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Everyone to Parliament!

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The Present-Day Place D'Youville

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Place Royale

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Place d’Armes

5

Notre-Dame Street

6

Champ-de-Mars

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Guardhouse

Detail from a 19th-century colour illustration of Notre-Dame Street. On the left, between two buildings, stands a tall stone column topped by a statue of Horatio Nelson. Across from the column is the guardhouse, where officers in red military uniforms stand. Many passersby stroll along the street.

John Murray et Adolphus Bourne, “North-East view of Notre-Dame Street in Montréal” (detail), Library and Archives Canada, 2897219.

The guardhouse in Montréal stood just a few steps from the courthouse and the Government House, facing the Marché Neuf on Place Jacques-Cartier. The soldiers assigned to watch over this strategic site in the city took shelter in this small building.

Sentry Duty

A 19th-century manuscript document detailing the proposed guardhouse for Montréal. The document includes a site plan, together with a floor plan of the guardhouse rooms and an illustration of its façade. The bottom of the document has been damaged by damp and time.

Louis Charland, “A plan of the ground lot of the common gaol of Montreal, with the project of a guard house A thereon”, Library and Archives Canada, 4137109.

The guardhouse was not intended as long-term accommodation for military personnel. In general, rotations followed 24-hour guard shifts. Comfort was therefore fairly limited, and officers and soldiers spent most of their time on duty in the common room, or the “guard-room” you see on this plan.

Protecting Montréal

A 19th-century colour illustration of Notre-Dame Street. On the left, between two buildings, stands a tall stone column topped by a statue of Horatio Nelson. Across from the column is the guardhouse, where officers in red military uniforms stand. Many passersby stroll along the street.

John Murray et Adolphus Bourne, “North-East view of Notre-Dame Street in Montréal”, Library and Archives Canada, 2897219.

A guardhouse is a structure usually built into a city’s fortifications—except in a few cases. It housed the officers responsible for watching over the main gate, the most strategic point of entry. But Montréal’s fortifications were dismantled in the early 19th century.

As a result, this military installation was set up next to the courthouse—an ideal spot for controlling access to Place Jacques-Cartier (Marché Neuf), maintaining order there and keeping an eye on the port and the Government House. In this painting by John Murray, we can see garrison officers on duty.