November 28: Winnipeg's first mayor dies; Bombers take Grey Cup; fireman down.

November 28, 1955 - Winnipeg Fire Department battalion chief Robert Beatson collapses at the scene of a fire at the Union Building on Main Street at James Avenue. He was declared dead from a heart attack upon arrival at hospital.

The Scottish-born Beatson, 63, joined the force on April 1, 1914. He left behind a wife and three children and is buried in St. James cemetery.

November 28, 1878 - Winnipeg's first mayor, Francis Evans Cornish, dies. 

He was a controversial figure with a reputation as a drinker and a brawler. Prior to moving to Winnipeg he was mayor of London, ON where he was accused of election fraud, assault and public drunkenness during his tenure. He left his wife behind in London and lived with another woman while in Winnipeg. 

He acted ina  similar fashion here in Winnipeg. In the election campaign he won 383 votes to 179, even though there were only 388 registered voters at the time.

Despite this, after one year as mayor he was elected as MLA for Poplar Point, a position he held for three years until his death at the age of 47. Cornish is buried in Brookside Cemetery. 

For more read this MHS article, his Dictionary of Canadian Biography entry and this great story by Bruce Cherney.

November 28, 1959 - Quarterback Ken Ploen and his Winnipeg Blue Bombers rally for eighteen points in the fourth quarter to beat the Hamilton Tiger Cats 21 - 7 for the 47th Grey Cup. It was the first cup final attended by Bomber mascot Teddy the Chimp. 

November 28, 1874 - This sketch appears in the Illustrated News of Winnipeg's Main Street.