LAURENT, Michel (1834-1891), an important yet highly underrated architect in mid-19th C. Montreal, Quebec. He was active in the following firms:
Racicot & Laurent, architects. 1854-55
Michel Laurent, architect, 1855-56
Laurent & Levesque, architects, 1857
Michel Laurent, architect, 1858 to c. 1875
Laurent was born in Montreal on 9 April 1834, and was the son of Cyrille Laurent, a painting contractor. He studied at Montreal College and by 1854, at the age of 20 years, he began to practise as an architect in partnership with J.C. Racicot (see list of works under Racicot & Laurent). Their collaboration was brief, and ended in late 1855 or early 1856. The very first commission which was credited solely to Laurent was the design of his own residence, located at 87 German Street in the St. Louis Quarter. In 1857, he invited Adolphe Levesque to join him another partnership, but this too was brief one, and it was dissolved within less than a year. From 1858 to c. 1873, Laurent worked under his own name. His best known works include the Barron Block (1870), and the Montreal City & Distric Savings Bank (1870), both of which were sophisticated essays in the Second Empire style, and they represented a high point in the commercial architecture of Montreal, in this early post-Confederation era.
Unlike his French-speaking colleagues such as Victor Bourgeau, or Henri M. Perrault, or Victor Roy, Laurent conspicuously avoided working on ecclesiastical projects for the Roman Catholic Diocese, and not a single church building can be linked to this name. He also saw no need to enter architectural competitions to obtain work in Montreal, relying instead on a steady stream of clients who sought after him for his designs of row housing, office blocks, industrial loft warehouses, retail stores, banks, and public market buildings. His patrons included a veritable who’s who of the Montreal establishment, such as the wealthy real estate developer Jacob H. Judah, the Hon. George Etienne Cartier, Premier of Quebec and one of the Fathers of Confederation, Henry Starnes, Mayor of Montreal, Jean L. Beaudry, another Mayor of Montreal, as well as the Hon. Charles Wilson and Theodore Hart.
Despite the apparent success of his eighteen years of practise, and with designs for more than 60 buildings to his credit, Laurent appears to have abandoned the architectural profession after 1875, and no references to his activity as an architect after this date have been found. He became an advisor to several railway companies who sought his expertise as a real estate assessor, and he was later chosen as Vice-President of the Bank of Hochelaga. He ran for public office as an Alderman on Montreal City Council, and after winning election in 1877, he remained on Council continuously for twelve years, from 1877 to 1889. During this period, he served as Chairman of the City of Montreal Roads Committee for several years.
Laurent died in Montreal on 6 March 1891 at the age of 57 (obituary La Minerve [Montreal], 7 March 1891, 3 and 9 March 1891, 3; obituary La Presse [Montreal], 7 March 1891, 5; obituary La Patrie [Montreal], 7 March 1891, 4). A number of prominent architects attended his funeral, an indication of the respect he earned from his colleagues in the profession (list in The Gazette [Montreal], 10 March 1891, 2). A photographic portrait and biography of Laurent was published in J. Cleophas Lamothe et al, Histoire de la Corporation de la Cite de Montreal: Depuis son origine jusqu’a nos jours, 1903, 795-97.
Michel LAURENT (Residential works in Montreal)
GERMAN STREET, residence for Michel Laurent, architect, 1855 (ANQM, J. Belle, notaire, 1 Feb. 1855, No. 14655)
ST. HUBERT STREET, residence for P.T. Delvecchio, 1857 (ANQM, C.E. Belle, notaire, 6 Aug. 1857, No. 2129)
GROTHE STREET, residence for David Maysenholder, 1860 (ANQM, J. Belle, notaire, 17 Oct. 1860, No. 18937)
UNION AVENUE, row of six houses for Ferdinand David, 1865 (Montreal Herald, 19 Dec. 1865, 1)
ST. DENIS STREET, pair of houses for Michel Laurent, architect and for Ferdinand David, 1867 (Montreal Herald, 22 March 1867, Illustrated Supplement, 1, descrip.)
ST. CHARLES BOROMEE STREET, tenement house for Henry Starnes, Mayor of Montreal, 1867 (Montreal Herald, 22 March 1867, Illustrated Supplement, 1)
ST. HUBERT STREET, residence for Joseph Robert, 1867 (Montreal Herald, 22 March 1867, Illustrated Supplement, 1)
ST. DENIS STREET, an 'ornamental outbuilding' for Jean B. Beaudry, perhaps a greenhouse or a garden pavilion, 1867 (Montreal Herald, 22 March 1867, Illustrated Supplement, 1)
SHERBROOKE STREET WEST, at Drummond Street, two dwellings for William Sache, 1867 (Montreal Herald, 22 March 1867, Illustrated Supplement, 6)
MIGNONNE STREET, terrace of three houses for Francois Decarie, 1867 (Montreal Herald, 22 March 1867, Illustrated Supplement, 6)
UNION AVENUE, three houses for Jacob H. Joseph, 1867 (Montreal Herald, 22 March 1867, Illustrated Supplement, 6)
UNION AVENUE, terrace of six houses for Ferdinand David, 1867 (Montreal Herald, 22 March 1867, Illustrated Supplement, 6)
ST. URBAIN STREET, conversion of house for Thomas Cramp, 1867 (Montreal Herald, 22 March 1867, Illustrated Supplement, 6)
ST. ANTOINE STREET, major addition and extensive remodelling of residence for Judge C.J. Coursol, 1867 (Montreal Herald, 7 Dec. 1867, 2)
ST. ANTOINE STREET, large residence for Henry Judah, 1867 (Montreal Herald, 7 Dec. 1867, 2)
FORTIER STREET, terrace of nine houses for Theodore Hart, 1867 (Montreal Herald, 7 Dec. 1867, 2)
ST. DENIS STREET, two houses for Joseph Brunet, 1867 (Montreal Herald, 7 Dec. 1867, 2)
ST. HUBERT STREET, residence for P. MacQuisten, 1867 (Montreal Herald, 7 Dec. 1867, 2)
METCALFE STREET, at Burnside Street, four houses for Theodore Hart, 1867 (Montreal Herald, 7 Dec. 1867, 2)
ONTARIO STREET, two houses for Jean. B. Beaudry, 1867 (Montreal Herald, 7 Dec. 1867, 2)
ONTARIO STREET, row of six houses for Jean B. Beaudry, 1868 (Montreal Herald, 9 Dec. 1868, 1)
LABELLE STREET, row of five houses for Ferdinand David, 1868 (Montreal Herald, 9 Dec. 1868, 1)
STE. CATHERINE STREET EAST, at Amherst Street, residence for Augustin Robert, 1868 (Montreal Herald, 9 Dec. 1868, 1)
ST. FRANCOIS DE SALLE STREET, three houses for Henry Starnes, 1868 (Montreal Herald, 9 Dec. 1868, 1)
DORCHESTER STREET WEST, near Peel Street, residence for Hon. John Young, 1868 (Montreal Herald, 9 Dec. 1868, 1)
CANNING STREET, four houses for Henry Judah, 1868 (Montreal Herald, 9 Dec. 1868, 1)
SHERBROOKE STREET WEST, at Peel Street, residence for Alexander T. Patterson, 1870 (ANQM, J.C. Griffin, notaire, 5 April 1870, No. 31850)
LAGAUCHETIERE STREET EAST, near St. Hubert Street, residence for Marie H. Jodoin, 1871 (Montreal, Les Residences, 1987, 364-6, illus.)
ST. DENIS STREET, a group of five cut-stone houses, located "...opposite the Deaf & Dumb Asylum", 1875 (Evening Star [Montreal], 22 April 1875, 3)
LAURENT & LEVESQUE (works in Montreal)
COMMISSIONERS STREET, facing Custom House Square, two stone warehouses, each 4 storeys high, for L. Boyer, 1857 (Montreal Herald, 14 July 1857, 1)
STE. CATHERINE STREET, a stone residence for E. Baird, 1857 (Montreal Herald, 14 July 1857, 1)
Michel LAURENT (Commercial & Industrial works in Montreal)
ST. JOSEPH SOCIETY BLOCK, Ste. Elisabeth Street at Ste. Catherine Street East, 1856 (Montreal, Les Magasins Les Cinemas, 1985, 236-8, illus.)
CATHEDRAL BLOCK, for Lamplough & Campbell, a portion of the commercial block at 7-11 and 15-21 Notre Dame Street West near St. Laurent Boulevard, 1859 (ANQM, J.C. Griffin, notarie, 10 March 1859, No. 16800; C.F. Papineau, notaire, 22 March 1859, No. 2176; Montreal, Les Magasins Les Cinemas, 1985, 19-22, illus.)
NOTRE DAME STREET WEST, at St. Pierre Street, store for J.B. Beaudry, 1862 (ANQM, J. Belle, notaire, 1862, No. 21454)
NOTRE DAME STREET EAST, at Bonsecours Street, row of three stores and houses for Alexander M. Delisle, 1862 (ANQM, J. Belle, notaire, 19 May 1862, No. 20109)
NOTRE DAME STREET EAST, near Bonsecours Street, row of stores for Hon. George E. Cartier, 1864 (Montreal Herald, 3 Dec. 1864, 2)
NOTRE DAME STREET WEST, extensive alterations to buildings for Ald. David Gorrie for shops and apartments, 1865 (Montreal Herald, 19 Dec. 1865, 1)
NOTRE DAME STREET EAST, at St. Gabriel Street, row of four stores for Hon. F.A. Quesnel 'on the site of the old St. Louis Hotel', 1865 (Montreal Herald, 19 Dec. 1865, 1)
CRAIG STREET, through to Fortification Lane, commercial block for T.S. Judah, 1865 (Montreal Herald, 19 Dec. 1865, 1)
COMMISSIONERS STREET, at St. Sulpice Street, commercial block for Jean L. Beaudry, Mayor of Montreal, 1865 (Montreal Herald, 19 Dec. 1865, 1; 22 March 1867, 1)
GREAT ST. JAMES STREET, conversion of the Trust & Loan Building into the Exchange Offices, 1867 (Montreal Herald, 22 March 1867, Illustrated Supplement, 22 March 1867, 4)
NOTRE DAME STREET, at St. Peter Street, commercial block for Thomas Tiffin, 1867 (Montreal Herald, 22 March 1867, Illustrated Supplement, 7, illus. & descrip.)
ST. FRANCOIS XAVIER STREET, conversion of building owned by Hon. F.A. Quesnel into offices, 1867 (Montreal Herald, 22 March 1867, Illustrated Supplement, 6)
CRAIG STREET, at Busby Street, block of stores for Hon. Charles Wilson, 1867 (Montreal Herald, 22 March 1867, Illustrated Supplement, 4, descrip.)
NOTRE DAME STREET, two warehouses for Hon. Charles Wilson, 1867 (Montreal Herald, 22 March 1867, Illustrated Supplement, 4, descrip.)
ST. ELOI STREET, warehouse for Jacob H. Joseph, 1867 (Montreal Herald, 22 March 1867, Illustrated Supplement, 4)
ST. SACRAMENT STREET, at St. Eloi Street, new facade for office block owned by Jacob H. Joseph, 1867 (Montreal Herald, 22 March 1867, Illustrated Supplement, 4)
NOTRE DAME STREET, two stores for Pierre Isidore, 1867-68 (Montreal Herald, 7 Dec. 1867, 2)
NOTRE DAME STREET, at Dollard Street, two stores for A.M. Delisle, 1867 (Montreal Herald, 7 Dec. 1867, 2, descrip.)
NOTRE DAME STREET, at St. Denis Street, three stores for A.M. Delisle, 1867 (Montreal Herald, 7 Dec. 1867, 2, descrip.)
HOSPITAL STREET, row of offices for H. Judah and Thomas Cramp, 1867 (Montreal Herald, 7 Dec. 1867, 2)
ST. PAUL STREET, reconstruction of a store 'lately destroyed by fire' for J. Jodoin, 1868 (Montreal Herald, 9 Dec. 1868, 1)
ST. PAUL STREET, at St. Francois Xavier Street, new store front for Robert Kimber, 1868 (Montreal Herald, 9 Dec. 1868, 1)
ST. JEAN BAPTISTE STREET, warehouse for Evans, Mercer & Co., 1868 (Montreal Herald, 9 Dec. 1868, 1)
LITTLE ST. JAMES STREET, commercial block for Henry Judah, 1868 (Montreal Herald, 9 Dec. 1868, 1)
CHATHAM STREET, two stores for Jean B. Beaudry, 1868 (Montreal Herald, 9 Dec. 1868, 1)
BARRON BLOCK, St. James Street at St. John Street, 1870; burned December 1896 (Canadian Illustrated News, ii, 27 Aug. 1870, 130, 136, illus. & descrip.; C. Cameron & J. Wright, Second Empire Style in Canadian Architecture, 1980, 110-11, illus.)
MONTREAL CITY & DISTRICT SAVINGS BANK, Great St. James Street at St. Peter Street, 1870 (Canadian Illustrated News, ii, 3 Sept. 1870, 152-3, illus. & descrip.; Montreal, Les Banques, 1980, 60-3, illus.)
ST. SULPICE STREET, at de Bresoles Street, warehouse block for the Religieuses Hospitalieres de St. Joseph, 1871-72 (Montreal, Les Magasins Les Cinemas, 1985, 103-07, illus.)
ST. PIERRE STREET, at Youville Place, four separate warehouses for the Soeurs Grises, 1871-75; Block No. 4 warehouse later converted to Roman Catholic Sailor's Club c. 1890; Block No. 4 burned 1926, with interiors rebuilt and restored by D.J. Crighton, 1926-27 (Gazette ]Montreal], 9 Feb. 1927, 5; Montreal, Les Magasins Les Cinemas, 1985, 129-33, illus.; inf. Scott Edwards)
JAMES McCREADY & CO., St. Pierre Street at Youville Street, factory, 1873 (Montreal, Architecture Industrielle, 1982, 20-1, illus.)
Michel LAURENT (Institutional works in Montreal)
NORTH MONTREAL, toll bridge over the Ottawa River (or the Riviere des Prairies) 'near the Church of Sault au Recollet', 1857 (Montreal Transcript, 13 Nov. 1857, 2, t.c.)
CATTLE MARKET BUILDING, St. James Ward, 1860-61 (Montreal Transcript, 25 Dec. 1860, 2, t.c.)
DAVID TORRANCE & CO., Hospital Street, conversion of the old Corn Exchange with additional storey, 1867 (Montreal Herald, 22 March 1867, Illustrated Supplement, 4)
ST. JAMES MARKET, Ontario Street, 1871 (La Minerve [Montreal], 19 July 1871, 1, t.c.)
IMMIGRATION BUILDING, Mill Street, 1872 (Canada, Sessional Papers, 1873, No. 6, Appendix 20, 143-4, descrip.)