The St. James-Eaton’s hall of fame, part two

This is part two of a two part piece.

Between July 15, 1905, and October 20, 1999, Eaton’s at 320 Portage Avenue was a meeting place for Winnipeggers. This story will tell the Eaton’s story by listing the contributions of some St. James residents (mostly employees).

64. Guildford, Richard Ebbitt, long time employee retired in 1978.
65. Guildford, Marjorie Ebbitt, long-time employee.
66. Heritage Boulevard, Cher Bond, 1973, Polo Park jewelry department.
67. Inglewood Street, Eleanor Attrill, 1940s/ Warehouse Department filling Catalogue orders.
68. Inglewood Street, Alf Scudder, 1920s-1950s, Downtown Groceteria.
69. Isbister, Rosalie Livingston, 1978-79, Polo Park Shoe Department.
70. Isbister, Cynthia Jones, 1979-81, Linen Department.
71. Inglewood, Kathleen Lewis, 44 years in the Mail Order Department.
72. Kensington Street, Irene Leiter, mid 1940s, Catalogue Department.
73. Kensington, George Hargraves, 32 years.
74. King Edward, Joseph Dancy, retired in 1944, after 17 years as Santa Claus in Toyland.
75. Lake Ridge Road, Tom Miller, 1960s sales later founded the St. James Junior Canucks.
76. Library Place, Laurie Mustard, well-known media personality has the Eaton’s Clock with the hope of displaying the clock in a public place.
77. Linwood Street, Alfred Best, 1910-1950 Manager.
78. Madison Street, David Gray, 36 years at Eaton’s.
79. Madison, Lesley Garraway, cosmetic department Polo Park featured in Ads in the 1970s.
80. Mandeville, Bill Harms, over 40 years’ service Manager of Men’s Shoes Downtown.
81. Mandeville, William Patterson, 1927-77, Floor Coverings Manager, and Buyer.
82. Mandeville, Anne Patterson, Mail Order.
83. Marjorie, George L Morris (no relation) 1940s-70s. I never knew George, but our family may have occasionally gotten his snail mail because he had the same name as my father.
84. Marjorie, Alan Kemp, Warehouse.
85. Marjorie, Florence Kemp, Bakery.
86. Marjorie, Jimmy King, Piano Salesman, Jimmy was a Band Leader.
87. Moorgate, Bruce McGregor Manager of Basement Shoes.
88. Moorgate Street, Maureen Korda age 5, in 1968 won the Eaton’s Draw Your Dad Contest.
89. Overdale, John Guest, between 1906-1933 recruited from Ontario to manage the meat department. During the mid-1930s, John was a St. James Alderman.
90. Overdale, Mary Donaldson, 1980s, fur department.
91. Overdale, Gladys Stewart, 1960s, Children Wear.
92. Overdale, Trevor Stewart, part time 1960s, Parcel Boy.
93. Palliser Avenue, Allan Finnbogason, 45 years with Eaton’s retiring in 1986 held several senior management positions including the head of food services, loaned to 1950 Flood Relief Fund, turned the Downtown store into a temporary hotel during the March 4, 1966, blizzard, active in the Eaton’s Retirement Club.
94. Palliser, Charles Finnbogason, early 1970s, first retail job in the 1990s was the Mall Manager for St. Vital center which included Eaton’s.
95. Palliser, Eve Finnbogason, 1970s one of her first jobs
96. Parkdale Maria Stoutenberg (my cousin) worked for over 40 years at Eaton’s as a cashier in the basement groceteria.
97. Parkdale, George Morrison, 10-15 years starting in 1974
98. Parkview Street, Howard McGregor, 1905-1951, in 1905 original employee of the Downtown store, manager and buyer for the Mail Order, President of the Eaton Athletic Club.
99. Parkview Street, Gertrude McGregor came to work at the brand-new Eaton’s Downtown in 1905 at the age of 19 as the Head Cashier.
100. Portage Avenue, Debi Pointkoski, 1960s 1970s Worked Downtown and Polo Park Ladies Accessories. Debbie met Liberace and Hockey Star Bobby Orr (In the 1960s Gordie Howe was an Eaton’s Travelling Ambassador).
101. Portage Avenue, Timothy C. Eaton, in the 1965 Henderson Directory the great grandson of Timothy Eaton was listed as an Eaton Employee living in St. James.
102. Queen Street, Carylye Carey, inventory control for children’s and baby department.
103. Ridley, Pamela Carlye, 1978-79, Junior Executive representing John Taylor Collegiate and modeling.
104. Rita Street, Alex Kapitany, 1950s-1980s, 30 years as an electrician Alex’s offer to use his Eaton’s wire cutters in an attempt to contain a small fire in a sign at the Time building was refused. The Fire then rapidly spread and threatened the Eaton’s Store. (Source A Store Like No Other by Russ Gourlick).
105. Riverbend, Debra Jonasson Young, 1971-1998, Grill Room at Polo Park Downtown and Garden City Supervisor of Women’s fashions, Manager of St. Vital, General Manager of the Manitoba Northwestern Ontario.

St. James Eaton’s Hall Of Fame

106. Riveroaks Drive, Roslyn Roberts, elevator operator.
107. Roseberry, Addell Ross, 1958-65, Budget Department
108. Roseberry, Arthur Barnes, messenger Arthur was killed in World War 2 at the age of 22. Arthur is remembered in Eaton’s Employee War Memorial
109. Roseberry Frank Jones late 1940s to late 1970s, Jewelry Department and Mail Order Department.
110. Roseberry, Eileen Jones, 1968-83, an original employee of the Polo Park Store, Children clothing and infant department manager.
111. Roseberry, Jerry Jones, 1976-78, Sporting Good Department Polo Park. Jerry is the currently the business manager of the three-time MMJHL Champions St. James Canucks.
112. Roseberry, Brad Vallance, 1960s Parcel Boy.
113. Rutland Street, 9-year-old Phyliss Dye wrote a letter in the Sun Beams. (children’s section of the Winnipeg Free Press) about enjoying the Santa Claus parade.
114. Rutland, Annette Buchan, 1968, camera department of the Polo Park Store.
115. Sackville Street, Robert Hamilton, Jewelry Department.
116. Sackville, Willett Edgar Workman, 1929-1975, Department Manager.
117. Sackville, Marjorie Workman, long time Eaton’s employee.
118. Sharp Blvd, 1960s-70s, Eileen McIntyre.
119. Stewart Street, Lorne Davies, Junior Executive in the Camera Department.
120. Strathmillan, Muriel Fox, 1950s-60s ladies clothing in the downtown store.
121. Truro, Ann McGregor, camera department Downtown later at Polo Park.
122. Truro Earl, McGregor manager of the Downtown China Department.
123. Winchester, Street Charles Lane, cash register repair Downtown for 55 years.
124. Winchester, Arthur Cann, 35 years 1927-62 Manager of the Eaton Seed Company.
125. Winchester, Ross Lane, Men’s Hats Downtown.
126. Winchester, Glen McLeod,, Delivery Dept 1975-76.
127. Winchester Doris Milne, early 1950s Ladies Sweaters.
128. Winchester, Russell Chatfield 40 years with Eaton’s.
129. Winchester, Stanley Carr, mechanic 1950s-1960s.
130. Wallasey Street, Margaret Wishnewski, Eaton’s wages office 1960-70, Eaton’s Polo Park sales artificial flowers, plants, barbecues and lawn mowers.
131. Wharton, Charlene Braun, 1976, John Taylor High School Junior Executive at the Downtown Store.

• • •

We have found Eaton’s connections on 57 St. James Streets. Every job is important to a business. Therefore, I do not rank the jobs or the employees. Many young people started their workplace adventures in the Junior Executive program and or a part time job. Other Etonians had careers of between 30 and 50 years. Long careers with one employer have become unusual in this day and age.

Customers could buy just about anything at Eaton’s including furniture, clothes, toys, cosmetics, jewelry, books, black and white TV’s, and pianos. There were no complaints about the lack of a downtown grocery store. Eaton’s had a Groceteria in their basement. Eaton’s had restaurants and a bakery. Remote buying is not new. We found many Catalogue Department employees. Many old catalogues ended up being used as hockey shin pads. Eaton’s provided services such as a pharmacy, optical, and watch repairs. Some jobs like elevator operators, and staff for the delivery horses stable disappeared.

Eaton employees were listed as clerks, managers, buyers, security personal, Delivery Drivers, mechanics, electricians, models, and gift wrappers. Buyers were required to do a lot of travelling.

There are several connections between Eaton’s and major 20th Century historical events such as WW1, WW2, the 1950, Flood, the Time Building Fire, the 1966 Blizzard and annual Manitoba Curling Bonspiel. This story focused on people’s contributions while working at Eaton’s. However, I would have been remiss if I did not mention that a Winnipeg mayor, band leader, and a St. James hockey team founder were once Eatonians.

Eaton’s played a part in the people everyday life. The back page of the daily newspaper was an Eaton’s ad. There is a reference in the story to a Father’s Day contest. Every August for decades the ad would remind us, “First to Eaton’s and then to School”. Between 1905 and 1966, Eaton’s put on the Winnipeg Eaton’s Santa Clause parade.

I would like to continue this project until the October 25th Anniversary of the closing of the Eaton’s Downtown Store. Let me know who else should be added to the St. James Eaton’s Hall of Fame. Please include the St. James Street where the person lived, when they worked at Eaton’s and their job description. If you have texted me and are not yet on the list, please resend the information to [email protected]. Finally, please let me know about any errors on the existing list. The current list can perfected by adding a few more details, especially the years that people worked at Eaton’s. Could we end up with representation from 70 St. James Streets?

Update on the Arlington
Street Bridge

I found no recent references to the Arlington Street Bridge in the Agendas of City Hall Meetings. However a June 1, 2024 Winnipeg Free Press (Page B 1) article caught my attention.

The City has put out a tender to replace the bearings on the currently unused bridge in order to prevent the Bridge from collapsing onto the Rail Yard. UNBELIEVABLE.

The Bridge is beyond repair and represents a safety hazard even when it is not in use. The immediate demolition of the Bridge should be the only money that the City spends on the Bridge.

DAYS OF NO DECISION About how or if this bridge should be replaced. As of June 19, 2024: 211 Days

Fred Morris is a Grandfather, Sports Fan and Political Activist.