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 group of four men standing on a platform at the entrance of the Dominion Express Company. William Frederick McGuinness stands on the left.
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 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.
Jack Stothard was born on February 16, 1932 in Brandon, MB. He attended public schools in the city (Central School, Park School, and Earl Oxford) and graduated from Brandon Collegiate Institute (BCI). Stothard married Velma Pollock in 1957 and together they had two daughters: Debra and Kimberly. Stothard was employed in the plumbing and heating business until 1960, when he joined Manitoba Hydro. In the course of his employment with Manitoba Hydro, he became Station Superintendent of the Brandon Generating Station. Stothard retired in 1995. Stothard was a member of the Canadian Numismatic Association, the Canadian Association of Token Collectors and the Toronto Postcard Club. Jack Stothard died on November 3, 2021 in Brandon, MB.
Custodial History
Accession 1-2003 was in the possession of Stothard until donated to the McKee Archives in 2003. Accession 12-2006 was acquired by Lawrence Stuckey at some point after the photograph was taken. Stuckey later sold a copy of the photograph. This copy was later acquired by Jack Stothard in the course of his collecting of Brandon postcards. Stothard donated the image to the McKee Archives in 2004. Accession 8-2007 was prepared by Jack Stothard in the course of 2007. He provided a copy to the Archives upon its completion. Accession 8-2008 was in the possession of Fred McGuinness until he gave jit to Jack Stothard in February 2008. Stothard donated the records to the McKee Archives on February 12, 2008. Accession 18-2008 was donated to the McKee Archives by Stothard on August 18, 2008. Accession 11-2009 was donated to the McKee Archives by Stothard on February 20, 2009. Accession 4-2012 was donated to the McKee Archives by Stothard on August 24, 2011. Accession 4-2013 was donated to the McKee Archives by Stothard in March 2013. Accession 8-2016 was donated to the McKee Archives by Stothard on January 21, 2015.
Scope and Content
Accession 1-2003 contains brief research reports prepared by Stothard on various topics concerning historical Brandon. These include: a listing of hotels, inns and motels that have operated in Brandon since the 1880s; reports dealing with the Café Aagard, Central United Church, the 1913 Dominion Exhibition, Brandon, the Empire Hotel, Brandon’s Central Steam Heating System, the Post Office and the Clement Block. It also contains one booklet: Facts About Brandon: An Industrial Survey of the City of Brandon. Winnipeg: Department of Industry and Commerce [n.d.]
Accession 12-2006 consists of one photograph of the Great Northern Engine 208, built by Rogers Locomotive Company 1887. Cylinders 18 x 24, Drivers 63". G.N. line Church's Ferry, N.D. to Brandon, Manitoba. Opened 1906, Closed 1936.
Accession 8-2007 consists of a brief typed report entitled "The Day the Lights Went Out in Brandon - Strike of 1919" by Jack Stothard. Document provides an account of the sources and delivery of hydro electric power to Brandon beginning in the early 1900s and the brief power outage at the beginning of the Brandon General Strike May 25, 1919.
Accession 8-2008 consists of "The Brandon Sun Challenge Cup" ledger, which contains two b/w photographs, newspaper clippings and information on the history and first race (1908) of the cup; 3 additional b/w photographs of different races; and the Brandon Old Timers Association record book (c. 1900).
Accession 18-2008 consists of a copy of Stothard's Brandon Postcards index. The index is divided into various sub-headings and consists of colored reproductions of postcards in Stothard's collection. The index contains pages that were discarded by Stothard as he updated his inventory, therefore the index is only up to date as of August 18, 2008.
Accession 11-2009 consists of a typed research report entitled "Brandon Police Department Stations and Locations" by Jack Stothard. The report outlines the location of the Brandon Police Department from 1882 - 2008, and also includes a section on "What the Future Holds."
Accession 4-2012 consists of pages for Stothard's Brandon Postcards index (18-2008) and a photocopy of a Brandon Municipal Railway ticket.
Accession 4-2013 consits of eight binders of handwritten notes/facts about Brandon compiled by Jack Stothard. The notes are a collection of names, places, things, events and items related mostly to the first 100 years of Brandon (1882-1982), although the notes continue into the 2000's. Some notes centre on the late 1930's to early 1950's during the period of Stothard's youth. The information in the binders was taken from a variety of publications, while some notes are Stothard's own comments. A list of sources, as well as a cross reference index for all eight binders, can be found in Book No. 1.
The accession includes: Book No. 1 - Notes of Brandon (A to B); Book No. 2 - Notes of Brandon (C to F); Book No. 3 - Notes of Brandon (G to O); Book No. 4 - Notes of Brandon (P to Z); Book No. 5 - Notes of Brandon: Churches, Hostpitals, Hotels; Book No. 6 - Notes of Brandon: Police Department, Fire Department; Book No. 7 - Notes of Brandon: Brandon City Council, City of Brandon etc.; Book No. 8 - Notes of Brandon: Brandon College/University, Brandon Schools, ACC, Brandon School Board. Accession also includes pages from Stothard's Brandon Postcards index (18-2008).
Accession 6-2016 consists of local history books, pamphlets, bakery tokens, local magazines, one binder containing handwritten notes/facts about Brandon compiled from the Brandon Sun's "Looking Back" column, and an accordian file box containing newspaper clippings about Brandon.
The accession includes the following local history books: Betty Watson's "One Day in Brandon Manitoba 9/9/99" (Brandon, Manitoba: Bart Art Books, 1999); P.N. Breton's "Popular Illustrated Guide to Canadian Coins, Medals, &. &.," (Winnipeg: Canadian Numismatic Publishing Institute, 1963 [reprint]); "Facts About Brandon: An Industrial Survey of the City of Brandon," (Province of Manitoba: Department of Industry and Commerce, [1946]); The Polish Gymnastic Association Sokol's "75th Anniversary: From the Past to the Future!" ([Brandon, Manitoba: Polish Gymnastic Association Sokol, 1988]); and Brandon Kinsmen Club's "'Together...Once Again': A History of the Kinsmen Club of Brandon, Manitoba, 1925-1975 (Brandon, Manitoba: The Historical Committee of the Kinsmen Club of Brandon, 1975).
Pamplets and magazines include: Brandon Generating Station (1957) and (1969), The Brandon Quota Club presents...A Century in Revue (1982), Canadian Rail No. 168/July-August 1965 [featuring Brandon Municipal Railway], Prairie City Issue No. 3/1994, and Prairion May/June 1997.
The binder is titled Book No. 9 - "Year by year: miscellaneous items from 1969 to 2000"; an asterik (*) indicates notes have been made on each subject or item in the other Books. Each section is housed in
The files in the accordian file box have been rehoused and include the following topics: banks, Brandon 125 beer, Behlen Industries, breweries, Brandon Shoppers' Mall, calendars, Canadian Motors Ltd., Canexus/Nexen, Canada Games - Summer and Winter, Canadian Tire, CKX Radio & TV/CKLQ, Corral Centre, flour mills, hospitals, Keystone, Maple Leaf, Fred McGuinness, miscellaneous, A.E. McKenzie, people, railways, Simplot, Westman Recycling (new facility), weather-storms-floods, and extra copies of postcards.
Notes
Description by Christy Henry. Accession 4-2013: Book No. 1 contains a photocopied photograph of Aagaard's Cafe, photographs of the Dominion Bank and Barney's Drive Inn and a photo reproduction of the Bass Building. Book No. 2 contains a photograph of the Provincial Goal. Book No. 3 contains photographs of T. Eaton Company (4 construction photos) and a photo reproduction of tents on the Exhibition grounds (c. 1940). Book No. 4 contains photoraphs of the Oak Theatre and Western Motors. There are also photopied photographs of The Fun Shop.
Photograph of an northeast corner 10th Street and Princess Avenue and the rear of buildings facing 200 block on 9th Street. The business in foreground is Thunderbird Bowl. The rear of the Brandon Inn is in the background.
Notes
Photograph dated from "Tara's Bulba," the movie playing at the Strand Theatre and similiar vehicles captured in the photograph.
Photograph shows a view of downtown Brandon from the northeast corner of 10th Street and Princess Avenue. Thunderbird Bowl is in the foreground. Painted advertisements on the sides of buildings include: The Mitrou's Cafe and Tea Room and Brandon Musical Supply Ltd. Vehicles parked on 10th Street are facing north.
Notes
Photograph dated from "Tara's Bulba," the movie playing at the Strand Theatre and similiar vehicles captured in the photograph.
Photograph shows the northeast corner of 10th Street and Princess Avenue facing east. In the background the following Brandon businesses can be seen: back of the Brandon Inn, B/A gas station, The Princess Cafe, and the Central Fire Hall.
Notes
Photograph dated from "Tara's Bulba," the movie playing at the Strand Theatre and similiar vehicles captured in the photograph.
Photograph of an east side of 10th Street facing north from Princess Avenue. Visible businesses include: Thunderbird Bowl, Canadian Pacific Telegraphs, Pittsburgh Paint & Glass, Strand Theatre, Trans Canada Credit Loans, Ted Heming Jewellers, Carlton Cafe, McKenzie Seeds, Clement Block, Mitrou's Cafe and Tea Room, and Brandon Musical Supply Ltd. Vehicles parked on 10th Street are facing north.
Notes
Photograph dated from "Tara's Bulba," the movie playing at the Strand Theatre and similiar vehicles captured in the photograph.
Photograph shows the east side of 10th Street, Brandon, Manitoba. The Strand Theatre marquee shows "Gidget" starring Sandra Dee and Cliff Robertson. Other businesses in the Strand Block include: Ted Heming Jewellers, Waddell's, and Metropolitan Life.
Notes
Photograph dated from "Gidget," the movie playing at the Strand Theatre
Photograph shows Ted Heming Jewellers on the east side of 10th Street, Brandon, Manitoba, with the Strand Theatre to the south of the building complex. Other visible businesses in the Strand Block include: Hughes & Co. Ltd., Smart's Stationery, Waddell's, and Metropolitan Life.
Notes
Photograph dated from "Gidget," the movie playing at the Strand Theatre
Photograph shows the Strand Block on the east side of 10th Street, Brandon, Manitoba. Visible businesses in the Strand Block include: Hughes & Co. Ltd., Smart's Stationery, Waddell's, the Strand Theatre, and Metropolitan Life.
Notes
Back of the photograph is stamped: Clark Smith Studio, per July 27/59
Photograph of east side of 10th Street, Brandon, Manitoba, between Rosser and Princess Avenues. Visible businesses include: The Bank of Montreal, Barclay's Shoe Store, Carlton Cafe (in the former Cigar Factory), and Ted Heming Jewellers. The McKenzie Seed building is visible in the background.
Photograph shows the east side of 10th Street, Brandon, Manitoba, between Rosser and Princess Avenues. Businesses visible in the Brown Block include (from north to south): Singer, Pittsburgh Paint & Glass, O. Stark & Son, Elna Sewing Centre, and Canadian Pacific Telegraphs. The Prince Edward Hotel is visible in the background.
Photograph shows the southeast corner of 10th Street and Rosser Avenue, Brandon, Manitoba. The Bank of Montreal is situated on the corner. Visible businesses along the east side of 10th Street include: Barclay's Shoe Store, Carlton Cafe, and Ted Heming Jewellers.
Doig's, originally located on Rosser Avenue, moved to the 10th Street location in 1921.
Scope and Content
Photograph of west side of 10th Street, Brandon, Manitoba, facing northwest. Visible businesses in the Alexander Block include Doig's, Box Brothers Hardware and Allied Hardware Stores, followed by Simpsons-Sears and Barry Neill Men's Wear in the Strathcona Block. The Johnny Smith Block is visible in the background.
Photograph shows the intersection of 10th Street and Princess Avenue, Brandon, Manitoba. View is facing northwest along west side of the 100-block of 10th Street. A stationary policeman/divider is at the centre of the intersection. Visible businesses include: Doig's, Plaza Shoe Shop, and Cambridge Clothes Shop. A horse-drawn sled is parked in front of Doig's store. The Olympia Block, Cecil Hotel, and CPR Station are visible in the background.
Photograph shows the intersection, facing northwest, at 10th Street and Princess Avenue, Brandon, Manitoba. Fitwell Tailors can be seen on the south side of Princess Avenue. Doig's Home Furnishings and The Manufactuerers Life can be seen on the northwest corner. Traffic appears to be travelling both ways on Princess Avenue.
Photograph shows the northeast corner of 10th Street and Princess Avenue. OK Used Cars - Western Motors Ltds - used car lot and a building containing The Specialty Shop and another business are pictured. The exposed wall of the Brown Block has been painted over.