February 1, 1902 - Robert Briggs Hetherington was appointed the
provincial jailer. Born in Smith’s Falls ON, Hetherington came to
Manitoba in 1879 as a 21 year old carpenter working in Portage la
Prairie and settling in Douglas MB.
February 1, 1904 - The Winnipeg Commodity Exchange began trading in futures contracts.
February 1, 1906 - The original
John M King School opened
on Ellice Avenue. The three storey building could hold 560 students.
The present-day school was built in the "back yard" of the old school in
1964 and the old building was demolished. The "Knowledgeis Power"
tablet from the original school still stands along Ellice.
February 1, 1932 - James McGrath, a 24-year-old British labourer, was
hanged in Headingley for murdering his wife Freda (19) near Souris with a
butcher knife.
February 1, 1968 - The Canadian Forces Reorganization Act brings women
from all Canadian forces under the title of “service women”. Officially,
this would be the end of the
Navy WRENS (Women's Royal Navy Service),
though the name would be used unofficially for another decade. WRENS
began in May 1942 in Canada. (For
more about the WRENS.)
February 1, 1973 - The Health Sciences Centre was created. To protest the
amalgamation, the Children's Hospital flies its flag at half mast ! For
more about its history. For a history of the
Rehab / Respiratory Hospital and the
Women's Hospital.
February 1, 1976 - The Fort Garry Court apartments at Broadway and Main were destroyed by fire. Five elderly men were killed
and 175 left homeless. It was found to be arson. Deficiencies with
the building, which actually passed a fire inspection a few months
before, led to improvements of the fire code for all city apartment
blocks. (Image:
Tribune Photo Index.)
February 1, 1990 - The CNR discontinued the use of cabooses on their trains. The CPR did away with them in 1989.
© 2012, 2020 Christian Cassidy
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