Thursday, September 14, 2006

VC challenges not resolved

The three challenges of Verdun Connections still not resolved:

1) A photo of the cow (logo) in front of Elmhurst Dairy ?

2) The address of the soviet spy who once lived on Bannantyne or Church ?

3) Who remember the Tramways Building located on the South side of Wellington ?

3980 Wellington, Verdun. (This bldg was demolished).

 

JM

45 comments:

les__f MSN said...

Yes JMH your quite right ,.I do Remember the old building on Wellington,....but not as a power house,...but being a kid ,.I didn't pay attention I guess,......as far as the Spy,.....I don't think anyone ever took more than a few guess's at the time,.....(I still am not sure),..at one time I had thought it may have been near the old Guardian Bldg (later messanger),.as I do seem to recall a barbershop,...and a women's hair salon on the block I lived on ,.the barbershop had one of those real candycane type poles,that twirled ........... and as far as the cow thing goes ,...i nave looked everywhere ,but I still can't find a picture of it,.......one day we will get all these answers.......     and Yes the Congregation de Notre Dame,......when I was growing up i just assumed all Nuns were the Grey Nuns..............(it was just easier)   I did do a delivery one time to this Congregation de Notre Dame,.building,.when i worked for Gestetner ,...we delivered ink & paper for their copiers,....and i rode an ancient ,rickety elevator,..(very small) escorted witha Nun ,who never spoke,.just waved her hanfs in the direction I was to go,.......when we went to the lower floors of this old building (I'm not sure but I think it had 5 fllors in total,including the basement floor),....(maybe only 4 floors ,not quite sure),....but when we exited the elevator,...there was a Huge Beautiful Grandfather Clock,...that I Remember thinking was very old even then ,.......but it was enormous,......wide & tall,....with incredible pendulums (probab;y made of gold ???)  I have often thought of that clock,..as I like clocks and would love to have a grandfather clock,........this one must be worth a fortune,...hidden down in the bowels of a few hundred year old building,.....I think this part of the basement would have been accessible only to the Nuns,.and I imagine they printed their bulletins or things like that,..... I have thought ,consdidering the long history of montreal,.that this clock may at one time have come from France......... I wonder ,if it's still there?,....and where did the Nuns move to ,if they gave up this fantastic property??   I thought I had also heard that the Nuns also at one time had owned the property where the Montreal Forum had been built,.?   I know the Grey Nuns Owned alot of valuable properties in & around the Montreal area,....at least that's what the rumours were (I don't know about the congregation de Notre Dame,did as well) Interesting post JMH,..............I wonder if it's possible to see if that clock is still in there

maggiemck MSN said...

I had the weirdest feeling while I was reading your post. Talking about that grandfather clock and the grey nuns. I know I have never been in that building. I do recall reading parts of a book in which the grandfather clock was described as an object on the path to the depths of the grey nun's building. Anybody know the book?

maggiemck MSN said...

do you know the clues to the spy mystery?  

mom1945-linda MSN said...

  Good idea.   Maybe we should revisit the "spy" mystery.  Especially now that we have some new members who may shed some light.   Hey, Les_F, did you keep any of those conversations?   Cheers.

maggiemck MSN said...

I have searched the message thread titles and can't find anything that relates to the "spy" mystery. Does anyone remember the name or nickname of the WWII spy that rumour says resided in Verdun?

jmhachey MSN said...

Hi Maggie ! Some references to ... the famous spy mystery ... The Cold War - Verdun Connection
Started by Banjo4141 Sent: 10/01/2005 3:21 PM http://groups.msn.com/VerdunConnections/general.msnw?action=get_message&mview=0&ID_Message=7903&LastModified=4675555936683195108 JM

maggiemck MSN said...

Good work jm!

edbro68 MSN said...

I still haven't had ana answer to a question I asked a long time ago. Does anyone remember the Bovril sign on top of the Building aon St. Catherine St. May be wrong but I think corner Guy. The cow had a tear (Of lights) running down her cheek. The caption read "Alas my poor brother."    Ed

winnie3ave MSN said...

edbro68......Okay brother Ed. I for one remember the Bovril sign. But I don't remember where it was. Winston Allison

les__f MSN said...

Hi Ed,.....I haven't found a picture yet of the Bovril ad you mentioned,....but Here's n ad for Bovril ,.that appeared on VE day,   .........I will continue to search for that sign ,you mentioned,.. I Remember having Bovril in the haouse all the time,...but can't say I've even seen it for years...........

les__f MSN said...

Hey   Ed  I might be getting closer,.....   ............................Like the other post by winston says,...we Never give up..........hahahaha

johnmelinvin2 MSN said...

i do not remember the bovril sign.
but i do remember my mother having it to use for
gravy.
Even so we were protestants we still had fish and
chips every friday without exception.


winnie3ave MSN said...





Just remember what the Rocket said. Bovril helps me to score. Maybe I should have taken that when I was younger. Maybe I should take some now.

les__f MSN said...

Hi Winston,....something tells me you 'scored' just fine in Life,with or without the Bovril..................hahahahahaha and for those who didn't score ,it may have been from what they call "Night Starvation"..........apparently a common thing way back when,   ............................We thought today's advertising was far fetched,..........hahahahaha      

sharon_starr MSN said...

Maybe the Rocket wasn't talking about his "hockey" when he said "score".

les__f MSN said...

Why,  Whatever do you mean Ms Scarlotte.................

winnie3ave MSN said...

Oh Sharon_Starr.... Oh my heavens, what could you possibly mean by a comment like that. I am all a flutter and red faced as well. I don't know if I will ever be able to face my computer again. Woe is me.......Winston Allison

winnie3ave MSN said...

Where is Dianne, when we need someone to set us straight?????? She'd give us the real story behind the Bovril uses. Maybe, just maybe this was the original Viagra. We need to get our spies on this one.

winnie3ave MSN said...


Les. Where did they come up with a name like that......HOR  LICKS. I know why i am tired. It is all those dreams I keep having. I seem to be burning that candle at both ends and in the middle also while I am asleep. Well, what I use to do all night, it now takes me all night to do. AND, I am going to keep doing it till I get it right......And I am getting pretty darn close.

les__f MSN said...

Winston  ,.....you are trying to get me in trouble aren't you............hahahahah I didn't want to touch that title,.....but glad you saw the irony there too: .................................................................How much is a Hor-lick these days,I'm almost certain there still around ......................

winnie3ave MSN said...


Les. You have me in stiches. I cannot stop laughing. I don't know how much, but I will try to find out.....AND that is as far as I am going with that...!!!!!!!!

les__f MSN said...

"Vril" Vril is a mysterious energy which is used by Lytton's subterranian race (refugees from the Deluge) to power their advanced civilization; it was later treated as a reality by occultists. The plot of this book was recycled for numerous 'B' pulp scifi movies and assorted crank theories.   this was originally a book written by a Sir Edward Bulmer-Lytton about a society that took this elixir known as Vril............and blah blah blah   So the makers of Bovril ,capitalised a little on their product being a rejuvenator of sorts,........and blah blah blah Want to read the origianl; book,.................it ends with the line "the Coming Race"   Want to read the book,....or peruse it ,....here's a direct link to the book in it's entirety,......Hope you find it of some interest: http://www.sacred-texts.com/atl/vril/index.htm            ............incidentally,    Sir Edwards next book after this one was called\ .................................................the Coming Race..........   smart marketing on his part,.................... sort of reminds me of a Great Book I read many years ago,called "Earth Abides" this was a good book also ,..I can't Remember off hand who wrote this one ,but it is worth checking out,..............................

edbro68 MSN said...

One more challenge What were the names of the lads that ran the sing along at Woodland Park while waiting for it to get dark enough for the movie. I remember as a 13 year old I got up there in the old bandshell and sang. It was a disaster but they all came back in time for the movie.    Ed

sharon_starr MSN said...

Oh...my....God LMFAO!! I'm dyingggggg here hehehehe HOR-LICKS??? Even funnier is the words in the ad hahahaha... "When men feel as David did, always fagged out"  "Using up energy all night long, simply in breathing and other automatic actions"!! LMAO!! Ummmmm yeah I can tell ya one OTHER "automatic action" that MY hubby does all night long haha don't know how much energy it uses tho. I've always thought it might be able to be USED as energy hehehe!!   "NIGHT STARVATION"???! HOR-LICKS is the remedy?      Ohhhhhh my stomach! hahahaha

mom1945-linda MSN said...

Thanks, needed a good laugh.........tears are running down my face.    Cheers

nostop514 MSN said...

This message has been deleted by the author.

nostop514 MSN said...

Good day:

I remember having seen the Tramways Building in the early to mid fifties. Of course it disappeared after the streetcars were pulled off the lines. I remember that they did a major rebuild of the sewers and water lines between Hickson and Church after pulling up the tracks in that area. I must have seen it while watching the work being done. It had a fairly elaborate facade, sort of Gothic to match the Bank of Montreal at 4002 Wellington. I assume that it was a substation for power distribution for the street cars. They took a lot of current; I remember the cables running on the poles along the lines seemed to be at least 1 inch in diameter and they were pretty numerous. There were similar, if not identical structures at the corner of Guy and Dorchester, and St. Patrick and Lafleur. I hope this is helpful.

Regards from NickO

les__f MSN said...

Hi Nick  where you been,??........   .................You sure have some neat old photo's,........any more kicking around ,....That is some neat Verdun History the old boat club,..and the Regattas they used to have,........the waterfront sure got used well,.at one time: I ubderstand it's starting to come back around again:  

les__f MSN said...

Some of te work being done on Wellington from the time when they installed new drains,...and also removed the old tracks,.....first shot is near Gordon & Wellington  ..second shot is further up Wellington,looking across towards Mains,.from almost in front of the old SAvoy:     ................................1957 ............ the building you mentioned at StPatrick & Lafleur seems to be vaguely familiar to me,....as I drove by there often on the way to Peacock Bros. Engeineering,...(delivering stuff),..as well as crossing that Bridge into mVille StPierre (Lafleur Bridge) I'll see if I can find an old photo of that building

les__f MSN said...

In looking at the the photos of the work being done on Wellington St,....I would bet that the excavtor is the same one,.......even though the pics are from two completely separate sources,.........I never noticed that before,.... There is a name on the machine,....and a phone number,...I can't quite make it out,....but I would bet JMH,...(the Detective)..........hahahaha,   will make it out and find out what company did the work,....if you can enlarge the picture and read the number ,a reverse look up in the Lovelll's Directory may just get us the answer,.....  

nostop514 MSN said...

I recall that for some time the building at St Patrick and Lafleur was up for sale (in the 70's). I think it was finally sold and converted into a brasserie, and may still be standing. I'll check on it the next time i'm in the vicinity.

NickO

nostop514 MSN said...

I would guess Spino Construction would have done the job. They handled most of that type of work for the municipalities.

NickO

les__f MSN said...

That's great nostop,.....I too seem to recall a large white "A Vendre" sign on a building right there,...so that would be interesting to see,.....a Brasserie,  smart idea,.. that's the right time frame for me as well 70's,.....then left to come out West:

sailorboy68 MSN said...

Didn't the spy have a barber shop on Bannantyne and Fourth Ave. ?   Bob

guy5479 MSN said...

J.M., Concernant l'édifice Tramway Building qui était située à 3980 Wellington, étant curieux de nature, j'ai pris une photo de cet endroit aujourd'hui en allant à la SHGV.C'est La Lunetterie Farhat qui est située à cet endroit maintenant. Si je trouve une photo de la vieille bâtisse à la SHGV, je te la transmetterai. TRANSLATION I took a photo today on my way to the SHGV of the building at 3980 Wellington and it is la Lunetterie Farhat that is now at that address. I will keep an eye out for an old photo at the SHGV and will post it if  I should find one.     Guy

maggiemck MSN said...

The clues we were given said that he had a photo or portrait studio on Bannantyne. There could be other info out there...........

jmhachey MSN said...

Merci Guy pour la photo du 3980 Wellington (maintenant Lunetterie Farhat) L’édifice original avait été construit en 1927 et aurait été démoli en 1997 ou 1998. Je te souhaite bonne chance dans ta recherche d’une ophoto du vieil édifice des Tramway (sous-station d’alimentation électrique pour les tramways). Thanks Guy for the photo of 3980 Wellington (now Lunetterie Farhat). The original bldg was built in 1927 and demolished presumably in 1997 or 1998. Best of luck in your search of a photo of the old Tramway bldg (power house). JM

edbro68 MSN said...

Who remembers the name of the company between the sugar company and the Shearer/DeSeignor bridge on St>Patrick? Ed

nostop514 MSN said...

Hi all:

Belding Corticelli

Nicko

winnie3ave MSN said...

Sailorboy68. Bob. That barber on the corner  of 4th and Bannantyne was the barber I went to for years in the 50's.  That would be very interesting to find out that he was a spy. Winston Allison

les__f MSN said...

I thought the spy was the photographer? Wasn't it?  

edbro68 MSN said...

Nicko,  Right on. Ed

les__f MSN said...

        1790, rue du Canal; Former Name: Belding, Paul and Co. Architect: (unknown) Building Type: textile mill Materials: wood and iron frame, brick walls Completed: 1884 Alterations: 1893, 1913, 1926, 1932, 1946, 1989 Note: Belding, Paul and Co. merged with Corticelli in 1911. Formerly a silk manufacturing factory, it has been recently renovated into residential space (1989). ...........................................................

nostop514 MSN said...

Hi there all VC members and readers:
Today I had the opportunity to take pictures of the former Tramways sub-station on St. Patrick near Lafleur, which, as mentioned earlier in the discussion, has been highly modified and is now a Bistro. However, one can still see evidence of its original function, the most obvious being the inscription "MTCo" in the scrollwork above what the main entrance.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all.
From NickO

Attachment: Tramways Bldg1.JPG

les__f MSN said...

Nice shots   nostop514,.......you can really see the MTC logo,above the door,... seems like a thing of the past actually builing some identifying feature right into a building,.............I guess they planned to stay around a while in those days,......................