Melvin Earl Murray was born on October 16, 1901 in Neepawa, MB and he lived his entire life in there. Earl left school at the age of 15 to assist an uncle on the farm; he was one of a number of young men who took the place of men who were called to serve in the armed services during the First World War. He worked with his father on his farm until startin a transportation business locally in 1927. In 1932, he obtained a contract with General Motors to sell G.M. products. Subsequently he contracted to sell IHC farm machineray and later added a contract as distributor of Thomas school buses for the Province of Manitoba. Earl married Margaret Mary McIntosh (1902-1994) on November 5, 1924 and together they had one son, Gerald. Earl was active in church and community affairs, service clubs and sporting circles. Among his awards were The Town of Neepawa Honorary Citizen award, The Golden Boy award, The Red Cross Service award, a Chamber of Commerce award, Motor Dealers awards provincially and nationally and Her Majesty The Queen Silver Anniversary award. Earl Murray died on September 4, 1986 in Brandon, MB. He is buried at Riverside Cemetery.
Custodial History
As part of the Westman Oral History Collection, this collection was accessioned by the McKee Archives in 1998. The original tapes from the Westman Oral History project were deposited in the Brandon Public Library. Copies of these originals were made by Margaret Pollex of the Brandon University Language Lab at the request of Eileen McFadden, University Archivist in the early 1990s. These copies compose the collection held in the McKee Archives.
Scope and Content
Item is an audiocassette tape containing an interview with Earl Murray about automobiles in Neepawa since the early days. The interviewer is Winnie Cheetham.
Notes
History/bio information taken from the records, the Neepawa local history "Heritage" and Murray's obituary. Description by Christy Henry.
Language Note
English
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Simmons taught Philosophy and Religious Studies at Brandon College/University from 1947-1971. Simmons was made Professor Emeritus in 1971. He died November 13, 1978.
Murray's Garage opened in 1932 by Melvin Earl Murray. The business was later renamed Murray's of Neepawa in 1964.
Custodial History
See Fonds level description for custodial history
Scope and Content
Murray's Garage opened in 1932 by Melvin Earl Murray. Before it's opening in 1932 the building was used as a truck and storage facility, the business opened for automotive sales after Earl Murray had recieved a contract by General Motors in 1932. The first sale of a vehicle occurred in 1933 when a customer from Winnipeg bought a Pontiac vehicle. During the first few years of operation Earl Murray served as the Office Manager, Parts Manager, and Salesman. In 1934 an additional contract with the International Harvester Co. giving license to the additional sale of farm equipment. This new expansion resulted in the hiring of other staff to handle Parts and Service while the sales of the farm machinery remained Earl's responsibility.
The business aquired many contracts over the course of its existence as such new propoerties were aquired to allow for this expansions and new additions were added to the original building. When the new addition was near completion an explosion occured which resulted in 100% loss of the original building as well as all the contents it enclosed. Luckily, the fire department was able to save most of the new addition. A sizable loan was required for the buisness to rebuild after this disaster. Once the business was open again, car sales, need for parts, and service volume increased resulting in the complete recovery of the buisness.
In 1940 due to the war the purchase of new vehicles was limited to emergency service, it was at this time that General Motors added the Cheverolet-Oldsmobile to their contracts. Shortly after this a tornado hit the building causing substantial damage however it was soon repaired and business resumed.
Earl's son, Gerald, had worked in the business since his return from the war in 1945. He schooled in in Flint Michigan at a General Motors Business Institute to assist his father with the business. In 1960 Gerald took a course in Detroit Michigan in a Post Graduate School of Modern Merchandising and Management. After his completion of this course Gerald moved back to Neepawa and took of the position of Sales Manager at his fathers garage. The business was later renamed Murray's of Neepawa in 1964 when Earl handed the keys to the business over to his son Gerald.
Notes
Description by Jillian Combs. Information from Manitoba Hisotrical Society,
Murray's Garage opened in 1932 by Melvin Earl Murray. Before it's opening in 1932 the building was used as a truck and storage facility, the business opened for automotive sales after Earl Murray had recieved a contract by General Motors in 1932. The first sale of a vehicle occurred in 1933 when a customer from Winnipeg bought a Pontiac vehicle. During the first few years of operation Earl Murray served as the Office Manager, Parts Manager, and Salesman but in 1934 an additional contract with the International Harvester Co. giving license to the additional sale of farm equipment. This new expansion resulted in the hiring of other staff to handle Parts and Service while the sales of the farm machinery remained Earl's responsibility.
The business aquired many contracts over the course of its existence as such new propoerties were aquired to allow for this expansions and new additions were added to the original building. When the new addition was near completion an explosion occured which resulted in 100% loss of the original building as well as all the contents it enclosed. Luckily, the fire department was able to save most of the new addition. A sizable loan was required for the buisness to rebuild after this disaster. Once the business was open again, car sales, need for parts, and service volume increased resulting in the complete recovery of the buisness.
In 1940 due to the war the purchase of new vehicles was limited to emergency service. It was at this time that General Motors added the Cheverolet-Oldsmobile to their contracts. Shortly after this a tornado hit the building causing substantial damage however it was soon repaired and business resumed.
Earl's son, Gerald, had worked in the business since his return from the war in 1945. He schooled in in Flint Michigan at a General Motors Business Institute to assist his father with the business. In 1960 Gerald took a course in Detroit Michigan in a Post Graduate School of Modern Merchandising and Management. After his completion of this course Gerald moved back to Neepawa and took of the position of Sales Manager at his fathers garage. The business was later renamed Murray's of Neepawa in 1964 when Earl handed the keys to the business over to his son Gerald.
Custodial History
See Fonds level description for custodial history
Scope and Content
Image is of Murray's Garage exterior view. The photo was taken from across the street. There are a series of signs on the building "Firestone" on the peak of the building, "Murray's used cars" on the roof, and "Murrays Pontiac, Buick, GMC, Trucks" down the front of the building above the main entrance. Murray's Garage appears to be next to a Texaco station.
Notes
Description by Jillian Combs. Information from Manitoba Hisotrical Society
Eleanor Kidd Park (est. 1977) is situated on 18th Street North, on the south side of the Assiniboine River, and east of the Thompson twinned bridge. The park was the former site of an animal shelter overseen by Eleanor Kidd. Adjacent to the park are the Eleanor Kidd Gardens, which contains performance and fountain plazas. The sites have been subjected to heavy flooding from 2011 to 2015.
Eleanor Maud Kidd (nee Death) (b.05 Aug 1881, d. 11 July 1978) was born in London, England. She trained as a nurse/midwife at the Liverpool Children's Hospital and worked as a private nurse for affluent families in Italy. She immigrated to Canada in 1913 and lived in Portage la Prairie where she worked as a public health nurse. She ultimately settled in Brandon where she married barber William Wesley Kidd (1873-1951) on November 24, 1921. Mrs. Kidd is credited with incorporating the Brandon SPCA/Humane Society in 1947. She died in Brandon, Manitoba, and is interred in the Brandon Municipal Cemetery. (sources: Brandon Sun 12 July 1978; Brandon Sun 13 July 1978; Manitoba Vital Statistics)
Custodial History
Photograph courtesy of Dirk Aberson
Scope and Content
Photograph is a close-up of Eleanor Kidd posing in front of the Elanor Kidd Park sign.
Eleanor May Sipley (nee Mills) was born in October 1899 in Chatham, Kent, England. She came to Canada with her parents and siblings in 1907. Eleanor married Joseph Shipley (1896-1989) on February 24, 1925. Together they had five children: Harold, Lorne, Aileen, Lindsay and Allan. The Sipley's lived at Elkhorn until 1979, when they moved to Virden. Eleanor Sipley died on June 8, 1996 in Virden, MB. She is buried at Elkhorn Cemetery.
Custodial History
As part of the Westman Oral History Collection, this collection was accessioned by the McKee Archives in 1998. The original tapes from the Westman Oral History project were deposited in the Brandon Public Library. Copies of these originals were made by Margaret Pollex of the Brandon University Language Lab at the request of Eileen McFadden, University Archivist in the early 1990s. These copies compose the collection held in the McKee Archives.
Scope and Content
Item is an audiocassette tape containing an interview with Eleanor Sipley about life in Elkhorn, MB. Interviewer is Rosalyn Sutley.
Notes
History/bio information from the records and the Find a Grave website. Description by Christy Henry.
Language Note
English
Audio Tracks
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Eleanor Fison Warren (nee Brayshay) was born on April 30, 1902 in Laughrne, Wales. Although her father had come to Canada in 1891, and her parents were married in the RM of Shoal Lake, her mother returned to Wales for Eleanor's birth. Eleanor attended high school in Birtle, MB. In 1929, Eleanor married Major Oliver Quin "OQ" Warren (1884-1949) and together they had four daughters: Phoebe, Diana, Cynthia and Penelope. Following her marriage, Eleanor was a farm housewife. After her husband died she stayed on the farm but hired help, while also working as a post office clerk and then a part-time municipal clerk. She retired in 1968. For many years Eleanor played the organ for St. Alban's Anglican Church and supported the Blenheim Remebrance Club, whose members sewed comfortors for soldiers overseas. She was a lifetime member of the Ladies Auxiliary of the Birtle branch of the Royal Canadian Legion, served the local school board and drove many seniors to events in surrounding communities. Eleanor was awarded the Sovereign's Medal for Volunteers and the Governor General's Caring Canadian Award (posthumous). Eleanor Warren died on April 30, 2003 in Winnipeg, MB. She is buried at Birtle Cemetery.
Custodial History
As part of the Westman Oral History Collection, this collection was accessioned by the McKee Archives in 1998. The original tapes from the Westman Oral History project were deposited in the Brandon Public Library. Copies of these originals were made by Margaret Pollex of the Brandon University Language Lab at the request of Eileen McFadden, University Archivist in the early 1990s. These copies compose the collection held in the McKee Archives.
Scope and Content
Item is an audiocassette tape containing an interview with Elizabeth Warren about her life story. Interviewer is Marge Deschambault.
Notes
History/bio information from the records and the Find a Grave website. Description by Christy Henry.
Language Note
English
Audio Tracks
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Photograph in the Brandon University gym of (L to R) Murray McLeod, Bob Mandziuk, Jerry Hemmings, and Junior Alexander(?) with the CIAU championship trophy after the men's Bobcats won the 1986-1987 season.
Photograph of (L to R) Murray McLeod, Jerry Hemmings, Junior Alexander (holding the CIAU trophy), and Bob Mandziuk with the CIAU banner for the 1986-1987 season in the Brandon University gym.