Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - June 05, 1978, Winnipeg, Manitoba Winnipeg free press monday june 5, 1978 t Ity news 2nd class mail registration number 0286 St. James anglican to become historic site 125-year-old Church getting new9 status. Nil in a ii i my wit St. James anglican Church the oldest standing Church building in Winnipeg will officially become a provincial historic site on Sun Day june 25, the 125-year-old Hen Oak int Crit Nitro Chartr Israfl o across Portage Avenue from Polo Park was completed in 1853 and was used continuously until the new St. James anglican at 195 collegiate Street opened its doors nov. 26, 1922. Its old cemetery Conse crated in 1856, is the final resting place of some of the most illustrious names of St. James Parish Isbister Halletts burkes Chapmans tales bruces. Notables officiating at the june 25 ceremony will in clude most reverend Eward Scott primate of the anglican Church of Canada my Dan Mckenzie la George Minaker mayor Robert Steen and councillor Eldon Ross. The provincial govern ment will produce a Bro Chure describing the historic site and place a plaque at the Tilehurst Street Entrance Gate. Reverend p. W. L. Smith the Church s eleventh Rector said in an interview the prov Ince was approached about two years ago to make the Church an historic site and last november the historic resources Branch of the tour ism recreation and cultural affairs department agreed. St. James anglican Church on Portage Avenue fund established for that Pur pose. Money in the fund will be used to give the outside clipboards a fresh coat of White paint before the 25th. The Church seats about 150 and is used for services 10 across from Polo Park was completed in 1853 and used we Don t make any Money out of it except when the time comes to make re pairs we be got some clout. To go and up to now repairs have been made out of a separate sundays each summer be ginning the last sunday in june plus the occasional funeral and the occasional Smith said. Burial in the old Church Yard is restricted to parishioners or those with family members already buried there. The same plot can be used again after 50 years when the body of the original occupant has returned to the dust Hen Oak logs Are on the Walls of the 125 year old Church still used for services 10 sundays each summer. Staff photos continuously until 1922. Whence it came. As a Canada Centennial project in 1967, the City of St. James which took its name from the Church and the Par ish restored the old building and it was rededicated june 21 that year. One thing the restorers did was strip the original Plas Ter quite the fashionable Interior decoration in the. 1850s, from the log Walls. Historians shudder at the thought but people like the looks of the Smith said. The logs arc original but much of the rest of the Interi or including the flooring is not. The original altar disappeared and so a new one was built in 19g7. The pulpit was dedicated in october 1911. The brass lectern was brought in from somewhere Down because no one was using it there Smith said. The Church property today is what remains of an Assini Boine River lot originally measuring 18 chains 1188 feet wide by two Miles Long the rest being sold off Over the years in order so legend has it. To pay the Rector s living. The 284.4 acres were on a provisional land Grant from the Hudson s Bay company to settlers military pension ers and retired Hudson s Bay employees. Four second world War soldiers reunited looking Over the show ters of and mrs. Hajden Are to right Baker and Bobon. They Are going Over of m Button s Home. By Ritchie Gage few Young canadians tank crewmen with the fort Garry horse 10th armoured regi ment were part of the june 6, 1314, a Day Allied invasion of Europe on the beaches of Normandy France. For the first time since the invasion 34 years ago four of them met Here during the weekend As part of a regimental reunion of More than 100 former soldiers in Brandon on the weekend. On sunday four of the former tank Crew had dinner at the Home of their former commander Pattie Button of 38r Westwood drive suite 73. For a goodbye meal before going to Homes in different parts of the country for which they fought. And As old soldiers will do attempts to get events in order Are the usual topic of conversation. As former commander Button recalled it was on june 9, the third Day of the invasion that their tank was hit from behind by a 88 millimetre Shell and the assistant Driver Clifford Hayden was killed instantly. The four others commander Button Driver Bob Gibb wireless operator c. C. Baker and wireless gunner Peter Hildeb Rafid were All injured and were evacuated to England for treatment. Gibb was in Hospital for a Liscs s year is England and Canada. Hildebrand Baker and Button All returned to Active Vury in Europe with different tank Crews. Gibb. Now chief fire Ira Superior in Szajt Ste. Marc Onu Baker a carpentry Foreman a Calgary had t seen each other since the Isva Job. They were joined Fey Ada ;