Version 6.01

11 February 2025

David March © 2014

GERTRUDE SPURGEON GILROY née GAUNCE

Gertrude Spurgeon Gaunce was born on 12 January 1891 in Minnedosa, Manitoba, Canada to David Leonard Gaunce (1853-1914) & Ellen Jane Burns (1865-1907). Gertrude had one sister, Ethel Randolph (1885-1943) and three brothers, William Grant (1887-1929), Chris Burns (1888-1976) & Fred Leonard (1892-1949). Her father was a clerk in the land office when the family moved to Portage La Prairie, Manitoba in 1911. At this time her siblings all worked in the local store and Gertrude was a stenographer.

Gertrude married Edward Albert Gilroy on 9 April 1913 in Brandon, Manitoba. Edward was born on 10 October 1879 in Smith Falls, Ontario to Robert Gilroy (1840-1917) & Annie Smith (1851-1931). Edward had six brothers, John (b 1874), Henry/Harry (b 1882), Alden (b 1884), Elias (b 1886), David Antony (1889-1966) & Smith Hillyard (1891-1936) and one sister, Ida (b 1877). Edward’s life-long passion was hockey.

He came to Portage la Prairie, Manitoba in 1906 to coach a professional hockey team located there. His players included “Newsy” Lalonde, “Cyclone” Taylor, Donald Smith, Art Sevriss, and Hughie Ross. The team disbanded in 1909 but he remained at Portage, except for a two-year period in Winnipeg, for the rest of his life.

He worked as a court clerk for some years, worked in the clothing store of Ernie McPherson, was the first commissioner of the Manitoba Liquor Commission at Portage la Prairie, worked for two years in Winnipeg as a purchasing agent for the Manitoba government, then returned to Portage in 1922 and worked in the wholesale business.

Extract from Memorable Manitobans

Gertrude & Edward had two children, Rex /Allan (1914-1997) & Jack Edward (1920-1998). Rex went on to become a barrister and Queen’s Counsel. Gertrude died on 12 January 1942 in Plap, Manitoba and Edward died on 8 August of the same year in Dalta Beach, Manitoba.

Gertrude’s youngest brother, Fred Leonard led a varied life; in 1912 he was a clerk and then became a logger in British Columbia where he was the bull-cook. In 1927, he was with Al G Barnes Circus and in 1939 he was debarred from entering the US ‘for a few hours please’ with just 80 cents in his pocket.

This family tree can be found on Ancestry under the title 3rd Ave Gilroy Tree.