Title and statement of responsibility area
Title proper
General material designation
- Textual record
- Graphic material
- Object
Parallel title
Other title information
Title statements of responsibility
Title notes
- Source of title proper: Title based on the content of the fonds.
Level of description
Reference code
Edition area
Edition statement
Edition statement of responsibility
Class of material specific details area
Statement of scale (cartographic)
Statement of projection (cartographic)
Statement of coordinates (cartographic)
Statement of scale (architectural)
Issuing jurisdiction and denomination (philatelic)
Dates of creation area
Date(s)
-
1856-2007, predominant 1950-2000 (Creation)
- Creator
- St. Patrick's Society of Montreal
Physical description area
Physical description
3.57 m of textual records
200 photographs
14 objects
Publisher's series area
Title proper of publisher's series
Parallel titles of publisher's series
Other title information of publisher's series
Statement of responsibility relating to publisher's series
Numbering within publisher's series
Note on publisher's series
Archival description area
Name of creator
Administrative history
St. Patrick's Society of Montreal was founded on March 17, 1834 to care for Irish immigrants and to defend the local Irish-Canadian community's interests. The first president was John Donnellan. The creation of the Society in Montreal was followed by the Société Saint-Jean-Baptiste (June 1834), the St. Andrew’s Society (February 1835), the St. George’s Society (April 1835) and the German Society (April 1835). The St.Patrick’s Society was non-sectarian until 1856 when a new constitution was adopted and it became wholly Catholic while the Protestant members formed the Irish Protestant Benevolent Society. The Society was incorporated in 1863. The constitution was changed in 1973 to accept women as members of the Society. The St. Patrick's Society is a charitable, social, and educational organization. It has the following specific aims: to promote and foster Irish tradition; to aid whenever possible persons of Irish birth or origin, and particularly, Irish immigrants; and to speak, when necessary, on behalf of the Irish Canadian community.
The Society was based at different locations until 1867 when it moved to the newly completed St. Patrick's Hall on Square Victoria. In September of 1872 a fire destroyed the Hall. The Society is now based out of St. Patrick Square at 6767 Cote St. Luc Road.
The Society had a prominent role in the building of St. Patrick's Church, which opened in 1847, and in the creation of the Côte-des-Neiges Cemetery, which opened in 1885. The Society promoted the creation of St. Mary's Hospital, St. Patrick's Orphanage, English Catholic Charities, St. Patrick Square, and the Father Dowd Home for the Elderly. For the Society, the annual ball and luncheon held in March are social and fundraising events. The proceeds are donated to local Irish charities and used for scholarships and grants. The Society also organized the St. Patrick's Day Parade from 1834-1916. In 1928 a group known as the United Irish Societies of Montreal was formed and it now sponsors the city's annual St. Patrick's Parade.
Since 1988 the Society has published NUACHT (news), a quarterly newsletter that updates readers on the local Irish community and news from Ireland.
Custodial history
The fonds was transferred from Concordia University's Records Management and Archives Department to Concordia University Libraries' Special Collections February 16, 2016, March 29, 2016, and May 18, 2016.
Scope and content
The fonds provides information on the Irish community in Montreal and on the history, activities, and operations of the St. Patrick's Society. There are no original records before 1863; they were most likely destroyed in the 1872 fire in St. Patrick’s Hall. The fonds mainly contains administrative records, minutes, correspondence, financial records, programs, photographs, press clippings, and printed materials.
The fonds is organized in the following series:
P0026/A Administrative records
P0026/B Membership
P0026/C Financial records
P0026/D Events
P0026/E Printed records
P0026/F Objects
Notes area
Physical condition
Immediate source of acquisition
Most of the documents were donated to the Concordia University Archives in 1996 and 2008. A few issues of The McGee Review were deposited in 1981.
Arrangement
Language of material
- English
- French
Script of material
Language and script note
Most of the material is in English. A few documents are in French.
Location of originals
Availability of other formats
A digital copy of the 1909-1916 Minute Book is available for research on site.
The McGee Review has been photocopied for research.
Restrictions on access
Access to some documents is restricted.
Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication
Reproduction for scholarly purposes is permitted.
Use of material in a publication may only be done with permission of the copyright owner.
Finding aids
Box listings are available.
Finding aid
Associated materials
Accruals
Further accruals are expected.
General note
This guide was prepared with the financial assistance of the National Archival Development Programme (NADP) that is administered by Library and Archives Canada and delivered by the Canadian Council of Archives (CCA).
Rights
Copyright belongs to the creator(s).
Conservation
The 1909-1916 Minute Book has been scanned for preservation. The original is not available for research anymore. The 1914, 1919-1938 Minute Book has been unfastened for preservation.