First Meeting of the IrishPBS Council at their new Headquarters, The Macdonald Steward Foundation, January 26, 2016
IrishPBS Council -
1st Row: Edna Ralston, Rev. James McDermott.
2nd Row: Michael Nelson, David Clendenning, Robert Ouellette, Richard Waring, Tony Waite
New Address for Irish Protestant Benevolent Society - January 2016
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tIn early January 2016, The Irish Protestant Benevolent Society (IPBS) moved from 5165 Sherbrooke St. West to the historic Louis-Joseph Forget House at 1195 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal.
The Forget House serves as the administrative offices for the Macdonald Stewart Foundation and to house not-for-profit organizations including the St. Andrew's Society and the Irish Protestant Benevolent Society. The Macdonald Steward Foundation is a Canadian non-profit organization established in 1974. The Foundation is active in the areas of education, medicine, culture and heritage. |
A grande dame from the Golden Square Mile.
The Louis-Joseph Forget House, c 1884. Designated as a historic monument by the Government of Quebec in 1974.
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The historic monument plaque in front of the Forget House.
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Maxwell brothers' 1902 architectural drawing of the front door. The sinuously curved grillwork was fabricated at the Clendinneng Foundry in Montreal.
Source: Booklet published by the Macdonald Stewart Foundation.
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IPBS Hall of Honour - Forget House - Installed June 2016
Panel of William Clendinneng
William Clendinneng: A founding member of the Irish Protestant Society and its President in 1875.
The Governors General of Canada Since Confederation
THE GOVERNORS GENERAL OF CANADA SINCE CONFEDERATION
1867-1868 - Viscount Monck
1869-1872 - Baron Lisgar (assumed office in 1868, took it up in 1869)
1872- 1878 - Earl of Dufferin
1878-1883 - Marquess of Lorne
1883-1888 - Marquess of Lansdowne
1888-1893 - Baron Stanley of Preston
1893-1898 - Earl of Aberdeen
1898-1904 – Earl of Minto
1904-1911 - Earl Grey
1911-1916 - Duke of Connaught
1916-1921 - Duke of Devonshire
1921-1926 - Baron Byng of Vimy
1926-1931 - Viscount Willingdon
1931-1935 - Earl of Bessborough
1935-1940 - Baron Tweedsmuir
1940-1946 - Earl of Athlone
1946-1952 - Viscount Alexander
1952- 1959 - Rt. Hon. Vincent Massey
1959-1967 - General The Rt. Hon. Georges Vanier
1967-1974 - Rt. Hon. Roland Michener
1974-1979 - Rt. Hon. Jules Léger
1979-1984 - Rt. Hon. Edward Schreyer
1984-1990 - Rt. Hon. Jeanne Sauvé
1990-1995 - Rt. Hon. Ray Hnatyshyn
1995-1999 - Rt. Hon. Roméo LeBlanc
1999-2005 - Rt. Hon. Adrienne Clarkson
2005-2010 - Rt. Hon. Michaelle Jean
2010 -2017 Rt. Hon. David Johnston
2017 -2021 Rt. Hon. Julie Payette
2021 Vacant. Chief Justice
2021 Rt. Hon. Mary Simon
1867-1868 - Viscount Monck
1869-1872 - Baron Lisgar (assumed office in 1868, took it up in 1869)
1872- 1878 - Earl of Dufferin
1878-1883 - Marquess of Lorne
1883-1888 - Marquess of Lansdowne
1888-1893 - Baron Stanley of Preston
1893-1898 - Earl of Aberdeen
1898-1904 – Earl of Minto
1904-1911 - Earl Grey
1911-1916 - Duke of Connaught
1916-1921 - Duke of Devonshire
1921-1926 - Baron Byng of Vimy
1926-1931 - Viscount Willingdon
1931-1935 - Earl of Bessborough
1935-1940 - Baron Tweedsmuir
1940-1946 - Earl of Athlone
1946-1952 - Viscount Alexander
1952- 1959 - Rt. Hon. Vincent Massey
1959-1967 - General The Rt. Hon. Georges Vanier
1967-1974 - Rt. Hon. Roland Michener
1974-1979 - Rt. Hon. Jules Léger
1979-1984 - Rt. Hon. Edward Schreyer
1984-1990 - Rt. Hon. Jeanne Sauvé
1990-1995 - Rt. Hon. Ray Hnatyshyn
1995-1999 - Rt. Hon. Roméo LeBlanc
1999-2005 - Rt. Hon. Adrienne Clarkson
2005-2010 - Rt. Hon. Michaelle Jean
2010 -2017 Rt. Hon. David Johnston
2017 -2021 Rt. Hon. Julie Payette
2021 Vacant. Chief Justice
2021 Rt. Hon. Mary Simon
The Irish Way - Cultural Memory
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In their quest for a renewal of purpose in the early 1980s, the IPBS council sought inspiration from the Society's origins. The move brought forward an abundance to material from the past. The question of writing the Society's history arose and the expert advice of E. A. Collard*, a well-know Montreal historian, was sought and his answer was:
"I have been pondering your interesting suggestion about writing a history of the Irish Protestant Benevolent Society. The more I look into it, the more fascinating, important and, indeed, exciting the idea becomes. It could so easily and naturally be broadened to include not only a history of the Society as such but a history of the contribution of the Irish Protestants to the life and development of Montreal, and even of Canada. The two themes would easily become one, because of the astonishing list of eminent Irish Protestants who have been connected with the Society and its work. The value of such a history could be very real, and it could also be something of an historical revelation. Almost nothing has ever been written about the contribution of the Irish Protestants. The role of the Irish Catholics has been extensively covered, as has the role of other racial elements, such as the Scots, the English, the Jews, and others. But the Irish Protestants have never received the recognition that is their due. Such a history as this may help to fill the gap. It would also have an interest for readers beyond those concerned with the Society itself." This response inspired the council to commission him to undertake the work that led to the book "The Irish Way: The History of the Irish Protestant Benevolent Society", now it its third printing (ISBN 0-9695771-2-5). Copyright 1992. Hardcover out of print. Softcover reprints, 158 pages. Please, contact the IPBS to purchase a copy. Cost: $15. *Note: Edgar Andrew Collard, CM was a journalist and historian, best known for his Montreal Gazette column "All Our Yesterdays". He was born in 1911 in Montreal and died in 2000 in Ottawa. He was a IPBS member. |
'Tis true we may not see her more, |
Some glimpses of our history
IPBS Dinner 1896 |
IPBS Centennial Dinner 1956 |
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IPBS Centennial Dinner 1956
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IPBS Sesquicentennial Celebration 1856 - 2006
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Old Brewery Mission Annual Donation and Supper
Again, in 2015, the IPBS gave a donation to sponsor the supper and to help serve a meal at the Old Brewery Mission.
On hand in 2015 to serve the supper on Monday, March 30th were Robert Ouellette, Tony Wait, Rachel Ouellette and Mike Nelson.
On hand in 2015 to serve the supper on Monday, March 30th were Robert Ouellette, Tony Wait, Rachel Ouellette and Mike Nelson.
IPBS Council members about to serve dinner at the Old Brewery Mission, April 19, 2010.
Victoria Bridge and the Irish Commemorative Stone (The Black Rock)
Irish Commemorative Stone
The Irish Commemorative Stone (also known as the Black Rock) is a monument in Montreal, Quebec commemorating the deaths of 6,000 Irish immigrants to Canada during the famine immigration. Officially named the Irish Commemorative Stone, it is more commonly known as the Black Rock and also has been referred to as the Ship Fever Monument.
Its inscription reads:
To preserve from desecration the remains of 6000 immigrants who died of ship fever A.D.1847-8 this stone is erected by the workmen of Messrs. Peto, Brassey and Betts employed in the construction of the Victoria Bridge A.D.1859
Go to: www.wikiwand.com/en/Victoria_Bridge_(Montreal)
The Irish Commemorative Stone (also known as the Black Rock) is a monument in Montreal, Quebec commemorating the deaths of 6,000 Irish immigrants to Canada during the famine immigration. Officially named the Irish Commemorative Stone, it is more commonly known as the Black Rock and also has been referred to as the Ship Fever Monument.
Its inscription reads:
To preserve from desecration the remains of 6000 immigrants who died of ship fever A.D.1847-8 this stone is erected by the workmen of Messrs. Peto, Brassey and Betts employed in the construction of the Victoria Bridge A.D.1859
Go to: www.wikiwand.com/en/Victoria_Bridge_(Montreal)
Ulster-Scotts (Scots-Irish) Heritage
Many Ulster-Scots, also known as Scots-Irish, are descendants of the Border Reivers, lawless clans from the border between Scotland and England. Living a life of raiding and marauding was a means of survival for these people, as passing armies frequently harassed them, destroying crops, burning homesteads, and causing misery. Faced with the constant threat of having their resources stolen, the Border Reivers turned to a lifestyle of reiving for over 400 years, engaging in deadly raids characterized by looting, arson, murder, and rustling.
The allegiance of Border Reivers was often tied more to family surnames than to the English or Scottish Crowns. Similar to the American Wild West, their history involved outlaws, broken men, corrupt officials, greed, misery, and a struggle for survival. In 1603, James VI of Scotland became James I of England and sought to unify the two countries by bringing the Reivers under control. Many Reiver families were given the choice of hanging or accepting exile to Ulster across the Irish Sea as part of James' Plantation project, aimed at controlling the Irish natives. In Ulster, the Border Reiver family names were particularly concentrated in County Fermanagh.
The allegiance of Border Reivers was often tied more to family surnames than to the English or Scottish Crowns. Similar to the American Wild West, their history involved outlaws, broken men, corrupt officials, greed, misery, and a struggle for survival. In 1603, James VI of Scotland became James I of England and sought to unify the two countries by bringing the Reivers under control. Many Reiver families were given the choice of hanging or accepting exile to Ulster across the Irish Sea as part of James' Plantation project, aimed at controlling the Irish natives. In Ulster, the Border Reiver family names were particularly concentrated in County Fermanagh.
The Scots-Irish Origins of St. Patrick's Day Parades in America.
Go To: forgedinulster.blogspot.com/2012/03/ulster-scots-held-first-st-patricks-day.html
Go To: forgedinulster.blogspot.com/2012/03/ulster-scots-held-first-st-patricks-day.html
On the Irish Experience in Quebec
Being Irish O'Quebec Exhibition, McCord Museum of Canadian History - 2009
An exploration of the history of the Irish in Quebec
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The McCord Musuem's exhibition Being Irish O'Quebec opened on March 20, 1009. It explored the integration of Irish immigrants and their contribution to the social, cultural, political and economic fabric of Quebec from the era of New France to today. The exhibition was jointly sponsored by the Irish Protestant Benevolent Society and the St. Patrick Society. These two societies are the longest established and most representative organizations in the Irish Community in Quebec. The exhibition was of historical and cultural importance to the Irish diaspora in Quebec, one of the earliest and largest in Canada.
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IPBS Chain of Office and emblems, McCord exhibition, 2009
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The Irish in Montreal, 1867-1896
Mount Royal Cemetery, Montreal, founded in 1852. - One of the oldest rural cemeteries in North America and a tremendous historical treasure.
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In the middle of the 1800s, the cemeteries located downtown Montreal needed space desperately. Concerned with epidemics and public health issues, these cemeteries had to be developed elsewhere.
The Protestant community of Montreal purchased a tract of land (155 acres) on Mount Royal in 1847. There was no precedent in Canada for the design of such a large extent of land so the corporation turned to American planners for models of the rural cemetery fashioned after Pere Lachaise. These planners had been designing picturesque landscapes in cemeteries since 1831, when Mount Auburn Cemetery was created in Boston. J.C. Sydney, surveyor and civil engineer, was commissioned to design the Mount Royal Cemetery. Sydney was said to be a follower of Andrew Jackson Downing, who had been the corporation's first choice, but who died suddenly in 1852. The first burial in the cemetery was Rev. William Squire, a Methodist minister, on October 19, 1852. In 1862, the entrance gates were built in the early English Gothic style of architecture. Of interest were the iron gates made at the Wm. Clendinneng and Wm. Rodden foundry of Montreal. Both men were among the early members of the IPBS. |
Mount Royal Cemetery's Imposing Gate in 2015.
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Irish Protestant Benevolent Cemetery Plot in the Mount Royal Cemetery, Montreal
From its inception, the Society paid the costs of burying destitute Protestant Irish in the Free Ground of the Mount Royal Cemetery. In 1871, the trustees of the Mount Royal Cemetery offered the society a lot at "half price"; over the next years, the trustees struggled with the society over location of its lot, forcing them to locate in the charity section. Finally, in 1886, the society agreed to pay $250 for a thousand square-foot lot, and this was enlarged again in 1897. As part of the sales, the cemetery agreed to provide free interments and perpetual care of the site. The lot was subsequently graded, levelled, sodded, and marked by stone copings. Responding to protests concerning unmarked graves, the society began providing identical headstones for all graves. In a typical year such as 1888, the society provided the funeral and burial expenses for seven people.
Source: Respectable Burial: Montreal's Mount Royal Cemetery. By Brian J Young, MQUP - McGill - Queen's Press, 2003
Source: Respectable Burial: Montreal's Mount Royal Cemetery. By Brian J Young, MQUP - McGill - Queen's Press, 2003
IPBS Lot, Section G. 390. On either side are the Young Men's Christian Association and the Montreal Protestant Homes lots.
On the 30th of May 1881 the minutes record the purchase of a burial lot in the Mount Royal Cemetery at a price of 25C per foot. Later a sum of approximately $500 was spent in the erection of a stone coping round the lot.
Lots G399/399A - Irish Protestant Benevolent Society - Updated information provided by the Mount Royal Cemetery
as of November 2023.
G399 - Achat de 1000 pieds carrés en 1886
G399A - Achat de 240 pieds carrés en 1897
94 adultes enterrés entre 1883 et 1996 (tous les enterrements ont eu lieu avant 1966 excepté un enterrement en 1996)
24 enfants enterrés entre 1884 et 1943
Un rapport de 1992 indique qu'il reste de la place pour au moins 54 enterrements de plus.
as of November 2023.
G399 - Achat de 1000 pieds carrés en 1886
G399A - Achat de 240 pieds carrés en 1897
94 adultes enterrés entre 1883 et 1996 (tous les enterrements ont eu lieu avant 1966 excepté un enterrement en 1996)
24 enfants enterrés entre 1884 et 1943
Un rapport de 1992 indique qu'il reste de la place pour au moins 54 enterrements de plus.
Montreal - The Irish Protestant Benevolent Society Picnic at St. Helen's Island. The Boys Race Through Flour Barrels, September 5, 1874.
Image: Canadian Illustrated News, 1874. Source: Library and Archives Canada
Origins of the Irish Protestant Benevolent Society and its connection to the St. James Street Methodist Church
Many early meetings of the Irish Protestant Benevolent Society also took place at the old St. James Street Methodist Church. Given St. James' position as the leading Methodist church in the city, it is not therefore surprising that prominent members of Montreal's Irish Protestant community were church members, including Hugh Mathewson, George Armstrong, Richard Holland, and William Clendinneng, all of whom had participated in the creation of the Irish Protestant Benevolent Society in 1856*. These individuals all apper on the 1887-1888 membership list of the St. James Methodist Church.
*Source: Montreal 1535-1914: Under British Rule 1760-1914, Vol. 11, page 386. By William Henry Alterton.
*Source: Montreal 1535-1914: Under British Rule 1760-1914, Vol. 11, page 386. By William Henry Alterton.