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 Fred McGuinness wearing gold-rimmed glasses and a blue shirt. McGuinness is standing in front of the John E. Robbins Library, Brandon University. Darroch Hall is reflected in the library's windows.
The Fowler Block in Baldur, MB was built in 1899 by Alex Fowler.
Custodial History
See collection level description for the James Douglas Wall collection.
Scope and Content
Image of the Fowler Block in Baldur, MB. On the left is a shoe and harness shop owned and operated by the Fowlers from 1899-1978. On the right is J. Smith & Co. Merchants, a grocery and dry goods store. As of 2000, a grocery store still occupied the premises. Men are standing in front of the entrance to the two stores.
There is a fold down the middle of the photograph.
Scope and Content
Item consists of portraits of members of the Brandon College Matriculation Class of 1911 and their motto “Via Discipuli Difficilis Est”.
Top Row (L to R): J.D. Brown; C.G. Stone; G. Dexter; and H. Wilson.
Second Row (L to R): M.E. McGregor; J.H. Allen; O. DeMille; and V.Long.
Third Row (L to R): A. Pinder; W.A. Branton; D.L. Durkin, B.A.; Dr. R. H. Mode, M.A.; Alice Masse, B.A.; Dr. H.C. McNeill; Professor G.H. Ruttan; A. Cooper; and H. Higgins.
Fourth Row (L to R): E.G. Cambridge; W.H. Smith; V.L. Dunning; and I. Wright.
Fifth Row (L to R): W. Oliver; R.A. Phillips; E.M. Irwin; R. Wood (Vice Pres.); K.L. Longsworth (Sec.Treas.); R.J. Lang (President); B. Wright; W.Y. Roddick; and J.L. Williams.
Bottom Row (L to R): A.H. Erlandson; G.E. Moffatt; O. Larson; W.G. Maycock; O. Nordine; and I.M. Hodges.
Crack down vertical length of the photo just to the right of centre
Scope and Content
Composite portrait of the members of Brandon College's first year academic class, 1909-1910. The motto of the class was “Labor Omnia Vincit”
Top Row (L to R): E. Vicksburg; W.J. Roddick; A.S. Young; W.A. Branton; B.A. Toger; and A. McPherson.
Second Row (L to R): E.G. Cambridge; E.M. Irwin; L.J. Powers; B.A Fletcher; Dr. A.P. McDiarmid; I.A. Wright; F.H. Rogers; I. Drummond; and G.C. Cumming.
Third Row (L to R): R. Wood; V.L. Duncan; A.A. Pinder; D.A. McGibbon (Sup’r); Dr. S. J. McKee; G. Ruttan; G. Kelly; E.W. Osborne; and O. Larson.
Fourth Row (L to R): R. Lang; A.T. Andrews; W.M. Courtice; K. Sinclair; K.B. Cole; J. Curtis (President); R. Hutchison; E. Gimby; O. deMille; A. Mooney; and C.M. Strome.
Bottom Row (L to R): I.R. Graham; L.J. Cross; O. Nordine; B. deMille; B. Lane; and J.W. Pickard.
Erected in 1889, at 806 Rosser Avenue (the southeast corner of Rosser Avenue and 7th Street), the building was designed by Brandon architect W.H. Shillinglaw. At the time of its construction the structure housed the Nation Department Store, which became Nation & Shewan Department Store in 1894. One of Brandon’s largest and most successful drygoods businesses, the venture was owned and operated by Fred Nation and Alexander Shewan.
Built adjacent to an existing three storey brick building known as the A.D. Rankin Block (built sometime between 1885 and 1888), this smaller building was eventually absorbed by the Nation and Shewan Block after 1897, when Rankin Drygoods moved into the newly constructed Syndicate Block located farther east down Rosser Ave. Later, the Rankin Block became known as Nation Chambers. These two structures comprised what was known as the Nation and Shewan Block.
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 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 Metropolitan Stores Ltd began operating out of the Nation & Shewan Block.
In 2000, the Town Centre prepared to knock down what was then known as the Red Apple Building, the former 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.
Custodial History
See fonds level description of the Alf Fowler collection for custodial history.
Scope and Content
Photo shows the front of the Nation & Shewan Block, which was located in the 800 block of Rosser Avenue on the southside.
Storage Range
RG 5 Western Manitoba Manuscript collection - photograph storage drawer
View is southwest from approximatley 16th Street between Princess and Rosser Avenues. Photograph shows the Brandon University campus, as well as surrounding residential blocks, including Flemming, J.R. Reid and Vincent Massey schools.
View is west southwest from approximatley 16th Street between Princess and Lorne Avenues. Photograph shows the Brandon University campus, as well as surrounding residential blocks between 16th and 23rd Streets, Princess and Louise Avenues..
View is west from approximatley 17th Street between Lorne and Louise Avenues. Photograph shows a portion of the Brandon University campus (excluding the Education Building and anything north of it), as well as surrounding residential blocks from approximatley 17th Street to 22nd Street.
View is southwest from the corner of Clark Hall and the Clark Hall extension. Photograph shows students entering and exiting the George T. Richardson Centre and walking through the courtyard.
View is north northeast from the roof of the John E. Robbins Library in the George T. Richardson Centre. Photograph shows the entrance to the Richardson Building, part of the courtyard and the Clark Hall extension.
View is northeast from in front of the John E. Robbins Library in the George T. Richardson Centre. Photograph shows the entrance to the Richardson Building, most of the courtyard, Clark Hall and its extension.
View is northeast from the roof of the George T. Richardson Centre (John E. Robbins Library). Photograph shows the courtyard and the west side of the Brandon College building and Clark Hall, as well as the Clark Hall extension and part of the skywalk.
View is east southeast from the roof of the A.E. McKenzie Building. Photograph shows the courtyard and the west side of the Brandon College Building, as well as the Citizens' Science Building and the greenspace in between the two buildings.
View is from the front steps of the Education Building looking south down the east side of the Brandon College Building and Clark Hall to the Knowles Douglas Students' Union Centre and the John R. Brodie Science Centre in the background.
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