomas Broadfoot
[Woodlands]

Labourer

78th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

10 May 1880

16 March 1918

Dougal Cameron

Car Repairer

78th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Lance Corporal

24 June 1892

1 June 1918

Alexander Campbell

Car Conductor

43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

27 September 1877

20 April 1916

George Francis Causey

Upholsterer

27th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

22 September 1880

6 July 1917

Bennett Greet Collins

Street Railway Conductor

1st Company, Canadian Machine Gun Corps

Private

1 April 1892

13 November 1917

Alexander Cooper
[Killarney, Next of Kin]

Conductor

8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

15 December 1891

24 July 1917

William Arthur James Copsey

Motorman

85th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

4 June 1891

30 October 1917

John Cowie

Motorman

25th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Sergeant

13 January 1887

9 August 1918

Michael Cullen

Gas Worker

78th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

6 May 1873

24 May 1916

Albert Darby

Groom

8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Sergeant

23 June 1880

24 December 1918

William G. Davidson

Car Conductor

2nd Battalion, Gordon Highlanders, British Army

Lance Corporal

1881

1 April 1915

Charles Robert Dayton
[Next of Kin]

Motorman

43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Sergeant

2 September 1890

27 June 1917

Thomas De Courcy

Street Car Conductor

8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

1 May 1891

25 April 1915

Bert Dean

Motorman

1st Battalion, Canadian Machine Gun Corps

Private

9 June 1890

4 September 1916

John Donald

Conductor

16th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

10 April 1892

13 May 1916

William Donald

Motorman

16th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

4 August 1885

23 April 1915

George Horace Dow
[Next of Kin, St. Matthew's Anglican]

Gas Fitter

8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

5 October 1897

26 September 1916

Thomas Hunter Fyfe
[Next of Kin]

Wire Weaver

78th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

16 July 1890

9 April 1917

Albert Edward Galbraith
[Miami]

Steam Engineer

7th Battalion, Canadian Machine Gun Corps

Private

16 May 1890

18 September 1916

George Gooderham
[Next of Kin]

Gas-fitter

19th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

31 October 1894

4 September 1916

Robert Stewart Gordon
[Next of Kin]

Labourer

The Fort Garry Horse

Private

23 April 1888

14 February 1918

William John James Gordon
[Next of Kin]

Street Car Conductor

78th Battalion Canadian Infantry

Private

13 September 1895

30 October 1917

Philip Adolphus Hall
[Next of Kin]

Elevator Man

78th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

27 April 1876

14 October 1916

Wilfred Edwin Ham
[Holy Trinity, Next of Kin, St. Matthew's Anglican]

Street Car Conductor

8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

8 January 1893

14 June 1916

John James Harbison
[Next of Kin]

Street Car Conductor

Royal Army Medical Corps

Private

26 December 1898

14 July 1916

Duke Harrison
[Next of Kin]

Motorman

78th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

25 January 1884

14 October 1916

John Haylor

Conductor

6th Battalion, Canadian Field Artillery

Driver

21 November 1884

4 September 1918

John Herbert

Conductor

43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Lance Corporal

21 January 1889

8 October 1916

George Stewart Hitch

Motorman

5th Battalion, Royal Air Force

Lieutenant

25 September 1892

9 November 1918

Harry Hicks Hodgson
[Next of Kin]

Motorman

1st Canadian Mounted Rifles

Private

12 June 1885

16 September 1918

John Hollingworth
[St. Philip’s Anglican]

Car Repairer

43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

21 June 1892

8 October 1916

Bernard Henry Hudson
[Next of Kin]

Motorman

1st Company, Canadian Machine Gun Corps

Private

14 July 1882

12 April 1917

Albert Hughes
[Next of Kin]

Labour

10th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

17 May 1894

22 April 1915

James Humphreys
[St. John's Anglican]

Gas-stoker

27th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Sergeant

7 August 1880

10 April 1917

Allen Grannis Ingalls
[Next of Kin, St. Matthew's Anglican]

Electrician

8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

29 January 1893

16 April 1915

Thomas James Kearney

Motorman

5th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

18 February 1888

28 April 1917

James Kilgour

Street Railway Employee

Lord Strathcona's Horse

Private

8 November 1885

1 December 1917

Alexander Sutherland King

Labourer

16th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

28 March 1894

20 November 1915

Albert Jeffery Kirk

Conductor

8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

6 September 1887

26 July 1916

Edward Lane

Gas Works

8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

1 July 1892

26 September 1916

James Albert Laws

Car Motorman

52nd Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

11 June 1885

1 April 1918

Henry Louis Loaring

Conductor

2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles

Private

31 August 1888

9 April 1917

Murray Alvin Matthews

Motorman

43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

3 November 1887

3 June 1919

Peter McBeth
[Next of Kin]

Street Car Conductor

12th Field Ambulance, Canadian Army Medical Corps

Private

7 February 1882

3 September 1918

A. McDonald  

?

90th Battalion

?

?

?

Alexander John McDonald

Street Car Conductor

16th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

5 May 1885

6 September 1916

Peter McDougall

Car Repairer

78th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

6 August 1894

25 May 1917

William McIntosh

Motorman

43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

21 February 1884

11 April 1918

John McLaughlin
[Next of Kin]

Farmer

43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

18 December 1890

17 October 1916

Patrick A. McManus

Motorman

16th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

31 November 1894

19 May 1915

George Alexander Mendham

Gas Stoker

43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

29 June 1872

25 September 1916

Arthur Miller

Conductor Street Car

8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

14 April 1880

9 August 1918

George Milne

Conductor

3rd Battalion, Canadian Engineers

Sergeant

8 October 1894

20 July 1918

Benjamin Moir
[St. Giles]

Blacksmith

16th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

28 November 1889

23 April 1915

Thomas Moody

Street Car Conductor

15th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

4 May 1893

7 October 1916

Alfred Ernest Morison
[Roland, Sperling]

Conductor

78th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

26 February 1891

9 April 1917

William Murison
[Next of Kin, St. John's Anglican]

Car Conductor

1st Canadian Mounted Rifles

Private

11 November 1891

24 June 1917

Archibald Murray

Engineer

43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

28 May 1886

26 October 1917

George Newsome Murray
[St. John's Anglican]

Cashier

Canadian Field Artillery

Bombardier

2 September 1895

28 August 1918

Albert Nelson
[Next of Kin]

Timekeeper

The Fort Garry Horse

Trooper

4 November 1895

20 February 1919

William Lewis Nelson

Conductor

78th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

8 September 1889

29 October 1917

John Porterfield
[Next of Kin]

Farmer & Motorman

The Fort Garry Horse

Private

7 December 1883

11 October 1918

John Howard "Jack" Pounds

Conductor

78th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Corporal

20 January 1892

13 September 1916

Frank Radclyffe
[Next of Kin]

Motorman

78th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

6 March 1886

11 April 1917

William Fleming Rae
[Next of Kin]

Car Repairer

8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

30 December 1892

28 April 1917

Lancelot Rennison

Electrician

3rd Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery

Lieutenant

22 January 1893

27 September 1918

William George Roulston

Conductor

10th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

29 September 1890

22 June 1915

William James Scott

Farmer

27th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

12 May 1885

15 September 1916

George Gordon Shields

Street Railway Motorman

43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

3 April 1881

6 October 1916

West Shuttleworth
[108 Battalion, Next of Kin]

Gas Maker

78th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

24 October 1878

1 November 1917

William Wallace Small
[Next of Kin]

Locomotive Fireman

12th Field Ambulance, Canadian Army Medical Corps

Private

25 August 1894

22 October 1916

Alexander Duguid Smith

Motorman

43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

31 December 1893

12 November 1917

Frederick Stanley Smith  

Electrician

16th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

19 November 1888

13 April 1915

William Smith MM
[Next of Kin]

Street Car Conductor

16th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Corporal

20 November 1891

16 August 1918

C. Stanton  

?

?

?

?

?

Herbert Stanley Swan
[Austin, Holy Trinity, Next of Kin, St. Philips]

Electrician

78th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

3 November 1891

25 November 1916

William Walkling DCM
[Next of Kin, St. Albans Anglican]

Engineer Fitter

43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

2 November 1894

28 August 1918

Thomas William Walton

Conductor, Street Railway

16th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

26 March 1892

4 August 1916

Frank Mortimer Webb

Tinsmith

5th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

18 August 1894

26 September 1916

Jack Warren Wells

Car Cleaner

10th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Corporal

1895

28 April 1917

William Charles Winters

Conductor

78th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Staff Sergeant

7 May 1886

2 March 1919

Edward Harry Woods

Shoemaker

Canadian Army Medical Corps

Private

28 February 1887

10 April 1916

John Calvin Wright
[Next of Kin]

Conductor Street Railway

54th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

17 August 1895

1 March 1917

 

See also:

Manitoba Business: Pratt and Ross

Manitoba Business: Dominion Bridge Company

Manitoba Business: Carter-Halls-Aldinger / Commonwealth Construction Company

Manitoba Business: Winnipeg Electric Railway Company / Winnipeg Electric Company

Manitoba Business: Manitoba Power Commission / Manitoba Hydro-Electric Board / Winnipeg Hydro / Manitoba Hydro

Manitoba Business: Winnipeg Electric Railway Company / Winnipeg Electric Company

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Municipally Designated Historic Sites

Sources:

City of Winnipeg Building Permit 2606/1912, City of Winnipeg Archives.

“Basement work is now about finished,” Winnipeg Tribune, 10 September 1912, page 1.

“Work progressing rapidly on new Street Railway Building,” Manitoba Free Press, 9 November 1912, page 13.

“Builders and contractors of the new Winnipeg Electric Street Railway Building,” Winnipeg Tribune, 15 March 1913, page 21.

“Hundreds of street car crews went overseas to fight for Winnipeg,” Manitoba Free Press, 23 July 1917, page 2.

Winnipeg fire insurance map, #201 May 1956, City of Winnipeg Archives.

Electric Railway Chambers (213 Notre Dame Avenue), City of Winnipeg Historical Buildings Committee, April 1981.

We thank George Penner and Jordan Makichuk for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough and Darryl Toews.

Page revised: 23 February 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.

Browse lists of:
Museums/Archives | Buildings | Monuments | Cemeteries | Locations | Other

Inclusion in this collection does not confer special status or protection. Official heritage designation may only come from municipal, provincial, or federal governments. Some sites are on private property and permission to visit must be secured from the owner.

Site information is provided by the Manitoba Historical Society as a free public service only for non-commercial purposes.


Send corrections and additions to this page
to the MHS Webmaster at webmaster@mhs.mb.ca.

Search Tips | Suggest an Historic Site | FAQ

Help us keep history alive!