Link to:
Clerics | Photos & Coordinates | Sources
This brick and masonry church on Parkview Street in Winnipeg was designed by local architect Frederick George Walmsley and built in 1920. It replaced a former structure to the south that had previously been known as Olivet Baptist Church. Destroyed by fire on 5 January 1919, the congregation met for services in several buildings until constructing this replacement. The church opened officially on 31 October 1920.
Originally a Methodist church, it became St. James United Church in 1925. An addition in 1956 was designed by John Nelson Semmens and built by Arlington Builders Limited. Stained glass windows installed in 1958 were the work of artist Leo Mol.
The church closed in December 2010 and the majority of its congregants joined Prairie Spirit United Church at 207 Thompson Drive. Honour rolls listing parishioners who served and died in Canadian military forces during the First World War and Second World War are displayed at the St. James Legion.
The building is now occupied by Parkview Street Gospel Hall.
Period
Cleric
?-?
Rev. R. G. Pritchard
c1917-1920
Rev. T. G. Bethell
1920-?
Rev. Douglas H. Telfer
1951-?
Francis Walker “Frank” Armstrong (1900-1986)
St. James Methodist Church (1917)
Source: Manitoba Free Press, 27 October 1917, page 13.
St. James United Church (January 2020)
Source: George Penner
First World War honour roll for St. James Methodist Church (September 2021)
Source: Darryl Toews
Second World War honour roll for St. James United Church (September 2021)
Source: Darryl ToewsSite Coordinates (lat/long): N49.88051, W97.21528
denoted by symbol on the map above
Name
Occupation
Service
Rank
Birth Date
Death Date
George Osborne Bethell
[Assiniboia]Student
203rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry
Sergeant
26 July 1897
21 August 1916
Peter Wesley Convery
[Assiniboia, Next of Kin]Carpenter
43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry
Private
12 November 1875
16 August 1916
Daniel Bertram Ollivier (Olliver)
Trainman, CPR
27th Battalion, Canadian Infantry
Corporal
24 February 1892
21 August 1917
William Stanley Charles Richards
[Next of Kin]Farming
16th Battalion, Canadian Infantry
Private
26 November 1894
8 September 1916
Ivan Wells Tuttle
Clerk
43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry
Private
10 May 1893
27 September 1916
Name
Service
Rank
Birth Date
Death Date
Frank Cyril Belfie
West Nova Scotia Regiment, Royal Canadian Infantry Corps
Sergeant
10 September 1918
17 December 1943
Thomas Stuart Carnegie
[Eatons]138 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
Flying Officer
14 July 1922
1 June 1944
Douglas George Cowie
[St. James School]Royal Canadian Air Force
Pilot Officer
12 December 1919
7 August 1942
James William Gray
Lake Superior Regiment (Motor), Royal Canadian Infantry Corps
Corporal
28 October 1916
2 March 1945
Albert Raymond Green
Winnipeg Grenadiers, Royal Canadian Infantry Corps
Corporal
2 May 1911
24 February 1942
Cecil Charles David Hinks
[St. James School, United College]Royal Canadian Air Force
Warrant Officer Class II
16 January 1915
29 July 1942
Eric Houlden
50 (RAF) Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
Sergeant
17 May 1925
4 May 1944
Thomas McLennan Miller Hunter
[St. James School]10 (RAF) Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
Flight Sergeant
29 October 1909
1 October 1942
Frank Taylor Leithead
[St. James School]408 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
Flying Officer
6 April 1915
5 January 1945
Alexander Morton Mackie DFC
424 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
Flying Officer
4 January 1916
12 January 1945
Bernard Eric McKinney
[St. James School]1 Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery
Gunner
13 November 1922
13 October 1944
Graham Alexander McLeod
405 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
Sergeant
28 December 1919
8 November 1941
Donald Howard Peters
[St. James School]419 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
Pilot Officer
13 December 1919
6 June 1942
Leonard James Richardson
2nd Royal Lincolnshire Regiment, British Army
Lieutenant
24 January 1921
9 July 1944
William Cross Russell
1 Division Petrol Company, Royal Canadian Army Service Corps
Private
15 April 1920
4 December 1942
Hermann John Taylor
61 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
Flight Sergeant
20 May 1912
19 August 1942
See also:
Memorable Manitobans: Frederick George Walmsley (1886-1938)
Memorable Manitobans: John Nelson Semmens (1879-1960)
Manitoba Business: Arlington Builders Limited
“St. James Methodist in new church home,” Manitoba Free Press, 27 October 1917, page 13.
“This is not Belgium: It's St. James,” Manitoba Free Press, 7 January 1919, page 31.
“Rev. D. H. Telfer accepts call to St. James church,” Manitoba Free Press, 17 April 1920, page 11.
“St. James Methodist again forced to move,” Manitoba Free Press, 24 April 1920, page 18.
“Will rebuild church,” Winnipeg Tribune, 5 June 1920, page 10.
“Erection of church begun,” Winnipeg Tribune, 19 June 1920, page 31.
“Open church in St. James,” Winnipeg Tribune, 1 November 1920, page 6.
Municipality of St. James Building Permit 8525/1956 [St James United Church], Box A1261, City of Winnipeg Archives.
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).
St. James United Church and Hall, Winnipeg Architecture Foundation.
We thank Jordan Makichuk and Erin Ecland (United Church of Canada Archives) for providing additional information used here.
This page was prepared by George Penner, Darryl Toews, and Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 14 March 2025
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