The Town

The fire and the trial took place in an 18^th century urban setting. In this section, you will become acquainted with the characteristics of an urban centre and its buildings. In addition, in order to better understand the reaction of the citizens of Montréal to the fire of April 10, 1734, it is important to understand the consequences of fires and the measures taken to prevent them.

What were the main characteristics of this city in 1734? How did the fire spread so quickly? Could fires be prevented or even contained? How did construction practices and regulations regarding construction evolve in order to limit the damage caused by fires? What was the main purpose of fire and why was it constantly viewed as dangerous?

Montréal in 1734

Books

• Charlevoix, François-Xavier, Journal of a voyage made in North America by order of the King, 1744
• Kaml, Pehr, Travels of Pehr Kalm in Canada in 1749, 1977
• Kalm, Pehr, Travels of Pehr Kalm in Canada in 1749, 1977

Colonial Correspondence

• Rigaud de Vaudreuil, Philippe, et Michel Bégon, Letter to the Council of Marine, October 20, 1717
• Chaussegros de Léry, Gaspard-Joseph, Status of repairs and maintenance for the buildings and fortifications in the fortified places of New France, October 19, 1730

Government Documents

• Conseil d'État du roi, Ordinance relative to the fortifications of Montréal, May 1, 1743

Maps

• Chaussegros de Léry, Gaspard-Joseph, Plan of Montréal in 1734, 1734

• Introduction, Montréal in 1734

Buildings

Government Documents

• Séminaire de Saint-Sulpice, Title recognition and enumeration for the seigneury of the island of Montréal, August 1, 1731

Miscellaneous

• Lepailleur de Laferté, François, Sale by the Religious Hospitallers to François Poulin de Francheville and Thérèse de Couagne, March 22, 1720
• Lepailleur de Laferté, François, Agreement between François Poulin de Francheville, Alexandre Jourdain, Jean-Baptiste Payet and sieur St-Amour, March 27, 1720
• Raimbault de Piedmont, Joseph-Charles, Inventory of goods belonging to the communal estate of Jean-Antoine Magnan dit Lespérance and Louise Lecomte Dupré, July 28, 1736

• Introduction, Buildings

Fire

Books

• Anonyme, The science of the steward and cook with observations on the knowledge and the properties of foods, 1776
• Kaml, Pehr, Travels of Pehr Kalm in Canada in 1749, 1977
• Morin, Marie, Simple and True Story: Annals of the Hôtel-Dieu of Montréal, 1659-1725, 1979

Colonial Correspondence

• Ramezay, Claude de, Letter to the Council of Marine, October 4, 1721
• Chaussegros de Léry, Gaspard-Joseph, Letter to the Council of Marine regarding the 1721 fire of Montréal, October 25, 1721
• Inconnu/Unknown, List of houses destroyed by the fire, appended to a letter by Charles de Beauharnois and Gilles Hocquart to the King, 1734
• Michel de Villebois, Honoré, Report of the loss of playing-card money in the fire at the home of Berey, the treasurer, April 11, 1734
• Hocquart, Gilles, Report on the situation of the community of Hospitaller Sisters of Montréal and of their hospital, September 7, 1734

Court Documents

• Fleury Deschambault, Jacques-Alexis, Ordinance regarding the sweeping of chimneys, January 27, 1711
• Juridiction royale de Montréal, Ordinance on the subject of thievery committed in the burned houses, June 22, 1721
• Juridiction royale de Montréal, Declaration of losses incurred by Étienne Volant Radisson, April 13, 1734
• Juridiction royale de Montréal, Deposition of Louis Lefebvre Duchouquet on the conduct of Marguerite César dit Lagardelette, July 31, 1734
• Juridiction royale de Montréal, Deposition of Angélique Perthuis, August 31, 1734
• Hocquart, Gilles, Ordinance in recognition of Louis Trudeau for his conduct during the fires, June 16, 1739

Diaries, Journals or Reminiscences

• Rocbert de la Morandière, Elisabeth (Madame Bégon), Diary of Madame Bégon, 20 and 26 December 1748, 9 January, 1 March and 27 April 1749

Government Documents

• Fleury Deschambault, Jacques-Alexis, Ordinance for the installation of suitable ladders on houses, January 10, 1709
• Bégon, Michel, Ordinance regarding the prevention of fires and fire fighting, July 8, 1721
• Bégon, Michel, Ordinance for the reconstruction of burned houses, July 8, 1721
• Dupuy, Claude-Thomas, Ordinance on the construction of houses, June 7, 1727
• Hocquart, Gilles, Ordinance for the prevention of fires, June 12, 1734
• Guiton de Monrepos, Jacques-Joseph, Ordinance to improve fire prevention, December 2, 1742

Miscellaneous

• Raimbault de Piedmont, Joseph-Charles, Kitchen equipment typically used by a merchant family, extract from the inventory of community property of Jean-Antoine Magnan dit Lespérance and Louise Lecomte Dupré, July 28, 1736

• Introduction, Fire