Historic Sites of Manitoba: Knox United Church (451 Eighteenth Street, Brandon)

This United Church at the northeast corner of the intersection of Eighteenth Street and Victoria Avenue in Brandon was designed by local architect Ian McKenzie Brown and constructed between 1955 and 1956. It was dedicated at a service on 15 April 1956. On display here are the datestones for Victoria Avenue Methodist Church (1909), Knox Presbyterian Church (1910), and Knox United Church (1938).

On 7 November 1920, a memorial tablet for the members of Knox Presbyterian Church who died in the First World War was unveiled by Brigadier General James Kirkcaldy (1866-1957), Major William John Creelman (1872-1964), and Reverend Robert Hamilton Lowry (1874-1947). It is presently located in the lobby of this church.

Datestone for Victoria Avenue Methodist Church (April 2025) Source: Gordon Goldsborough Datestone for Knox Presbyterian Church (April 2025) Source: Gordon Goldsborough Datestone for Knox United Church (April 2025) Source: Gordon Goldsborough First World War honour roll for Knox Presbyterian Church (April 2025) Source: Gordon Goldsborough Second World War honour roll for Knox United Church (April 2025) Source: Gordon Goldsborough Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.84262, W99.96134 denoted by symbol on the map above

First World War Casualties

Name	Occupation	Service	Rank	Birth Date	Death Date
Sidney Bowen [Brandon Armoury]	Driver	27th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	12 November 1894	15 September 1916
Thomas Calder [Brandon Armoury, Brandon Fire Department]	Fireman	45th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	30 May 1885	24 February 1916
William Ewen Clark [Brandon Armoury]	Teamster	1st Canadian Mounted Rifles	Private	30 October 1887	15 September 1916
James Crowner	Miner	1st Canadian Mounted Rifles	Private	?	11 May 1916
William Dingwall [Brandon Armoury, Brandon Fire Department, Brandon Orange Order]	Fireman	1st Canadian Mounted Rifles	Lance Corporal	9 April 1890	7 April 1917
Alexander Donaldson [Brandon Armoury, Brandon Orange Order]	Teamster	44th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Sergeant	3 October 1882	1 January 1919
Thomas Dunnett [Brandon Armoury, Brandon Fire Department]	Fireman	1st Canadian Mounted Rifles	Private	14 February 1887	5 June 1916
John Esslemont [Brandon Armoury]	Police Officer	54th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Lieutenant	19 March 1889	21 November 1916
William Esslemont [Brandon Armoury, Brandon Fire Department]	Fireman	1st Canadian Mounted Rifles	Company Sergeant Major	20 March 1894	9 April 1917
William John Galbraith [Brandon Armoury]	Sheet Metal Worker	27th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	14 August 1891	15 September 1916
Ernest Walter Hallam [Brandon College]	Insurance Broker	18th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Captain	16 April 1884	29 September 1915
Percy Harrison [Brandon Armoury]	Tinsmith	1st Canadian Mounted Rifles	Sergeant	15 August 1894	2 June 1916
Arthur David Hosie [Brandon Armoury, Brandon College, Brandon Orange Order]	Fire Insurance Act.	43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Lieutenant	3 May 1893	9 October 1916
Andrew Graham Irving [Brandon Armoury]	Locomotive Fireman	1st Canadian Mounted Rifles	Private	24 November 1896	2 June 1916
John Kennedy [Brandon Armoury, Brandon Orange Order, Codville Company]	Warehouseman	1st Canadian Mounted Rifles	Private	7 October 1885	6 December 1915
Reginald George Longley [Bank of Ottawa, Brandon Armoury]	Clerk	Lord Strathcona's Horse	Trooper	7 June 1896	30 March 1918
James Reid Martin	Clerk	8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Quartermaster Sergeant	12 January 1888	16 January 1919
Howard McCuaig [Brandon Armoury]	Butcher	27th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	23 August 1894	4 April 1916
Sydney McGill	Farmer	1st Canadian Mounted Rifles	Private	8 August 1884	17 September 1916
Alfred Francis Merkel [Brandon Armoury]	Clerk	27th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	29 March 1888	15 September 1916
Ritchie Milne [Brandon Orange Order]	Farmer	27th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	9 December 1915	13 February 1894
David James Robertson [Brandon Armoury, Manitoba Government Telephone, Brandon Orange Order]	Storekeeper (Manitoba Government Telephones)	22nd Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps	Serjeant	1886	3 November 1918
William Ross [Brandon Armoury, Brandon College, Carmel Church (Virden), Virden]	Teamster	27th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Corporal	17 April 1888	1 May 1917
Francis McNider Shirriff [Brandon Armoury, MB Agricultural College, University of Manitoba]	Farmer (Brandon, MB)	25th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Lieutenant	23 February 1894	9 April 1917
A. Smith	?	?	?	?	?
William George Smith [Winnipeg Post Office]	Post Office Clerk	44th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	7 April 1884	28 October 1917
George Stronach	Teamster	18th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Sergeant	24 August 1895	21 August 1917
Frederick Thomas Allan Wood [Brandon Armoury, Tarbolton United Church]	Farmer	5th Battalion, Canadian Infantry	Private	25 October 1886	6 June 1916

See also:

Memorable Manitobans: Ian McKenzie Brown (1928-1974)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Knox Presbyterian Church (1436 Victoria Avenue, Brandon)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Victoria Avenue Methodist Church / Knox United Church / First Christian Reform Church (1509 Victoria Avenue, Brandon)

Sources:

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough and Darryl Toews.

Page revised: 18 February 2026

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