History
In 1847-8, Montreal was growing and progressing. During the terrible event of the Irish Immigrants, a number of other things were happening as the city grew and prospered….
- 1847 – The Montreal Telegraph Company founded. In 1850, the year prior to Hugh Allan's presidency, Montreal Telegraph Co operated merely 500 miles of line, all in the province of Canada.
- 1847 – Telegraph service between Montréal and Toronto, between Montréal and Quebec City, and between Montréal and New York City established.
- 1847 – Bonsecours Market opened. It housed City Hall between 1852 and 1878.
1847 – The first Bonaventure Station is built on Saint Jacques Street as the main terminal for railway from Montreal to Lachine.- 1847 – The railway from Montreal to Lachine is opened.
- 1847 – Desbarats & Derbyshire (Georges-Édouard Desbarats and Stewart Derbyshire) start a glass factory at Vaudreuil.
- 1847 – January 30 – Lord Elgin, Governor, arrives at Montreal.
1847 – The first mass is celebrated in St. Patrick's Basilica on St. Patrick's Day, March 17.- 1847 – September 1 – Lord Elgin visits the fever sheds at Windmill Point.
1847 – October 23 – 65 immigrants die in a week at Windmill Point.- 1847 – November 1–9, 634 deaths of immigrants since January 1.
- 1847 – November – Death of John Easton Mills, mayor of Montreal, as he tends the sick in the fever sheds
- 1847 – Bank of Montreal Head Office, Montreal built.
1847 – Arrival of Brother of Saint-Viateur in Montreal.- 1847 – Formation of the Montreal Society of Artists.
- 1847-48 – In all, between 3,500 and 6,000 Irish immigrants die of the Typhus epidemic of 1847 at Windmill Point.
- 1848 – January 2 – Wellington and Commissioners streets flooded.
- 1848 – June – Emulating the "Lord Sydenham's" success in 1838, several steamboats run the Lachine Rapids.
- 1848 – July 5 – Run on the Savings Bank, Montreal, followed by re-deposit.
- 1848 – August – Abraham de Sola becomes Professor of Hebrew at McGill University; Henry Aspinwall Howe becomes rector of the High School
- 1848 – September 20 – Opening of the Jesuits' College in Montreal
Some interesting Historical writings concerning the event of 1847-8 and the Black Rock
Black Rock Manifesto – November 13 1981
The Ship Fever Monument – The Gazette – December 3 1898
Tried to move the Stone for Expo Gazette – May 27th 1966
Mary Cox became Madame Roberge Gazette May 25 1934 – Grosse Ile
The Grey Nuns Gazette Aug 19 1986
Black Rock Service – May 28 1928
General Irish 1980
http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1946&dat=19801024&id=LwoiAAAAIBAJ&sjid=rqQFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2724,34
General Irish 1975
Good overview – Slattery – May 1972
Some victim remains were found and reburied in 1942
The 6000 Irish victims of Black 47 were buried over a wide area, often simply in quickly dug trenches. Of course, the shoreline around the area has changed a great deal between 1847 and today. As a result, the exact location of these graves is difficult to determine & bones of victims are still occasionally found. The last major reburial of some found bones seems to have been in 1942, almost exactly 100 years after the event. This article from the Gazette, October 31st 1942 notes the ceremony that took place at that time.
Andrew Collard – 1970
St Stephen’s Anglican Churchyard
1909
