According to G.F. Barker (Brandon: A City, 1977, 291), William (Billy) Muir worked at Coombs & Stewart's on Pacific Avenue until he opened his own grocery store in 1888. The shop was located at 143-6th Street, Brandon, and was demolished for a parking lot in 1952.
Custodial History
Donated to Fred McGuinness by Allena Strath (nee Coombs).
Scope and Content
Photograph shows the "Wm. Muir General Grocer" building on 6th Street. Two men pose in the doorway of the store. The man on the left is likely William Muir. Barrels are lined on the boardwalk in front of the store. Apples and mason jars can be seen in the shop's windows.
Notes
Front of photograph reads: Sixth Street between Rosser - Princess. Back of photograph reads: Billy Muir's Store, 143 6th Street Brandon - 57 years in business in this location. An address label affixed to the back of the mat reads: Mrs. James Strath, Box 421, Souris, Man.
Photograph shows two males in coats, ties, and gadsby caps. The man on the right is likely William Frederick McGuinness, father of Brandon Sun editor Fred McGuinness.
Photograph shows a group of men in suits and hats standing in a railway yard. A passenger train car is in the background. William Frederick McGuinness is standing on the left
William Frederick McGUINNESS (b. 22 August 1884 – d. 18 March 1933) was born in Ottawa and graduated with honors from the Willis School of Accountancy in that city. He moved with his family to Manitoba and worked as a cashier with the CPR Express Office from 1900 to 1905. From 1906 to 1911, he worked as a clerk with the Dominion Express Company. In 1910, William married Isabella Louisa POPE and they would have six children: Mary Charlotte, Dorreene Louise, Kathleen Ruth, Frederick George, Orma Grace, and Carol. From 1914-1919, W.F. McGuinness was the secretary-treasurer of the Hanbury Hardware Company; by 1921, he was the general manager. In 1925, W.F. McGuinness was manager of the Manitoba Hardware Company Limited and by 1927 he was the Company’s secretary-treasurer. He was also a member of a number of service clubs and fraternal organizations. From 1919-1923, he served as a director of the Manitoba Winter Fair and Fat Stock Show, representing the Manitoba Poultry Association. He was also a Mason and was involved with Brandon’s Council of the Board of Trade, Brandon Curling Club (1927 treasurer), and the Lawn Bowling Club. W.F. McGuinness passed away at the age of 49 after suffering from an infection for eight months, a complication resulting from influenza. He is interred in the Brandon Municipal Cemetery (Section 22, Block D, Plot 48).
Scope and Content
Photograph shows a professional portrait of William Frederick McGuinness, father of Fred McGuinness
William Currie was born on February 28, 1834 in Lanark County, ON. In 1860, he moved to St. Mary's, where he worked in mercantile and grain businesses until 1879, when he emigrated to Manitoba. The following year, he took up homesteading along the Assiniboine River, at a site known as Currie's Landing. He received and forwarded frieght from steamboats travelling the river. From 1893-1902, he served as baliff for the Brandon District, before resigning and moving to Brandon where he engaged in the real estate and fire insurance business.
Currie married Ellen Creighton of Blanchard, ON in 1861. Together they had six chrildren: Robert Wilson Currie, Margaret Anne Currie, Harriet Ellen Currie, William James Currie, James Weldon Currie, and Lottie Louise Currie.
William Currie died on March 30, 1931 in Brandon, MB.
Scope and Content
Item is a studio portrait of William Currie.
Notes
History/Bio information taken from the Manitoba Historical Society website (http://www.mhs.mb.ca/docs/people/currie_w.shtml)
Mary Elizabeth "Molly" Malinowski (nee Edwards) was born on April 5, 1926 in Bury, Lancashire, England. She met her husband Kazimar John "Kaz" Malinowski (1917-1977) at age 18, while at a dance while he was on leave. One week after meeting her husband-to-be, Molly was engaged. After a two-year engagement, Molly and Kaz were married. Kaz returned to Canada before Molly and set up their homestead in Saskatchewan. Molly set sail to Canada and arrived at her new home in Saskatchewan on August 1, 1945. The couple had three children: twins Kenneth and Christine and Barry. Kenneth died at birth. Molly and Kaz spent several years on the farm before relocating to Winnipeg (1954-1957) when Kaz re-enlisted in the Army. In 1957, the family was transferred to Germany, and later to Camp Gagetown in Oromocto, New Brunswick. During this time, Molly joined the United Church. Kaz's final posting was to Shilo, MB, and the family moved to Brandon. In Brandon, Molly joined the U.C.W. She also bowled in the Five Pin Thursday afternoon league, volunteered for Meals on Wheels and at Prairie Oasis. She also loved to travel. Molly married Donald Charles Rollins (1920-2004) in 1987 or 1988. Molly Rollins (Malinowski) died on Aprill 22, 2011 in Brandon, MB. She is buried at Rosewood Memorial Gardens.
Freda Josephine Sheridan (nee Miles) was born on January 31, 1913 in London, England. Raised in Blackham, Kent, she was educated as a nurse and spent time in the early years of World War II working at Seven Oakes Hospital, near Brighton. Freda met her husband, William Sheridan (1909-1983), a Canadian from Hamiota, MB, while visiting relatives. Bill and Freda were married in 1942 and Freda began the process of immigrating to Canada. Freda travelled to Canada with the last convoy of ships that sailed prior to the end of World War II in April 1945. She arrived in Hamiota after three weeks of travel, including 14 days of travel by sea. Bill arrived back in Canada four months after Freda, and the couple set up a homestead on a farm in the local area. The couple had four children: Terry, Michael, Carol and Kathy. The family left Hamiota in 1954, and moved to Brandon, MB. Freda was a member of the War Brides Group of Brandon and the Salvation Army Home League. Freda Sheridan died on April 23, 1998 in Brandon. She is buried at Brandon Municipal 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 Molly Malinowski and Freda Sheridan about their experiences as war brides. In the interview the subjects discuss life in the United Kingdom before their marriages to Canadians. They also discuss social activities that the youth in Cumbridge and Bury partook in during the Second World War. The interview also covers the experience of being a War Bride and what it was like to immigrate to Canada in 1945 and what life was like in small towns on the Canadian Prairies at that time. Interviewer is Hazel Rose.
Notes
History/Bio information taken from the records and The Brandon Sun. Description by Natalie Majcher (2011) and Christy Henry.
Language Note
English
Conservation
Preservation copy created 2021 (R. Hess)
Related Material
OH 228.She - an interview with Freda's husband William Sheridan called "Riding the 'rods'"
Audio Tracks
Media missing or recording not available.
An unexpected error occurred.
Update Required
To play the media you will need to update your
browser to a recent version, or update your Flash plugin.
William MacFarlane "Bill" Geiler was born on February 18, 1927 at Dauphin, MB. He came to live in Brandon when his father Felix formed Manitoba Motor Transit in September 1933. When his father passed away, Bill became President and General Manager of the company. He sold the business to Grey Goose Bus Line in 1969. Bill became a caretaker at Manitoba Public Insurance in 1978, retiring in 1992. Bill enjoyed, golfing, fishing and reading. He was a member of the United Commercial Travelers (UCT) and the Kinsmen Club. Bill married Jacqueline June Roberts (1929-2020) on February 7, 1949, and together they had three children: Phil, Linda and Nancy. William Geiler died on June 6, 2001 in Brandon, MB. He is buried at Brandon Municipal 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 William Geiler about the history of Manitoba Motor Transit. The interviewer is Hazel Rose.
Notes
History/bio information from the records and Geiler's obituary. Description by Christy Henry.
Language Note
English
Conservation
Preservation copy made 2021 (R. Hess)
Audio Tracks
Media missing or recording not available.
An unexpected error occurred.
Update Required
To play the media you will need to update your
browser to a recent version, or update your Flash plugin.
William Sheridan was born on December 14, 1909 in Hamiota, MB. William lived in Hamiota until 1938, spent a year in Alberta and then served overseas with the Calgary Highlanders during the Second World War. Up until 1939, William had been a handyman but while enlisted in the military he worked as service personnel. Following the war, William returned to the Hamiota district where he farmed until 1952. Moving to Brandon in 1964, he was then employed at CFB Shilo until retiring in 1974. William married Freda Josephine Fry (1913-1998) in Bexhill, England on August 6, 1942. The couple had four children: Terry, Michael, Carol and Kathy. William Sheridan died on April 7, 1983 in Brandon, MB. He is buried at Brandon Municipal 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 William Sheridan about riding the "rods" during the Great Depression of the 1930s. The interviewer is Hazel Rose.
Notes
History/bio information from the records and Sheridan's obituary. Description by Christy Henry.
Language Note
English
Conservation
Preservation copy made 2021 (R. Hess)
Related Material
OH 230 Molly Malinowski and Freda Sheridan interview
Audio Tracks
Media missing or recording not available.
An unexpected error occurred.
Update Required
To play the media you will need to update your
browser to a recent version, or update your Flash plugin.
Kendric Hambly Williams was born on November 16, 1900 on Section 14-3-27 W in the RM of Arthur. The family moved to Melita in 1906. Kendric attended Peninsula School and then school in Melita before the family returned to their farm in 1915. Kendric began farming full-time with his father John in 1917. When his father died in 1931, he continue to operate the farm for his mother, but due to condition in the Depression the Manitoba Farm Loans foreclosed on the property; he conintued to rent the land unti l1937, when we started to repurchase. He moved to Melita in 1954, and rented the farm, before selling the farm to Bill Tilbury and Corny Klassen. During this period he also worked as an inspector under the Prairie Farm Assistance Program. In retirement he volunteered a great deal of his time to the Antler River Historical Museum. He never married. Kendric Williams died on December 25, 1986 in Melita, MB. He is buried at Melita 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 Kendric Williams about growing up in southwestern Manitoba. Interviewer is WJL Kilkenny.
Notes
History/bio information from the records and the Melita local history "Our First Century." Description by Christy Henry. The records list Williams' first name as Kenneth. The local history entry, which was written by Williams, lists his full name as Kendric Hambly Williams.
Audio Tracks
Media missing or recording not available.
An unexpected error occurred.
Update Required
To play the media you will need to update your
browser to a recent version, or update your Flash plugin.
){kind=link}
){kind=link}
){kind=link}
){kind=link}
){kind=link}
