Exploration

Back to IntroInteractive Map
1

Everyone to Parliament!

2

The Present-Day Place D'Youville

3

Place Royale

4

Place d’Armes

5

Notre-Dame Street

6

Champ-de-Mars

Interactive VersionPedagogic ResourcesAboutContact usSite MapFrançais

You are about to access the interactive version of the site.

This version is designed to provide a more immersive experience, presenting all content in a dynamic and interactive way.

Would you like to proceed to the interactive version?

Yes, interactive version
Back
fr

Holy Water Font

Detail of a white ceramic holy water font. The font features a small basin set into a holder, with a decorative upper section.

Paul Litherland, Pointe-à-Callière, City of Montréal archaeological collection.

Welcome to the apartment of André Leroux dit Cardinal! Archaeological excavations made it possible to pinpoint its location, south of the central block, in the former cellars. There, archaeologists uncovered artefacts that would not normally be found in a parliament: tableware and cooking dishes, personal hygiene items and even a small household holy-water font, usually hung near the bed and filled with holy water.

Irrefutable Evidence

Guy Lessard, Pointe-à-Callière.

The video opens with a 360-degree view of a 3D model of a white ceramic holy water font. The font features a small basin set into a support, with a decorative upper section. On the back, the letters LER are written. The video stops after 12 seconds, offering a complete view of the holy water font.

This holy water font has been interpreted as a key clue pointing to the presence of André Leroux dit Cardinal. On the back, it is possible to still make out traces of a handwritten inscription: “Ler…”. Did he write his own name on his own holy water font?

Personal Hygiene

A set of black ceramic artefacts with a floral motif. On the left, a toothbrush holder. In the centre, a basin. On the right, a soap dish.

René Bouchard, Pointe-à-Callière, City of Montréal archaeological collection.

Associated with personal hygiene, these objects—a toothbrush case, a washbasin and a soap dish—are typical of a residential space.

Butter Dish

Reconstructed antique butter dish, in white ceramic with a blue pattern.

René Bouchard, Pointe-à-Callière, City of Montréal archaeological collection.

Remarkably, not all the objects associated with André Leroux dit Cardinal, were touched by the fire. This butter dish, for example, is heavily blackened, yet its lid is intact. Archaeologists believe that some objects—like this lid—were broken during the apartment’s occupation and thrown into the cellars. While the apartment burned above, this discarded material may have been spared by the blaze.