Attachment 4
Heritage Planner’s Summary of Historical and Architectural Information
HERITAGE PLANNER’S SUMMARY OF HISTORICAL AND
ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION
BUILDING NAME AND ADDRESS
ROBERTSON-WESLEY UNITED
CHURCH (1913-14)
10209 – 123 Street, Edmonton, Alberta
Register of Historic Buildings in Edmonton – “A” List
RECOMMENDATION
The Robertson Wesley United Church is recommended for designation as Municipal Historic
Resources because of its historical and architectural significance.
ARCHITECTURAL HISTORY
Style/Type
The Robertson Wesley United Church is an adaptation of the High Victorian Gothic Revival style
that was typical of churches built in the early 1900’s in Western Canada.
Design / Construction
Built: 1913 - 14
The Robertson–Wesley United Church was modeled after the First Baptist Church in Calgary. The
church built of Radcliffe pressed brick, has a front gable roof with an entry with a tower above at
the southwest corner. The bell tower has sandstone arch vent openings and finials. The front
doors of the church are oak and framed in a pointed sandstone arch. The pointed arch windows are
framed with sandstone tracery with sandstone spandrels between the lower and upper windows.
Construction cost $110,386
Memorial Hall and Chapel was designed by Edmonton Architect George Heath McDonald and
erected in the 1950’s to commemorate the war dead from both world wars. It was dedicated on
January 23, 1955.
Robertson-Wesley United Church has an eclectic display of stained glass windows. There are five
makers of stained glass represented: William N. O’Neil, Yvonne Williams and Esther Johnson,
Robert McCauseland, Frans Mayer and Minchin and Winter Art Glass.
The oldest windows in the church are by William N. O’Neil;. O’Neil was established in 1898 in
Vancouver and for some years took commission orders for Robert McCausland of Toronto. The
windows in Robertson-Wesley carry the company signature, which indicate that O’Neil actually
did produce stained and painted glasswork. These are the only known windows of O’Neil. At the
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Attachment 4
Heritage Planner’s Summary of Historical and Architectural Information
opening of the Robertson Presbyterian Church on January 25, 1914, all the windows were of the
style now seen in the East and West walls of the balcony and the South stairwells. The original
larger lights depicted biblical scenes and were of the same quality as those remaining. The East
window is the Good Shepherd and the West window is the Angel Gabriel, announcing to Mary that
she will be the mother of the Messiah. The stained glass windows are also part of the organized
tours during Historic Edmonton Week.
Architect/Builder
D. S. McIlroy (Architect of the First Baptist in Calgary)
George Heath McDonald (Architect of Memorial Hall)
CULTURAL HISTORY
Historical Importance
Robertson-Wesley United Church’s roots date back to early 1900’s when Edmonton was
booming. A special meeting of the congregation of the First Presbyterian Church was called in
1908 to discuss church expansion. A committee was struck and recommended another
congregation. Three lots were purchased on the northwest corner of Jasper and 116 Street. A
church with a capacity for 400 was built. It was called Knox Church, but renamed Robertson in
March 1910. A growing congregation led church elders to plan the present church. Two lots
were purchased in 1912. With a loan of $50,000 construction began and the first permanent
minister Reverend Rupert Stewart laid the cornerstone July 1st 1913.
In 1925 Robertson joined the United Church of Canada – the union of Methodist and
Presbyterian Churches. In 1971, Wesley United Church and Robertson merged. Wesley’s
memorial windows were installed in Robertson and its building at 102 Avenue and 117 Street
was sold to become the Canadian Native Friendship Centre.
James Robertson, (1839-1902) Born in the Scottish Highlands, the family immigrated to East
Oxford, Ontario. After graduating 1869 from the Union Seminary in New York he began
preaching at Knox Presbyterian Church in Winnipeg from 1870 to 1875. He then became the
Superintendent of Mission of the Presbyterian Church in the West and Northwest. In the six
years he was Superintendent (1881-1887) he had increased the number of mission stations from
129 to 389, a growth of 260, one for every week of those six years. In 1895 he became the
Moderator of the Presbyterian Church.
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Attachment 4
Heritage Planner’s Summary of Historical and Architectural Information
CONTEXT
Site
This is the second site for the Robertson-Wesley United Church. The first site was located on
Jasper Avenue and 116 Street.
Neighbourhood
The Robertson-Wesley United Church is located in the Oliver neighourhood and is adjacent to the
124 Street/High Street. Commercial area to the west. On the east, it is adjacent to medium to high
density residential area.
Visual/Symbolic
The Robertson-Wesley United Church contributes to the neighbourhood as a church and of
course as a landmark. Architecturally, it is visually striking and impressive. It is open every year
for tours during Historic Edmonton Week.
INTEGRITY
Both the original Robertson–Wesley United Church and the 1950s addition of Memorial Hall
and Chapel is largely altered. Any changes or alterations that occurred over the years have been
done with sensitivity and respect to the original.
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