Here lived: Thomas Raymond, at 190, rue Notre-Dame-des-Anges

Saturday 05th October 2024 06:58 AM

We find, on different buildings in Quebec, 142 plaques Here lived. They remind us of people who left their mark on the city’s history. Thomas Raymond (1853-1923) is an architect who left his mark on several buildings in downtown Quebec, but also on the religious landscape of Eastern Quebec.

The most recent edition of the Culture Days gave pride of place to architecture, while it was possible to visit several architectural offices at the end of last week.

In the history of Quebec, several architects have left an indelible mark on the built heritage. We can think of Joseph-Ferdinand Peachy, Eugène-Étienne Taché, David Ouellet or the Baillargé family.

Thomas Raymond was also an important name, he who notably signed the plans for the church of Saint-Grégoire-de-Montmorency, in Beauport, in addition to numerous other churches in Bas-Saint-Laurent and Gaspésie. He also left his mark on several buildings still visible in the Saint-Roch district.

Between Bas-du-Fleuve and Quebec

Thomas Raymond was born on February 16, 1854, in Saint-Denis-de-Kamouraska (today Saint-Denis-de-la-Bouteillerie). He is the son of Marie-Flavie Caron and Thomas Raymond, a carpenter.

The young Thomas Raymond learned his profession as an architect near Matane. His brother Paul will practice architecture in Rimouski.

On November 17, 1874, Thomas married Angèle Pépin Lachance in Notre-Dame-du-Portage. The two subsequently moved to Quebec. His in-laws then lived in Saint-Roch. The couple will have three children.

His wife died on February 28, 1919, at the age of 75. On October 20 of the same year, Thomas Raymond, then aged 66, married again, this time to Wilhelmine Langlois, a 34-year-old woman. He will have two children with her.

First job in Quebec

Upon his arrival in Quebec, Thomas Raymond first worked as a carpenter, before becoming an assistant in the office of architect François-Xavier Berlinguet, specializing in ecclesiastical buildings. He notably signed the plans for the Saint-Vincent-de-Paul church and the Franciscan Monastery.

After a few years under the patronage of Berlinguet, Thomas Raymond opened his own workshop in 1881. He worked alone, then joined his son Édouard-Pierre Raymond at the beginning of the 20th century.

Édouard-Pierre Raymond, son of Thomas Raymond, signed the plans for his house, located at 3766, boulevard Sainte-Anne. It was located on land belonging to his father. The house was built between 1912 and 1915.
Photo credit: Simon Bélanger

Thomas Raymond was involved in commercial and residential projects, but was best known for his church plans.

In December 1890, Thomas Raymond was one of the founding members of the Association of Architects of the Province of Quebec. He assumed the presidency of this association in 1910.

During the Winter Carnival of 1894, he made plans for the Palais des glaces, before making an ice tower for the 1896 edition. He also provided his services in 1908, during the celebrations of the tercentenary of Quebec, to erect two exterior scenes on the Dufferin terrace.

On February 26, 1923, Thomas Raymond died in Quebec, at the age of 70. His funeral was held at the Notre-Dame-de-Jacques-Cartier church. He is buried in the Saint-Charles cemetery.

In addition to his office on rue Notre-Dame-des-Anges, Thomas Raymond lived, between 1910 and 1918, in this house, located at 86-90, rue d’Argenson. The house was built between 1860 and 1875.
Photo credit: Simon Bélanger

Saint-Grégoire-de-Montmorency Church

Among the major achievements of Thomas Raymond, we include the church of Saint-Grégoire-de-Montmorency, located in Beauport. Inaugurated in 1898, this church also benefited from Thomas Raymond’s plans for the interior, completed in 1904. This church is representative of eclecticism, due to its varied architectural and ornamental elements falling within various styles.

Among the elements well associated with eclecticism, note the bell tower and the stylized pinnacles framing the facade, which indicate a search for monumentality. The exterior architecture of the church may have been inspired by that of Saint-Sauveur, while the interior may have resembled the church of Saint-Jean-Baptiste.

The Saint-Grégoire-de-Montmorency church, built in 1897-1898, is the work of the architect Thomas Raymond, both outside and inside. She is a representative of an eclectic movement.
Photo credit: Simon Bélanger

Churches from Gaspésie to Saskatchewan

In addition to the Saint-Grégoire-de-Montmorency church, Thomas Raymond also signed the church plans for Bas-Saint-Laurent and Gaspésie. In Bas-Saint-Laurent, the churches of Saint-Louis-du-Ha! Ha! (1907-1909), Saint-Rémi-de-Métis, in Price (1910), Saint-Éleuthère, in Pohénégamook (1910-1911) and Saint-Édouard-des-Méchins (1916-1918) are achievements by Thomas Raymond.

In Gaspésie, we can add the churches of Saint-Françoix-Xavier-de-Grande-Vallée (1910), Sainte-Marie-Madeleine (1913-1914), Sainte-Marthe, La Martre (1913-1914), of Saint-Norbert-du-Cap-Chat (1917-1919) and Saint-Joachim-de-Tourelle, in Sainte-Anne-des-Monts (1919-1923).

The majority of churches designed by Thomas Raymond were related to Gothic architecture.

He also created high altars, notably for the churches of Berthier-sur-Mer and Notre-Dame-de-la-Jacques-Cartier, in Saint-Roch. Furthermore, the architect is also behind the plans for the Notre-Dame-de-Jacques-Cartier presbytery, for which he was inspired by Italian palaces of the 16th and 17th centuries.

Inspired by the Italian palaces of the 16th and 17th centuries, Thomas Raymond signed the plans for the presbytery of the Notre-Dame-de-Jacques-Cartier church.
Photo credit: Simon Bélanger

Finally, Thomas Raymond is also the architect of churches elsewhere in Canada, such as in New Brunswick or Saskatchewan. His last design before his death was the St. James Roman Catholic Church in Albertville, Saskatchewan, in 1921-1922.

Other achievements

The Saint-Roch district, and to a lesser extent, the Saint-Sauveur district, are full of buildings bearing the signature of the architect Thomas Raymond. He also left his mark in Beauport and Montcalm. Here are some examples in pictures.

Saint-Roch

The building on the left, at 200, rue Saint-Joseph Est, was built in 1890. Thomas Raymond had drawn the plans for Cyrille Robitaille’s store, but it had been completely redone in 1927. The building just to the right, also called the Giguère Block, was erected in 1895, according to plans by Thomas Raymond. The building was used by the iron merchant Louis C. Giguère. The brick facade recalls the Berlinguet style, while the top floor was added in 1917 by Édouard-Pierre Raymond, son of Thomas.
Photo credit: Simon Bélanger

Thomas Raymond would have drawn the plans for the building located at 543 Langelier Boulevard, built between 1890 and 1898.
Photo credit: Simon Bélanger

The building which today houses the Jacques-Cartier Residential and Community Center was built in 1907, according to plans by architect Thomas Raymond. It was originally the Couvent de Jacques-Cartier (or Académie Jacques-Cartier), a school for girls. The style was more related to the Beaux arts.
Photo credit: Simon Bélanger

This building, located at 340-344, rue Dorchester, bears the signature of Thomas Raymond. It was built in 1922 for the Gaudiose Simard Company.
Photo credit: Simon Bélanger

Thomas Raymond is one of many people who worked on the restoration of the building which housed the Champlain brewery, on rue de la Couronne. The building dates from 1911, but several interventions took place in previous years.
Photo credit: Simon Bélanger

Saint-Sauveur

The building located at 51, rue Marie-de-l’Incarnation, was erected in 1892 for Louis Marquis, known as Canac. The house designed by Thomas Raymond is inspired by models from the United States, which themselves draw on neo-Italian Renaissance architecture.
Photo credit: Simon Bélanger

This building, located at 274-286, rue Chénier, was erected in 1893 for the merchant Joseph Ernest Campagna, according to plans by Thomas Raymond.

Thomas Raymond signed the plans for this house located at 194-198, avenue Simon-Napoléon-Parent. Dating from 1897, it was first the owner of Joseph Elzéar Trépanier, a merchant on rue Saint-Joseph and future alderman of rue Saint-Vallier.
Photo credit: Simon Bélanger

This building at 123-125, rue Saint-Vallier Ouest, was built in 1882. The architect Thomas Raymond did not intervene until 1901, when the owner JL Laroche, pharmacist, wanted to make significant changes to this building, which serves as accommodation and store. The ground floor until recently hosted the TUMI restaurant, specializing in Peruvian cuisine.
Photo credit: Simon Bélanger

This building, located at 45-47, rue Saint-Joseph Ouest, was erected in 1913, according to plans by Thomas Raymond. Louis Bertrand had this building built, which houses a single-family house and a store. Today, we find the Cœur de meshes knitting boutique.
Photo credit: Simon Bélanger

Montcalm

In 1914, Arthur Laforce had this residence built by Émile Côté, according to plans by Thomas Raymond. The building, located at 80-84, rue Crémazie Est, stands out in particular for its Ionic columns and sculpted elements. On the left, we can see La Boîte à Lunch Ekidon, a Japanese take-out food counter.
Photo credit: Simon Bélanger

Beauport

Thomas Raymond is the architect behind the single-family house located at 203, rue Sauriol, in Beauport, and built in 1907 or 1908. It first belonged to the shipowner Joseph-Albert Bouchard. This is a specimen of a house with a cubic plan, inspired by Four Square Style.
Photo credit: Simon Bélanger

The house at 209, rue Sauriol, in Beauport, was built between 1904 and 1906. It could have served as a vacation home for the family of Thomas Raymond, owner of the land north of the railway line. In 1928, a few years after the death of Thomas Raymond, this land was sold to Roméo Labbé, an employee of Canadian National.
Photo credit: Simon Bélanger

A section of the City of Quebec website brings together the list of plates Here lived.

Sources

Biographical Dictionary of Architects in Canada – 1800-1950, «Raymond, Thomas».

Genealogy of Quebec and French America, “Thomas Raymond Genealogy”.

L’Action Catholique, “Death of Mr. Thomas Raymond,” February 27, 1923, p. 10.

Le Soleil, “Death – Raymond”, February 28, 1923, p. 15.

RAYMOND LACHANCE, Jocelyne, “Personality 2002. Posthumous tribute to Thomas Raymond, native of Saint-Denis de Kamouraska”, Association of Raymond families (Faugas)December 2008.

Directory of the cultural heritage of Quebec, “Raymond, Thomas”, Ministry of Culture and Communications.

City of Quebec, “Sheet of a heritage building – 45 to 47, rue Saint-Joseph Ouest”, “[…] 51, rue Marie-de-l’Incarnation”, “[…] 80 to 84, rue Crémazie Est”, “[…] 86 to 90, rue d’Argenson”, “[…] 123 to 125, rue Saint-Vallier Ouest”, “[…] 186 to 190, rue Notre-Dame-des-Anges”, “[…] 200 Rue Saint-Joseph Est”, “[…] 203, rue Sauriol», «[…] 209, rue Sauriol», «[…] 274 to 286, rue Chénier”, «[…] 340 to 344 Dorchester Street,[…] 543, boulevard Langelier», «[…] Jacques-Cartier Academy”, “[…] Block Giguère”, “[…] Brasserie Champlain», «[…] Church of Saint-Grégoire-de-Montmorency”, “[…] Church of Notre-Dame-de-Jacques-Cartier”, “[…] Maison Édouard-Pierre-Raymond”, “[…] Maison Joseph-Elzéar-Trépanier”, “[…] Presbytery of the church of Notre-Dame-de-Jacques-Cartier»

City of Quebec, “File – Édouard-Pierre Raymond”, “File – François-Xavier Berlinguet”, “File – Thomas Raymond”, Directory of built heritage.