Guy
From the collection of Raymond Aubry, member of the SHGV
THANKS for stopping by, I do my best to acknowledge when someone leaves a comment,you do not have to be a member here & everyone is welcome. Ps: This site is monitored but not actively posting on a regular basis. Mostly these are stories & some photos saved from a defunct site known as Verdun Connections which was on MSN Groups initially then on a social network called Multiply.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
77 Die in Laurier Theatre January 9th 1927
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
9 comments:
Thank you Guy. I too was asked if I was 16 at the 5th Avenue theatre. I also was to honest to say I was. I recall that being the only time I was asked my age... Thank you Guy for all your contributions here I was mention in the Verdun Guardian around 1963, for a commendation that I recieved while in The United States Marine Corps. Mybe you can find that one. Winston Allison
I, too, was asked my age at the Savoy Theatre, when I went to see "Love me Tender". I was too shy to lie, and was not allowed to enter. Had to wait a couple of years. Yet I could be on vacation in Maine when I was 12, and be permitted to go to any theatre I chose.
Les do you remember the fire that was at The Blue Bird Cafe? I remember hearing stories about it, but don't remember exactly when it happened. Also, after a fire in a movie theater, (not sure where) that is when they banned smoking in movie theaters.
The fire at the Blue Bird was sometime between 1971-1973. I was still living in Verdun then.
I left Montreal in Dec. 1972. So it happened before that. We use to go there quite often. I am not a country western fan, but found that those people were extremely friendly. That is probably the reason we went there.. Had a good time, every time!!!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Bird_Caf%C3%A9_fire
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurier_Palace_Theatre_Fire
http://www3.gendisasters.com/fires/8642/montreal-qb-nightclub-fire-sept-1972
Montreal Great fires in 1721, 1734 and 1877 where a great part of the city was burnt (half of the city in 1721)
The Laurier Theater fire killed 77 children in 1927.
The Blue bird nightclub fire in 1972:
It was the Wagon Wheel night club above the Blue Bird café on Union street that burned. Three men were convicted of murder: Marc Boutin, Gilles Eccles and James O'Brian. 42 people died and about 40 people were seriously injured. The three men were drunk and were not allowed to enter the bar so they set fire to it.
Even though it was not in Montreal, the Empress of Ireland sinking 1914 near Rimouski (further on the St-Lawrence river) killed 1012 persons.
My father-in-law (now deceased) was at the Laurier Theatre with his younger brother when the fire broke out in 1927. He told my husband Richard of the sheer panic and how he had to climb over people and push his way through the crowd, all the while holding desperately onto his brother. Problem was the doors opened inward and people were totally panicked. The Blue Bird fire we remember well as our neighbour in Ville Brossard lost her daughter that night. We woke up to the sound of screaming (her Mum) and we knew something tragic had happened. I dressed, raced over and was told they had just been informed that their only daughter was in the fire. Heartbreaking times....Diane
So sad....
Post a Comment