This store, the first established in Brandon (June 12, 1881), was erected on the southeast corner of 6th St. & Pacific Avenue, facing Pacific.
Coombs and Steward later opened a store on the northeast corner of 9th St. & Rosser Ave.
Billy Muir was Coombs & Stewart's first clerk. He later opened a store of his own on the west side of the 100 block of 6th St., which he operated for nearly 50 years. (I was often a customer as a kid - LAS). Billy Muir closed his 6th Street store June 1945 (Brandon Sun). [See E18]
Custodial History
For custodial history see the collection level description of the Lawrence Stuckey collection.
Muir started as a clerk for Coombs & Stewart in 1882, went into business for himself 1888 and was still operating in 1938. He closed his 6th Street store in June of 1945 (Brandon Sun).
Muir was a good friend of my pioneer grandfather, Sam Gilmour, who lived a block up the street, and as a small boy I spent many nickels in this store (LAS).
Custodial History
For custodial history see the collection level description of the Lawrence Stuckey collection.
Scope and Content
Wm. "Billy" Muir & grocery store
Notes
Located on the west side of the 100 block of 6th St.
This photo presented by Wm. Muir to Martin Kavanagh and donated to collection of Assiniboine Historical Society.
Photograph shows exterior views of five Brandon churches: Baptist Church, Presbyterian Church, St. Matthew's Church, Catholic Church and Monastery, and Methodist Church.
Notes
Part of "Christie's Brandon Series of Six Colored Picture Postcards of Brandon, Manitoba, The Crown Series, Published by Christie's Bookstore, Brandon, Man." [note: missing sixth postcard]. Writing on the front of the photograph reads: Baptist Church, Presbyterian Church Brandon Man., St. Matthew's Church, Catholic Church and Monastery, Methodist Church.
Photograph shows a southwestern view of Clark Hall and the Brandon College Original Building. The Citizen Science Building is absent from the campus grounds.
Notes
Part of "Souvenir of Brandon, Manitoba, Canada [viewbook], Printed by Photogelatine Engraving Co. Limited, Ottawa." Dates obtained from the Burchill's Music Store Henderson's Brandon City Directory listings (1927-1929). Writing on the front of the photograph reads: Brandon College, Brandon, Man.
Photograph shows two separate views. One is of the main entrance of (Old) City Hall on Princess Avenue. The other view shows the ediface of the YMCA building as well as the adjacent St. Paul's United and First United Churches on 8th Street.
Notes
Part of "Souvenir of Brandon, Manitoba, Canada [viewbook], Printed by Photogelatine Engraving Co. Limited, Ottawa." Dates obtained from the Burchill's Music Store Henderson's Brandon City Directory listings (1927-1929). Writing on the front of the photograph reads: City Hall - Brandon, Man; YMCA, St. Paul's United & First Church United, Brandon, Man.
Photograph was given to Fred McGuinness by Linda Bilkoski (nee Lepard) of Lac du Bonnet, MB.
Scope and Content
Photograph shows the remains of the Syndicate Block after the fire in January 1916. The building is situated on the southwest corner of Seventh Street and Rosser Avenue. Ice from the firefighting process covers the building. The tailor shop J.S. Laughton & Son (701 Rosser Avenue) can be seen on the north side of Rosser Avenue.
Erected in 1889, on the southeast corner of Rosser Avenue and 7th Street at 806 Rosser Avenue, this block was designed by Brandon architect W.H. Shillinglaw. At the time of its construction the structure housed the Nation & Shewan Department Store, one of Brandon’s largest and most successful drygoods businesses, owned and operated by Fred Nation and Alexander Shewan.
Major improvements were made to the store and an annex was added in 1910. Some of the renovation additions included, but were not limited to, an updated frontage with new copper sash windows and prismatic glass tops, plate glass windows, new fixtures and carpet. With the renovations the floor space of the business was to be almost doubled. The stock of the business also increased, with the Brandon Weekly Sun reporting that when finished, Nation & Shewan would be a “store of which the citizens of Brandon will be justly proud.” The drygoods firm operated until Nation’s death 1926, when it became known as A. Shewan Limited. From 1933 to 1944, the business was known as Shewan and Son. Shortly thereafter, the Metroplitan Stores Ltd began operating out of the Nation & Shewan Block.
In 2000, the Town Centre prepared to knock down the Red Apple Building, formerly the Nation & Shewan Block. The demolition was to make way for the new atrium and entrance for the mall, and begin a new period of redevelopment at the downtown shopping centre.
[History/Bio written by Christy Henry (SJ McKee Archives) and Eileen Trott (Daly House Museum), researched by Morganna Maylon, for 2015 photographic exhibition "Gowen's Brandon: Then and Now".]
Custodial History
Photograph was given to Fred McGuinness by Linda Bilkoski (nee Lepard) of Lac du Bonnet, MB.
Scope and Content
Photograph shows a display of women's clothing and accessories in the window at Nation & Shewan. A sign reads: 1914 Spring Opening commences on Wednesday March 25th.
Notes
Writing on the back of the photograph reads: Mrs. E. Harden, 33-10th St., City. According to the Henderson's Brandon City Directories, Catharine "Kate" Harden (nee Chalmers) worked as a cashier at Nation & Shewan from 1913 to 1914.
Photograph shows a southwest view of the Prince Edward Hotel and train station.
Notes
Part of "Souvenir of Brandon, Manitoba, Canada [viewbook], Printed by Photogelatine Engraving Co. Limited, Ottawa." Dates obtained from the Burchill's Music Store Henderson's Brandon City Directory listings (1927-1929). Writing on the front of the photograph reads: Prince Edward Hotel, Brandon, Man.
Photograph shows four men posing in front of a wood-framed shop on 8th Street and Rosser Avenue. The men are wearing three-piece suits or vests and long-sleeved shirts. A painted sign above the shop reads: Wright & Wright, Hamilton Stove & Tin Store. Hanging from the exterior walls are various tin items for sale: lantern, ladel, dust pan, pots and pans.
Notes
Writing on the back of the photograph reads: Corner of 8th & Rosser. Photograph is stamped Public Archives Canada.
The Hanbury Manufacturing Company was located at 600-698 Assiniboine Avenue.
Scope and Content
Photograph shows a group of men standing in front of a pile of lumber in the yard of Hanbury Manufacturing. A horse is hitched to a buggy in the background and a dog stands in the foreground.
Photograph shows the recently constructed Strathcona Block. H. Lamontagne & Co. Ltd., Wholesale, occupies the ground floor. Scaffolding is suspended from the north side of the building. Buildings have yet to be erected to the north and south sides of the Strathcona Block.
Notes
Back of photograph is stamped: Hughes & Co. Ltd., 1009 Princess Ave., Brandon, Man.
The 1901 Canadian Census places the Lehigh family near Brockville, Ontario, where Everett E. Lehigh (b. 19 May 1881) was farming with his widowed father Solon (b. 20 Aug 1849) and younger sister, Edna (b. 08 Feb 1884). The findagrave.com genealogical website identifies a Mary Wickware as marrying Everett E. Lehigh in Alqonquin, Ontario, on 04 April 1905.
E.E. Lehigh appears in the Henderson's Brandon City Directories in 1919. By 1923, he was Vice-President of Motors Ltd., which had its shop on 151-7th Street. By 1925, Lehigh had taken over the garage, renaming it Lehigh Motors, which became the sole agent for McLaughlin Motor Cars. By 1927, Lehigh Motors had opened a second branch on 12th Street and Princess Avenue, which was formerly the Brandon Auto Garage. Lehigh had become the exclusive dealer for McLaughlin-Buick, Pontiac, and Oldsmobile motor cars.
It appears Lehigh moved his business, E.E. Lehigh Ltd., to 799 Pacific Avenue by 1929. By then, Lehigh had a head office in Winnipeg at 640 Portage Avenue where he served as president and was the provincial distributor for Rugby trucks and Durant cars. Although E.E. Lehigh had a residence in Brandon (325 - 14th Street), Mr. S.G. Cunningham was listed as the Brandon representative for Lehigh Motors Ltd. in the Henderson Directories. By 1931, E.E. Lehigh Ltd. had moved once again, this time to 151-153 - 9th Street.
E.E. Lehigh disappears from the Henderson's Brandon City Directory by 1933 and a Mrs. E.E. Lehigh (possibly Mary (Wickware) Lehigh, d.21 July 1943) is listed under the 14th Street residence. The 9th Street garage address is divided between Munns Taxi (151-9th Street) and Wheat City Auto Wreckers (153-9th Street.)
Custodial History
Photograph was in possession of Mrs. Ruby Miles, who passed the image on to Fred McGuinness. McGuinness makes reference to Mrs. Miles and this photograph in his Sunbeams column (Source: F.A. Rosser, "Another interesting chat with a daughter of the plains," Brandon Sun 18 Aug 1981).
Scope and Content
Photograph shows a group portrait of 33 individuals standing and seated in front of the business E.E. Lehigh Ltd., Brandon. The storefront window has a sign that reads: Durant Motor Cars, E.E. Lehigh Ltd., Brandon. The door to the business has Lehigh Motors stencilled on the window. The men are wearing jackets and ties, and there are three women, possibly clerical staff, wearing 1920s era dresses. The elderly man seated in the centre of the photograph, wearing a long-sleeved white dress shirt might be Everett E. Lehigh.
Notes
Writing on the front of the photograph is embossed: C.J. Smith
The Brandon Daily Sun (26 May 1924, 16) reported the annual church parade of Brandon Lodge 173 Sons of England was held on Sunday, May 25, 1924. The Brandon City Band lead the parade with H.J. Barter, P.P., serving as parade marshal. Over 100 members paraded to St. Mary's Church. Representatives from a variety of lodges participated, including Alexander, Neepawa, Souris, Wawanesa, and Lodge Carpenter Juveniles.
Scope and Content
Photograph shows a parade travelling southwards on 10th Street between Rosser and Princess Avenues. A mounted rider wearing white appears to be leading the parade. A car draped with American and British flags follows. A band follows the vehicle. Individuals wearing white hats walk up the street.
Business visible on the west side (100-block) of 10th Street include: Doig, Rankin, & Robertson, Limited; Bowling Alley, Billiards; Olympia Cafe Candies. The second storey on the Hughes Building has not been erected. The Alexandra Block, Strathcona Block, Olympia Block are visible. A large Union Jack flys from the Canadian Pacific Station. Vehicles are diagonally parked on both sides of 10th Street.
Notes
Back of photograph is stamped: Hughes & Co. Ltd., 1009 Princess Ave., Brandon, Man. Date for photograph obtained from licence plates.
Photograph was given to Fred McGuinness by Linda Bilkoski (nee Lepard) of Lac du Bonnet, MB.
Scope and Content
According the 1911 Henderson's Brandon City Directory, the Brandon Fire Department - headquartered at Seventh Street and Princess Avenue - had 16 permanent firemen. For equipment the department had one steamer, two chemicals, two hose wagons, one hose reel, one aerial aldder, one hook and ladder wagon, and 10 horses. The city had 34 electric fire alarm boxes and 114 fire hydrants. The pumping station had a capacity of 3.5 million gallons in 24 hours. By 1913, the Brandon Fire Department had 19 permanent employees on its roster and added 2 more horses as well as an 80 horsepower combination motor truck.
Notes
Photograph shows a pictorial nominal roll of the 18 members of the 1912 Brandon Fire Department. A logo of crossed hoses, axes, ladder, and helmet adorn the centre of the photo. The Cornell Trophy for the Brandon Fire Brigade is pictured at the top centre. Photos of two building fires are featured at the top corners. The Central Fire Hall and No. 2 Fire Hall are pictured at the bottom corners.
Members include: D. McDonald, T. Flowers, E. Harden, J. Adams, J. Daniel, Lt. A. Mowat, T. Calder, A.E. Elborne (secretary), F. Benson, A. Mair?, T. Dunnett, A. Flett, J. Todd, Lt. G. Taylor, M. Watson, A. Thomas [Calder?], Capt. R. Daley, Chief J. Melhuish, Eng. E. Boyes. Also pictured are Mayor J.W. Fleming and Alderman C.B.Coleman (chairman).