Saturday, August 8, 2009

300 Portage Avenue - Timothy Eaton Statue

© 2009, Christian Cassidy. Updated 2018.

Timothy E
Place: Timothy Eaton Statue
Address: 300 Portage Avenue -  Bell / MTS Place (map)
Artist: Ivor Lewis
Unveiled: December 11, 1919

The imposing, 3,500 lb Timothy Eaton bronze statue was unveiled in Eaton's Winnipeg store on December 11, 1919. It, and an identical one at the Toronto store unveiled three days earlier, were a gift from Eaton's employees to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the retailing empire.


The sculptor was Welsh immigrant and Eatons executive Ivor Lewis. An accomplished artist and singer, Lewis is noted for his contributions to Toronto's arts and theatre scene.

Timothy's son and company president Sir John C. Eaton came from Toronto for the unveiling that was attended by "thousands of employees." It began on the main floor at 8:00 a.m., a half-hour before store opening.

After the singing of O Canada, Mr. H. McGee, an Eaton's vice-president and their oldest-serving employee, did the honours. In his speech, he noted that the Winnipeg store was known as "J. C.'s Baby" as it was Sir John who was instrumental in having the store and mail order catalogue house built here, even going so far as to personally select the site.


Sir John C. Eaton (source)
 
Eaton was suffering from a severe cold and his response had to be read on his behalf. He wrote, in part: "...to me it is most gratifying....that the deeds of my father still live and will be perpetuated for all time by the erection of this magnificent memorial."

In return for the gift, Eaton announced that beginning January 2, 1920, the store would close at 5 pm, a half hour earlier than usual, to lighten the workload of employees. It was noted that the store was already closed Saturdays in July and August as a thank-you to staff who had worked so hard to get the Winnipeg location up and running.

That evening, a gala dinner was held in honour of the retailer's Golden Jubilee.



During its eighty-year presence at the department store, the statue became a landmark at which people would meet up when visiting downtown. A superstition developed that rubbing the toe of Eaton's foot would bring good luck.

Luck eventually ran out for the Eatons themselves. In 1999, the retailer went bankrupt and the fate of the statue was in question.

It had a brief stint at Polo Park Shopping Centre when Sears Canada tried unsuccessfully to revive Eatons as an upscale department store chain.

After the second collapse in 2002, the Eaton family announced that the Winnipeg statue would go to a museum in St. Mary's, Ontario, the Eaton family's home town. That prompted negotiations between the family and heritage advocates that ended in a compromise: the statue would become a provincial heritage object owned by the province and it would be placed in a yet unknown 'site of significance'.




In 2003, the Hudson's Bay Company took over the former Eatons space in Polo Park and the statue was removed by the builders of Winnipeg's new arena, True North Entertainment.

After some time in storage, Timothy Eaton was unveiled in 2004 sitting in almost the exact spot, just one floor up, from where he had sat for 80 years. Also unveiled at the time across from the statue were the bronze war memorial panels from the store and a bronze window surround further east on the same floor.

Toronto's Eaton statue is now at the Royal Ontario Museum. The Eaton family were long-time benefactors of the institution.


Eaton's Golden Jubilee ad, Dec. 11, 1919

Related:

My Eaton Statue Photo Album

Eaton Statue Declared a Provincial Heritage Object
Manitoba Gov't Press Release, Oct. 22, 2002

Eaton due for a move, angering Winnipeggers
CBC News (video) April 19, 2002

Eaton Statue finds a new home
CBC News, December 1, 1999

True North relocates Timothy Eaton Statue... 
True North press release, April 21, 2004

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