Historic Sites of Manitoba: Codville-Georgeson Building (43-49 Westbrook Street, Winnipeg)

A seven-storey warehouse at the intersection of Westbrook Street (formerly Victoria Street) and Portage Avenue East in Winnipeg, measuring 100 feet by 132 feet, was designed by local architect Daniel Smith and built in 1906 by Kelly Brothers and Mitchell, at a cost of about $210,000, for the whole grocery firm of Codville-Georgeson Company.

Some employees of the company who were killed during service in the First World War were commemorated at a 61st Battalion concert held at the Walker Theatre on 13-14 December 1915, or in a 144th Battalion military vaudeville held at the Winnipeg Theatre on 9-11 March 1916.

After the 1950s, the building had a number of tenants including Superior Sportswear, Machine Sales, Universal Window Cleaning, United Garments, and Print Plus Custom Screen Printing. In 1991, the City of Winnipeg assumed ownership of the building and it was demolished in 1993 to enlarge a surface parking lot.

Codville-Georgeson Building under construction

Codville-Georgeson Building under construction (1906)
Source: Winnipeg Telegram, 3 September 1906, page 19.

Street view with Codville-Georgeson Building at right

Street view with Codville-Georgeson Building at right (no date)
Source: Planning, Property & Development, City of Winnipeg , HBRC0148

Street view with Codville-Georgeson Building at right

Street view with Codville-Georgeson Building at right (no date)
Source: Planning, Property & Development, City of Winnipeg , HBRC0146

Street view with Codville-Georgeson Building at right

Codville Building (1978)
Source: Winnipeg Buildings Index, CBS-50

Street view with Codville-Georgeson Building at right

Codville Building (1978)
Source: Winnipeg Buildings Index, CBS-53

Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.89460, W97.13484
denoted by symbol on the map above

First World War Casualties

Name

Occupation

Service

Rank

Birth Date

Death Date

Herbert Henry Blackman

Chauffeur

43rd Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Corporal

1 June 1894

8 October 1916

James Kent Blair

Traveller

28th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Lieutenant

11 September 1890

2 October 1916

George William Clementson

Packer

Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry

Private

?

17 April 1915

Roy Hatfield

Clerk

1st Canadian Mounted Rifles

Private

25 April 1897

30 September 1918

Murray Jordan
[St. Giles Presbyterian, Vimy Ridge]

Tea Packer

44th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

15 July 1897

12 April 1917

John Kennedy
[Brandon Armoury, Orange Lodge]

Warehouseman

1st Canadian Mounted Rifles

Private

7 October 1885

6 December 1915

Frank Reynolds Moffat

Salesman

52nd Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Sergeant

26 January 1875

28 September 1918

Arthur Ernest Williams
[Next of Kin]

Clerk

8th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

8 April 1898

25 April 1915

See also:

Memorable Manitobans: Daniel Smith (1840-1913)

Manitoba Business: Kelly Brothers / Manitoba Construction Company / Kelly Brothers and Mitchell / Thomas Kelly and Sons

Memorable Manitobans: John James Codville (1851-1915)

Memorable Manitobans: William Georgeson (1859-?)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Codville Warehouse (Pacific Avenue, Brandon)

Sources:

City of Winnipeg Building Permit 701/1906, City of Winnipeg Archives.

Henderson’s Winnipeg and Brandon Directories, Henderson Directories Limited, Peel’s Prairie Provinces, University of Alberta Libraries.

“New warehouse to be erected for the Codville, Georgeson Co.,” Manitoba Free Press, 12 May 1906, page 25.

“Big Warehouse upon Victoria Street,” Winnipeg Telegram, 3 September 1906, page 19.

“Costly warehouse on Victoria Street,” Manitoba Free Press, 6 December 1906, page 37.

1992-1993 The Year Past: Report of the City of Winnipeg Historical Buildings Committee, pages 75-76.

Biographical Dictionary of Architects in Canada, 1800-1950 by Robert G. Hill, Toronto.

We thank Darryl Toews for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Jordan Makichuk and Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 5 September 2024

Historic Sites of Manitoba

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