Trafalgar School - Echoes Yearbook (Montreal, Quebec Canada)

Page 17 text:

IBBZ THE STORY OF THE SCHOOL MR. DONALD ROSS, the Founder of the School, who was horn in Ross-shire, Scotland, in 1811, came to Montreal, at the age of fifteen, to enter the husiness of his uncle, a prosperous dry-goods merchant in the City. He joined St. Gahriel ' s Church, under the ministry of Rev. John Bethune, and thereafter became a memher of St. Paul ' s Presbyterian Church, where Rev. Dr. Edward Black was the Minister. He married his cousin, Jane Ross, whose large estate was entailed, and while her husband enjoyed its use during his lifetime, on his death, as they had no children, it reverted to her heirs. He owned a fine property, Viewmount , at the top of Cote des Neiges Road, looking towards the Mountain. The original grey stone house still stands: 4005 Cote des Neiges. Many old residents of the City will remember the Trafalgar Tower, now in ruins, which stood not very far from Mr. Ross ' old home, on a height overlooking what are now Trafalgar and Belvedere Avenues. It was built by Mr. Gillespie in 1805, to com- memorate the Victory of Trafalgar, on the property owned by Mr. John Ogilvy, which, from that time was called the Trafalgar Property . It was Gothic in form, with a crenulated top, on which was placed a small cannon, which, for some years was fired on October 21st, the anniversary of the battle. M. Georges de Boucherville, writing in 1835, told the story of the Tower in his book Le Repertoire National ou Recueil de Litterature Nationale Canadienne. Those who visited the Tower in those early days, when the citizens of Montreal lived down near the River, told weird stories of strange sounds being heard there, but sensible people attributed the sounds to the volcanic nature of the rock, which, in some way, produced an echo. Mr. Albert Furniss, who bought the prop- erty in 1836, removed the cannon, re-modelled the Tower, and changed the shape of the roof. Mr. Furniss had beautiful buildings on his estate, all designed by Mr. Frank Wills, the English architect, who designed Christ Church Cathedral. His own house, and the fine carriage house, which was altered to make a private residence, still remain, 3021 and 3015 Trafalgar Avenue, but his private Chapel has been demolished. The pla?e was then considered so far out of town, and Cote des Neiges Hill was so steep, that the postillions were obliged to change horses before ascending it. In 1846 it was proposed, by some business men, to make a cemetery on this property. It was considered a suitable site: the extreme beauty of the view, the natural terraces, and the winding path, which led to the Tower, peering from the summit of the Mountain, all combined to render the spot peculiarly adapted for such a purpose. Such a cemetery would be a source of attraction, usefulness and celebrity to the Metropolis of Canada. There were two dwellings on the land, one to be used as a Chapel, the other to be occupied by the Superin- tendent, who, as well as the gardener, would be in constant attendance to ensure order and decorum. However the project was abandoned. The Trafalgar property, on the south-eastern slope, of what is now called the Westmount Mountain, and traversed by Westmount Boulevard, changed hands fre- [15]

Page 16 text:

Donald Ross

Page 18 text:

quently. Mr. Donald Ross, whose home was directly opposite, purchased eight acres of it, at Sheriff ' s Sale, as a site for a Girls ' School, which he had long wanted to found, in memory of his mother, intending to call it Ross Institute , but when he acquired the ' Trafalgar Property for that purpose, he changed the name to Trafalgar Institute . In 1934 the Governors of the School thought it advisable to change the name once more, and it is now known as The Trafalgar School for Girls. In 1871 Mr. Ross procured the incorporation of The Trafalgar Institute by Act of Provincial Legislature. The Cor- poration consisted of the following gentlemen, Mr. Donald Ross and such successors as may be appointed by the Board of Trustees of St. Paul ' s Church: Very Rev. W. Snodgrass D.D., Principal of Queen ' s College, Kingston, and his successors in office: Ven. William Leach L.L.D., Archdeacon of Montreal, and his successors in office: (Sir) J. William Dawson L.L.D., Principal of McGill College, and his successors in office: Rev. John Jenkins D.D., Minister of St. Paul ' s Church and his successors: Rev. Gavin Lang of St. Andrew ' s Church of Scotland, and his successors; Rev. Donald Ross B.D., Chatham, Que. Alexander Mitchell, and such successors as may be appointed by the Kirk Session of St. Andrew ' s Church and Alexander Macpherson, and such successors as may be appointed by the Kirk Session of St. Paul ' s Church. Mr. Ross died in 1877. His will, after making provision for legacies and annuities, left the residue of his Estate to The Trafalgar Institute. The purpose of the bequest [16]