Foulons School (Diamond Harbor School) 1816 - 1884

Former Foulons School - 1946

Foulons School served the largely Irish Catholic population of Cap - Blanc from 1816 to 1884.

In the early 19th century, many working-class Irish Catholics settled around Cap - Blanc. Most worked as longshoreman, shipbuilders, and sailors. By 1861, these English speaking Catholics represented about three-fourths of the neighborhood's population.

To meet the needs of theis growing population, Father Joseph Signay, the Catholic priest of Notre-Dame-de-Quebec, paid to set up a boy's school in the area. The building was destroyed by fire in 1839, and a new building designed by Thomas Baillairge went up in its place.

In 1849, the Brothers of the Christian Schools, who also ran the Clacis School, took over. A chapel was added soon after which eventually became the Irish-Catholic Church Our Lady of Perpetual Help. The school came to be known as the Foulons School or, the Catholic Diamond Harbor School. It offered classed in French and English, but most classes were in English. By the 1880's there were only 4 Francophone children in the school with over 200 English speakers.

By 1884, classes were moved to St. Patrick's School in the Upper Town but the chapel remained until the 1960's.



(c)2016 Linda Sullivan-Simpson

Champlain Street Methodist Chapel - 1830 - 1841

Champlain Street Methodist Chapel was set up for Methodists living near the harbor in the Cap - Blanc neighborhood.


In 1830 a Methodist chapel was founded to afford the means of grace to many of the sailors who visited the port during the summer and were pre-disposed to attend divine worship.

The chapel was financed by Peter Langlois, one of the city's first immigrant Methodists, who arrived from Guernsey in 1806. It was open during the shipping season until 1841, when it was closed as a result of rock slides in the area.

The building was destroyed by the rock slide of 1889.


- courtesy Archives of Quebec

Champlain Street - Quebec City

I've mentioned my Irish great-grandparents in previous posts. My great-grandfather George Burns was a stevedore working the timber wharves. My great-grandmother, Elizabeth and he had 4 children, the youngest of which was my grandmother, Bertha.

I can't say for sure they ever lived on Petit Champlain Street but they lived close by, my grand-father helped in the rescue of the 1899 rock slide.

1900

Champlain Street was known as early as 1716. It was the prolongation of De Meulles Street, now called Rue du Petit Champlain.

Champlain Street runs along a narrow terrace bordered on one side by the steep cliff face of the Quebec City promontory and, on the other, by the St. Lawrence River, which is very deep there and usually roiled by strong currents.

Champlain Street, seen here, is located in Quebec City's lower town, below the promontory called Cap Diamant. Many dockworkers lived in this area in the 1800s, and there were also a number of inns.

Keeping this street clean was no easy task, for rains and the thawing snow in springtime turned the lower town into a sea of mud. Fortunately for the residents, municipal authorities fitted out the city with plank sidewalks between 1855 and 1860.

1865

Squeezed between the cliff and the river, this neighbourhood remained a dangerous place under constant threat of rockslides. No less than 85 people died in tragic circumstances there in the 19th century.


The street is named in honour of Samuel de Champlain, who founded Quebec City in 1608.

1916

1950

 Copyright (c) Linda Sullivan-Simpson

Montreal, QB Terrible Disaster At Picture Theatre, Jan 1927

77 MONTREAL KIDDIES KILLED.
LIVES ARE SNUFFED OUT IN SUNDAY PICTURE THEATRE FIRE.
LITTLE VICTIMS EITHER TRAMPLED, SUFFOCATED AS EXITS JAMMED IN RUSH.

ONE OF MOST POIGNANT TRAGEDIES IN HISTORY OF MONTREAL -- VICTIMS RANGE FROM 5 TO 16 YEARS -- UNPARALLELED SCENES AS FRANTIC PARENTS BESIEGE MORGUE SEEKING THEIR LOVED ONES.

Montreal, Jan. 10. -- The death of another youngster today brought the number of casualties up to 77 in the Laurier Palace theatre fire and panic here yesterday afternoon. Some thirty other children, who were injured in the catastrophe, are now receiving treatment in hospitals. The six bodies which remained unidentified up to a later hour last night were claimed by the parents of the victims at the morgue today.
The six were: LAROTTE FRANCOEUR, 14; ARTHUR GASTON, 6; ROGER PAGEAU, 14; ARTHUR GODON, 13; IDA GODIN, 10; and ARTHUR ST. PIERRE, 13.

All of the victims have now been identified.


Montreal Surveys Scene of Havoc.
Montreal, Jan. 10. -- The citizens of Montreal this morning were sorrowfully surveying the havoc wrought yesterday afternoon, when, within a few brief minutes the lives of seventy-six children were snuffed out and twenty-four other persons were more or less seriously injured as the result of panic in the Laurier Palace moving picture theatre which followed an alarm of fire. The little victims whose ages ranged from five years to sixteen or seventeen were for the most part suffocated by smoke or trampled to death under the feet of the throng which jammed the exits in the wild rush to safety.

The tragedy is one of the most poignant that has ever occurred in this city and is the greatest moving picture catastrophe that has happened in this country. In several cases more than one member of the same family was killed.

Constable ALBERT BOISSEAU of the Tetreaultville police station, lost three children.

Frantic Parents Besiege Morgue.

All yesterday afternoon and evening there was a heart rending procession of distracted parents to the city morgue where the seventy-six little bodies were laid out, awaiting identification. The scenes within the building were unparalleled in their tragedy and in pathos as heartbroken mother crushed with grief, came to seek and in too many instances to claim some pitiful little corpse. Stricken to the depths with horror and the sorrow of it all, the officials guided the mourning parents among the bodies, themselves grim and unemotional as a rule, breaking into tears at the sad and unprecedented spectacle. For hours an endless line of fathers, mothers, sisters and brothers passed before Coroner McMAHONE as the aged official, his head bowed in grief and his heart filled with sympathy, assisted them to fulfill the requirements of the law. Working ceaselessly and giving to each bereaved parent the same kindly attention throughout the night, the coroner issued death certificates after all identifications had been made and the cause of death determined.

Many Children Not Attended.
To each parent, he put the question whether their dead child had gone to the theatre attended by some responsible person and if he or she had secured the parents permission. The answers in many cases were in the negative.
How the fire, which was the cause of the catastrophe, began, will not be determined until the inquest which begins today and until the owner of the theatre, AMEEN LAWAND, a Syrian, has been questioned. LAWAND was taken to the police station at an early hour this morning in company with three others, the assistant manager, the head usher and the ticket taker. He was granted $500 bail and will appear as a witness.

Children Stampede.

The fire started during the showing of a comedy picture. The theatre was well filled, with children predominating. The fire was discovered by an usher who took immediate steps to extinguish it while at the same time counselling the audience to refrain from panic. The children, however, became frightened and a wild rush was made for the exits. Those who were seated in the balcony made a dash for the stairs, and it was here that the disaster happened. At the end of the stairway, near the bottom, only a few feet from the sidewalk, the children became jammed. Dozens of them fell and were trampled under foot, their life literally crushed out of them, while many more, fighting madly to get out of the building, tried to push them from behind. The result was a hopeless crush. So tightly was the mass jammed that even when assistance in the shape of firemen and policemen arrived, it was found impossible for twenty men, pulling on a rope attached to one of the children to release him from the crush.

The Work Of Rescue.

Holes were made in the stairs underneath the mass and another in the side wall of the building and through these many of the children were dragged to safety.
While this was in progress the fire had been extinguished, but the building was filled with smoke. Choking and gasping for breath, the children were feverishly dragged out of the theatre, but in many cases it was too late. The little people were brought out merely to temporarily breathe in the cold fresh air, and then to fall back dead.
Ambulances, police patrols and taxicabs were pressed into service, the taximen volunteering their assistance gratis and as the victims were handed out they were rushed to the hospitals. The dead children were taken to the morgue. Then began the sad search. Frantic parents, most of whom resided in the vicinity of the theatre, rushed madly from the place to the hospitals and from the hospitals to the morgue. In many cases the visit to the hospital ended the search, but in many more the search did not finish until the parents saw their childrens stretched out dead.

Policeman Finds Own Three Kiddies.

Several of the firemen and policemen had their own children attending the theatre and they worked feverishly to extricate the mass. Constable BOISSEAU sought his three children, and the second sheet he turned up on the sidewalk disclosed the features of one of them. His other two had likewise perished.
Mayor MODERIC MARTIN last evening issued a message of condolence to the bereaved parents and the Montreal Theatre Managers' association at once opened a subscription which will swell from the original $10,000 aimed at.

The theatre is in the Hochelaga district, in the east end of the city between Moreau street and Pie Ix boulevard.
The vast majority of the victims were French-Canadian children, although a few names are those of English-Canadians.


The Lethbridge Herald Alberta Canada 1927-01-10

St. Lawrence River, QB Steamer MONTREAL Disaster, June 1857

Quebec, June 27

The steamer Montreal, touring between Montreal and Quebec, left this port at 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon having on board near 500 passengers, of whom a majority were Scotch and other emigrants who had recently arrived from Europe.

Nothing unusual occurred after leaving the wharf until the Montreal rounded a point off Cape Roegue, about ten or fifteen miles above this city, when the wood work near the furnace was discovered on fire. Almost the very moment the smoke was discovered, the flames burst forth causing the utmost consternation among the crowded passengers. Every effort was made to arrest the flames. The boat was stopped so as to lessen the draft, but finding it impossible to save her, Capt. RUDOLPH ordered her to be run towards the shore. The wildest confusion and despair pervaded throughout the ship, and many of the passengers threw themselves overboard and were in most cases drowned.
Fortunately the steamer Napoleon, also bound for Montreal, was but a few miles in advance of the burning boat.
As soon as the fire was discovered she put back with all speed and succeeded in rescuing from the burning wreck, 125 passengers. Capt. RODOLPH and the passengers of the Montreal, were amongst those who threw themselves into the river, they being excellent swimmers succeeded in reaching the steamer Alliance and were saved. It is quite possible that others may have saved themselves by swimming, but, as the steamer was becoming unmanageable, some, no doubt, found a watery grave.

Sixteen of those saved died within a short time after reaching the deck of the Napoleon. It is believed the total loss of life by this terrible disaster will not fall short of 300 to 400. The steamer Alliance arrived here this P.M. with 45 dead bodies and another boat is known to have recovered 60.
Names of the lost not yet known excepting MR. PHILLIPS, of the firm of Noreruss & Phillips, Three Rivers.

The Montreal had on board 258 emigrants, recently arrived from Glasgow, together with several German families, raftsmen, and several American passengers.
Names of Saved:

ALEX CALDWELL, 18 months old.
GEORGE MUIR.
JAMES MUIR.
JAMES GILCHRIST, about 4 years old.
AGNES JOHNSON.
PETER McCAUL.
RICHARD DEVLIN.
BRIDGET DEVLIN.
Ladies' Maid of the Montreal.
MME. PREVOST, Maid of the Montreal.
JAMES McDERMIT, boot boy of the Montreal.
CATHERINE McCARTHY.
KATE and JESSIE LAURIE, about 6 years old.
CATHERINE CLARK and daughter.
MARGARET McALLISTER and three children.
MARY M'LEAN and son.
MRS. McKENZIE.
MRS. MARGARET DIXON.
MRS. MARY BLOOMFIELD.
DAVID WILSON and one boy.
JOHN HUNTER.
WILLIAM DOUGLASS, 14 years old.
JOHN CAMPBELL and MARIA CAMPBELL.
JAMES and JEANNETTE LAURIE.
JANE WYLIE.
WILLIAM CARROL.
THOMAS GILCHRIST.
MRS. MARY PETTIGREW.
ARCHIBALD McALLISTER.
CHARLES CAMERON.
ALEXANDER COLVILLE.
JOHN HAIG.
ALEXANDER McALLISTER.
WILLIAM NICHOLSON.
ALEXANDER KNOX.
HUGH STEWART.
WILLIAM BLACK.
JAMES MALCOLMSON.
ALEXANDER WATSON.
THOMAS P. WALKER and wife.
Servants of J. GREENSHIELDS.



Names of Persons Supposed to be Lost:
MR. and MRS. CALDWELL.
MR. and MRS. LAURIE.
Four children of DAVID GILCHRIST.
MR. CLARKE and one child.
MR. J. McKENZIE.
B. E. WALLACE.
A son and niece of MRS. MARGARET DICKSON, who is saved.
Two children of MRS. MARGARET BLOOMFIELD, who is saved.
MRS. DAVID WILSON and five children, husband saved.
MR. DOUGLASS, father of WILLIAM, who is saved.
MRS. DOUGLASS, and a sister of MR. DOUGLASS together with six children.
MRS. CAMPBELL, mother of JOHN and MARIA, and two sisters.
MR. and MRS. LAURIE, parents of JAMES and JEANNETTE, who are saved, and a girl.
MR. WYLIE, husband of MRS. JANE WYLIE, and three children.
MR. and MRS. McALLISTER, parents of ARCHIBALD, who is saved, and a child.
MR. NICHOLSON, father of WILLIAM, who is saved.
JAMES MAXWELL.
ANTOINE GAGNON.
MICHAEL BRENNAN, waiter.
JAMES SULLIVAN.
HUGH McLEAN, with two children.
CHARLES McKAY.
R. WILSON and two sons.
MARY WILSON.
HYPOLITE ASSELIN.
XAVIER HAMEL.
FRANCOIS CHARRON.
WILLIAM GRAHAM.
JAMES WATSON, son and daughter.
CLEOPHAS BOUDREAU.
MARIE LONE SQUARE.
JOHN GRANT, steward of the JOHN McKENZIE'S
JOHN McINTYRE.
MRS. COLIN SINCLAIR.
ANDREW ADAMS.
JOHN LACHLANE.
WILLIAM McLEOD.
MARGARET CORBETT.
JAMES McQUEEN, son and daughter.
CATHARINE McKENZIE.
MRS. MARY HUNTER and five children.
JAMES McEWING.
SERG. BROWN and wife.
EDWARD PERREAULT.
WILLIAM MARTIN.
MR. O'BRIEN, Toronto.
MRS. CHRISTIAN.
MRS. MAXWELL, wife of JAMES MAXWELL, saved, and three sisters.
MRS. McBETH, wife of ALEXANDER McBETH, saved, and a child.
MRS. WILSON, wife of ROBERT WILSON, saved, and one child.
JAMES COLQUHOUN, son of COLIN CAMPBELL, who is saved.
MRS. LACHIAN, wife of JOHN LACHLAN, who is saved, and five children.
MRS. McKENZIE, mother of CATHERINE McKENZIE, five sons and two daughters.
MR. CHRISTIAN, two boys and two girls.
A sister of ANDREW ADAMS who is saved.

Daily Milwaukee News Wisconsin 1857-06-28

Quebec City Stairways

Quebec City has 30 stairways that connect the Upper and Lower towns, each has a story to tell, here are five such stairways.

Escalier du Faubourg (99 steps)

Also known as the Sainte-Claire or Le Soleil Stairs, Escalier du Faubourg was built out of wood some time before 1858 and rebuilt in iron in 1889. The current version dates back to 1931. In the opinion of historian Yves Beauregard, this three-level staircase is the city's “most graceful and soaring.” From the top, you'll have a splendid view of the Saint-Roch district and the Laurentian mountain range. You'll notice a portrait of the mayor of the time (1882–1890), François-Charles-Stanislas Langelier, built into the iron arch decorating the stairs.

 

Lépine Stairs (118 steps)

Built out of wood in 1857, this stairway was demolished and rebuilt in iron in 1883. Officially given the name Lépine in 1986 after a nearby funeral home, this stairway is undeniably one of Québec City's loveliest. The finely worked wrought iron arches at each end seem woven out of floral symbols. They also bear the names of the prominent citizens who made the construction possible. The arch at the bottom is the original, while the one at the top is a copy.

Breakneck Stairs (59 steps)

The Breakneck Stairs linking côte de la Montagne with rue du Petit-Champlain were built in 1635, making this the city's oldest stairway. In 1660, this staircase appears on a map of the village that grew into Québec City. The stairs have been restored several times since then, including once in 1889 by the city's celebrated architect and engineer Charles Baillargé. Local residents gave it the name Breakneck because of the steep incline.

Cap-Blanc Stairs (398 steps)

Québec City's longest staircase was built out of wood in 1868. At the time, it was used by the workers of the Cap-Blanc district to walk to work in the Cove Fields munitions factories, which were then located on the Plains of Abraham.
The stairs have been rebuilt many times, because they are bolted onto a rock wall subject to rockslides. Today the stairway includes a number of landings to give users a chance to catch their breath. The stairs remain a real challenge for joggers and other athletes who want to test their physical condition.

Escalier de la Pente-Douce (133 steps)

This stairway was named after a novel by Roger Lemelin, a Québec City author whose first novel, Au pied de la pente douce (The Town Below, literally “at the foot of the gentle slope”), was published in 1944. It dealt with daily life and the colorful characters of his Québec City neighborhood, Saint-Sauveur, and was quite controversial at the time.

Charles-Baillargé Stairs (35 steps)

In 1980 this stairway was named for Charles Baillargé, Québec City's architect and engineer from 1866 to 1899. He was responsible for numerous structures now considered part of the city's heritage, including several stairways. Formerly known as the Buade Stairs, these received an outstanding facelift based on 1893 plans by Baillargé himself. To get to them, go down impasse du Chien d'Or to the corner of rue Buade. The stairs take you to côte de la Montagne, from where you can admire historic surroundings that include parc Montmorency, rue des Remparts, and the Québec Seminary.



(c)2016 Linda Sullivan-Simpson

Diamond Harbour School - 1854 - 1888

Diamond Harbour School - 1856 Presentation drawing

The Diamond Harbour School served the children of Protestant sailors and shipbuilders in the working class Cap-Blanc neighborhood. Originally located in the the basement of the Mariner's Chapel, it moved to a new building in 1863.

Former Diamond Harbour School - 1900

This elegant neo-gothic schoolhouse was the second to be created by the Protestant Board of School Commissioners of Quebec, after the Artillery Street School.

With the decline of the shipbuilding trade, attendance at the school fell and part of the building was transformed into a Lutheran Scandinavian Church in 1876. The school finally closed in October 1888, but the building later housed the Sarsfield Athletic Club and the Quebec Harbour Authority, and has since been converted to a private residence.

Former Diamond Harbour School became a Scandinavian Church - 1900

The institution should not be confused with the Catholic Diamond Harbour School also known as the Foulons School.

2012

Diamond Harbour School is now a private residence.


Copyright (c)2016 Linda Sullivan-Simpson