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 The Quebec Almanac was one of the more useful almanacs and contained many characteristics of a directory: names of members of the military, and of religious, political and judiciary bodies. The owner of this copy, Militia Captain Oliver Barker, updated much of the information over the year and even had some harsh comments and important corrections concerning the geographical information provided (p. 190-191). On the blank endleaves, he writes: "A City Directory would be a very great accommodation to the Public, & to Strangers, & would amply remunerate the compiler I think." Someone in Montreal may have heard him since the first directory for that city was published the same year (1819). From the Victor Morin and Georges-Alphonse Daviault collections. The Quebec Almanac; and British American Royal Kalendar, for the Year 1819. Quebec: J. Neilson, [1818]. 235 p. This first York Almanac was used by someone in the legal profession, possibly a member of the Anderson family. It contains a few professional entries, corrections to names of office holders, but also manuscript notes pertaining to the planting of vegetables, results of fishing trips, letters sent abroad, and on April 6 this short but enthusiastic entry: "Saw a butterfly." It is interesting to note that these entries, dated 1824, were made in an almanac for 1821. The York Almanac, and Provincial Calendar, for the Year 1821... York [Ont.]: Printed and sold at the Upper-Canada Gazette office, [1821]. 53 p. This almanac shows the January calendar with its accompanying blank page containing detailed information on the temperature for each day, even at different times of the day, and the amount of snow fall. The New-Brunswick Almanack, for the Year of Our Lord 1847... Saint John: Printed by Henry Chubb & Company and sold at the Courier Office, [1846]. Mainly used to advertise its newspapers and a few services, this type of almanac included recipes, humorous stories, and calendars containing famous quotes, mixed with facts and figures about the Witness. A rather aggressive form of advertising. Dominion Almanac for 1875. Being a Supplement to "Montreal Weekly Witness." [Montreal: Witness Job Office, 1874]. Hebrew almanac printed in the United States but distributed in Montreal by L. Holstein & Co. Ltd., steamship passenger agents. This company had advertising wrappers printed in English and Hebrew. Annual Edition. Hebrew Almanac for the Year 5686 (1925-1926). From Sept. 19, 1925 to Sept. 8, 1926 [followed by Hebrew title]. New York: Hebrew Publishing Company, 1925. This is the earliest Montreal directory. It contains numbers for each dwelling, some of which had not previously been assigned. In his preface, the compiler encourages householders to place these numbers on their houses. Copy belonging to P. Lussier. Thomas Doige An Alphabetical List of the Merchants, Traders, and Housekeepers, Residing in Montreal... Montreal: James Lane, 1819. 192 p. |
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