Sir Hormidas Laporte was Montreal‘s 27th mayor.Hormidas Laporte was born in the suburb of Lachine on November 7, 1850. On January 14, 1874, he wed Myrza Gervais, daughter of Pierre Gervais and Marie-Rose-de-Lima Painchaud. The marriage was celebrated in the parish of the Nativité in Montreal’s Hochelaga district. Sir Hormidas Laporte died in Montreal on February 20, 1934.Following is a list of important events in Sir Hormidas Laporte’s life:
| prior to 1867 |
He studies at the Sault-au-Récollet School |
| 1867 |
He takes private lessons at night while working in a nail factory. |
| 1870 |
He works as a clerk in a grocery store. Later, he opens his own grocery store. |
| 1873 |
A big rise in the water level in the spring destroys his store. He is also in the wood and coal business. |
| 1881 |
A friend, J.-B. Martin, offers him a partnership in a fruit and vegetable business. The wholesale firm of Laporte & Martin will grow to be one of the largest in Canada. |
| 1892 |
A fire destroys his warehouse. |
| 1892-1902 |
He is one of the founders and first President of the Alliance Nationale party. |
| 1894-1896 |
He is elected President of the “Chambre de Commerce de Montréal”, the French equivalent to the Board of Trade (now merged together). |
| 1897-1904 |
He is elected City Councillor by acclamation and is named President of the Finance Committee. |
| 1903-1906 |
He becomes a Board member of Montreal’s Catholic School Commission. |
| 1904-1906 |
He is elected Mayor of Montreal. |
| 1905 |
Under his leadership, Montreal annexes the suburb of St-Henri. |
| 1907-1934 |
He is named President of the Provincial Bank of Canada. He also acts as President of the wartime (1914-1918) Supply Commission. |
| 1917 |
He is nominated a member of the Private Council in recognition of services rendered. |
| 1918-1934 |
Britain’s King Georges V knights him. Montreal’s McGill University bestows a honoris causa doctorate on him. He becomes President of the “Société d’administration et de fiducie” (a trust firm), of the St-Jean-Baptiste Society (for 3 years), of the Crédit Foncier Franco-canadien (another trust), of the Sauvegarde (an insurance company) and is named Commissioner of the Port of Montreal. |
| 1934 |
He died in Montreal on the 20th of February at the age of 83, leaving behind 2 children: a daughter and a son. He lived on Dorchester Boulevard, now renamed René-Lévesque Boulevard. |
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