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Researching the
Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site of Canada
Recherche sur la Forteresse-de-Louisbourg Lieu historique national du Canada
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Report 98-87
Development in the area in question is unknown, but doubtful.
According to his own accounting [of the First Lartigue Complex Property and First Lartigue Complex], Joseph Lartigue, this year, in this area, had cleared off land, while establishing both a garden and large yard.(2) If not immediately, shortly thereafter, on this land he built his houses and storehouses, to further his fishing enterprises. Of interest, although Lartigue claimed that the land was conceded to him in 1714, not until 1717 was it formally granted.(3)
By now, if not sometime during the preceding year, Lartigue must have begun construction on this property, for not until later did he turn his attention to Block Two (Lots A and L) (4) and elsewhere. Although the census of 1715 identified him as a merchant, it also listed numerous engagés in his employ, thus suggesting a large fishing establishment at this location.(5)
By now, it would appear that Lartigue had erected at least three, and possible four, buildings on this property. Of the buildings, the two longer ones lay parallel to each other. (6)
Engineer Verville set aside a parcel of land to be later identified as Block One. It measured 40 toises fronting [the Quay], by an undetermined depth, to the "west" of which lay the conceded property of Lartigue.(7) In contrast, a plan that same year illustrated a rectangular block that along [Rue Royalle and by implication, the Quay], measured 50 toises, by 30 toises of depth along [Rue Toulouse and, by implication, Rue du Petit Etang]. Of interest, on this plan, the "western" boundary of Block One lay further "west" than finally determined in the 1730s.(8)
It was at this time too that Lartigue received his aforementioned "concession," in two parcels: one for his habitation - 20 toises along [the Quay] by [15 toises] of depth; and another, fronting and to the "north-west" of his habitation, for his beach and fish-flakes (vignaux)- 60 toises along the [Petit Etang] by 6 [toises] of depth.(9)
Three, and possibly, four buildings appear on the property: One lay parallel to two others in a line, of which the "north-west" one had attached storm porches and/or outbuildings. Another structure, housing the King's workers, described as old (being but three or four years of age at the most), possibly belonged to him as well. Gardens stood to the "south-east" and "south-west" of the parallel buildings.(10)
Four, and possibly, five Lartigue buildings appear on the property: One (the "south-east" one) lay parallel to a line of three others (the "north-west" ones) of which the two buildings to the "north-east" (which also had attached storm porches and/or outbuildings) butted. The fourth building was the [King's workers'] structure, to the "south," of the dual complex, placed perpendicular to the others. All, of various lengths, scaled at circa 18-20 pieds of width.(11)
Of interest, Block One scaled at circa 45 toises of width, "east" to "west." (12)
This year, with the apparent disappearance of the "old" King's worker's lodging, the First Lartigue Complex began to settle into a familiar form upon his habitation, that would, more or less, exist until 1734: Two long parallel structures, positioned "south-east" and "north-west" of each other, of similar lengths, each consisting of smaller units. In this instance, each was made up of two buildings: To make up the "south-east" one - they butted; "north-west" - they lay separate, with either one or two connecting structures between the two. Gardens lay to the "south-east" of the First Lartigue Complex; and to the "north-west" of it, a road/path (leading to the lime kiln) and fish-flakes, on Lartigue's vignaux property.(13)
Of interest, at three of the corners of the future Block One, a plan on which the Rue de Rempart appears in a relatively correct position, boundary or survey markers may once have existed.(14)
This year François Dardy received a grant of land, on the Rue de Rempart, next to his lime kiln [located nearby, on the future curtain wall]. Measuring only 30 pieds square, and located on a street suggested either a temporary structure (a good possibility) or that the street was to be re-located (a lesser possibility). (15)
The Dardy building, unfortunately, does not appear on a particular plan of this year, one which was attempting to demonstrate, in a final form, the aligned town streets (and thus town blocks as well). In contrast, the familiar outline of the First Lartigue Complex, identified by the letter A, did materialize: Two long parallel buildings with one connecting structure set between them, and property placed to the "south-east" and "south-west" of the complex.(16)
Of interest, Block One measured more than 50 toises along [Rue Royalle] by 33 toise 1 pied down [Rue de Rempart].(17)
A King's memoire of this year defined Block One as bounded by streets on three sides and by the Petit Etang to the "west." Those like Lartigue and Dardy, who held concessions to their land were to be compensated elsewhere (on the Quay for fishermen like Lartigue) by twice what they presently held, for the inconvenience of demolition and re-location.(18)
According to Louisbourg officials, the "western" boundary of Block One reached to the fortifications, and that, among other houses erected on this Block, there stood those of Lartigue.(19) Plans of that year were even more precise concerning who lived where in the First Lartigue Complex (consisting of two long parallel structures with its property placed to the "south-east" and to the "south-west"): In the structure positioned "north-west" - Lartigue, Laisné, a fisherman; Lartigue, cadet, a surgeon); and the Widow Stevin (Estevin). As for the "south-east" one, while no specific designation was given, Joseph Lartigue was residing directly across, possibly accessing it through an adjoining connecting structure. (20)
Also identified was the location for François Dardy, living to the "south" of the First Lartigue Complex. (21)
The First Lartigue Complex again appeared in its familiar configuration, with gardens to the "south-east" and to the "south-west." (22)
According to a plan of this year, each of the parallel structures (scaled at circa 24-25 pieds of width) consisted of three units each, with the connecting structure of previous years clearly now a small (scaled at circa 12 x 9 pieds) feature such as an attached storm porch and/or outbuilding serving only the "north-east" unit of the "north-west" structure. All the buildings are illustrated with board roofs. Of interest, the only gardens (two, separated by an interior fence) are to the "south-east" of the structures, with its "south-west" perimeter fence set directly against the "south-west" gable ends of the First Lartigue Complex, thus preventing the formation of a "south-west" garden at this location. (23)
To the "south" of the First Lartigue Complex stood the Dardy structure (scaled at circa 31 x 18 pieds) with a sod roof. To to the "south" and "west" the land rose quickly.(24)
Of interest, the width of Block One, from the corner of Rue Toulouse and Rue Royalle to the "Western" wall of the Dardy building scaled at circa 49 toises 3 pieds.(25)
One idea, soon abandoned, was that Lartigue would re-locate his "New House" to the "north-west" (apparently on his vignaux property), and thus further "north" than later positioned. In this scheme, his property lay entirely "west" of the building.(26)
By this year, Dardy may have vacated Block One as a house now stood on his Block 33, Lot F, property (in contrast, his Block 38-West, Lot B, property remained undeveloped). (27)
Lartigue bemoaned his existing situation, that he had bought and built a house [s], in good faith, at considerable expense, but was now threaten with destruction because of its [their] location.(28) In compensation for the loss of [several] of his houses, the idea was to re-establish [one] house fronting his beach [vignaux] property. (29)
This year two illustrations of the First Lartigue Complex emerged, and while they often disagreed in detail, together they were suggestive: that the buildings were of piquet construction with exterior wall struts and storm porches and/or storehouses; that they were commonly of 1 1/2 storey construction (some were only 1 storey tall); and that, being residential, they had fireplaces and chimneys. Consisting of multiple units, most certainly each had end walls of piquet construction. Their yard and gardens ("south-east" and "south-west") were surrounded by piquet fences. (30)
The Dardy house no longer appeared in its expected position to the "west" of the newly constructed Boulangerie.(31) In December, Dardy would die.(32)
Street excavations, cut into the rising land to the "south" and "west," occurred at the corner of Rue Royalle and Rue de Rempart, directly opposite the street facing walls of the boulangerie.(33)
This year, to its final position, (although property 60 [the Lartigue New House Property] was not officially laid-out until the spring of 1735) Lartigue moved a charpente house that he had earlier built but which was now positioned in the newly formed Rue du Petit Etang.(34) Its appearance and that of the newly designated ruë du petit etang, had necessitated the truncation of the "south-western" section of the two structures of the First Lartigue Complex, leaving behind the "south-east" remnants still intruding upon Block One and the Quay. Likewise a nuisance, across the Rue du Petit Etang, ran a portion of the "south-east" property of the First Lartigue Complex, as well as a fence and gateway between the "New House" and the remains of the First Lartigue Complex, effectively closing off Rue du Petit Etang to Quay traffic. (35)
Of interest, the final, and "official," measurements for Block One along Rue Royalle was 44 toises, and down the Rue du Petit Etang, 33 toises.(36) Apparently, in this scheme, Rue du Petit Etang had taken its form in June.(37)
The situation of 1734 with respect to Lartigue remained the same, only now more details would surface. For example: that the portion of the "south-east property of the First Lartigue Complex that intruded upon the Rue du Petit Etang was actually a garden, consisting of flower beds and borders (which Lartigue was not willing to abandon); that the proposed Lartigue New House Property was immense, running, for example, not only "north" of, but also along the entire length of the Rue du Petit Etang to where it met Rue Royalle; and that the remaining two truncated First Complex structures (which he was being pressured to destroy) were houses which he intended to rent. (38)
Finally, there was a stream that ran "north" down the middle of the new street, from the corner of Rue Royalle and Rue du Petit Etang to approximately the half-way mark, where, turning "north-west," it exited the street, onto the Lartigue New House Property. (39)
Lartigue's battle to keep his traditional First Complex gardens was lost with the beginning and completion of the construction of the hangard d'Artillerie that same year.(40) Late as it was that season, however, there had not been time to remove the earth from, as it was named here, the Rue de Rempart [Rue du Petit Etang] which ran "west" of this building, thus leaving the street higher than the ground floor of the hangard by an unspecified amount.(41)
Of interest, neither of Lartigue's First Complex houses would have interfered with the construction of the "north" portion of the hangard.(42)
As of February, Lartigue remained in possession of his two truncated First Complex houses.(43) As well, later that year, upon reclaimed land, created by the filling-in of a portion of the pond to the "north" of his "New House," Lartigue was able to practice a small garden.(44)
Sometime between the winter of 1737 and October 24, 1738, Verrier lowered the Rue du Petit Etang to its appropriate level, that being 18 pouces below that of the Hangard's ground floor. By also proposing to remove 2 1/2 pieds of earth, which he would then stockpile for work on the Quay, from outside the building, on the side facing the yard, Verrier intended to bring its elevation at this point to 12 pouces beneath that inside the building. (45)
Lartigue's First Complex structures remained in place this year: described by the owner as two houses; by the officials as a hut and a storehouse, made only of boards [roof] and piquets [walls](46)
The pressure on Lartigue to demolish the remaining First Complex houses on the Quay continued.(47)
An ambiguous sale of land that spring to Léon Fautoux would suggest that Lartigue had captured more property to the "south" than illustrated as conceded on his earlier land grant numbered 60. Accordingly, the property, which he said comprised a portion of his concession, and stood between the King's Storehouse and the rampart was described as follows: 40 pieds fronting the street, to begin opposite the corner of the King's Storehouse [i.e. Boulangerie] facing Rue Royalle, making towards the sea, by the full depth of the property to where it meets the glacis. The price: 600 livres, without mention of any building. (48) In other words, with a beginning width of 40 pieds (along Rue Royalle from the Rue du Etang towards the curtain wall) , Lartigue had simply extended his New House Property concession "south" along Rue du Etang to where it met the King's Bastion glacis, and sold everything "west" of it to Fautoux.
Illustrated this year was the original triangular Lartigue New House Property, and the new extension along Rue du Petit Etang, "south" beyond Rue Royalle, and "west" of Block Seventeen, that, last year, he had sold to Fautoux.(49)
Quite suggestively plans of this year indicae that Lartigue had not as yet demolished his truncated First Complex buildings on the Quay, (50) and that Fautoux had raised a building on his newly acquired triangularly-shaped property.(51) However, where Lartigue's two parallel truncated buildings had once existed, now there remained much less: either a single structure, or else, two or three smaller ones forming up in a line, in a partial semi-circle.(52)
Of interest, plans, in contrast to the text of the sale agreement, suggest that rather than opposite the boulangerie, Fautoux's property (which was triangular in shape) actually begin further "north," opposite the corner of the Hangard d'Artillerie.(53) Consequently, this also placed the "north" portion of the house opposite the hangard.(54)
During the siege, a bomb "crushed" a Fautoux house at an unspecified location.(55)
The triangular-shaped property of Fautoux again appeared, once with its house (56) So too did the New England artificers shops and dwellings, just "erected" that year in a line, to the extreme "south" of Lartigue's "New House," reaching to, or about, the location of the Fautoux building. Butting against the artificers' "north" gable end, and pre-dating it, was a smaller structure, and more to the "north," near the Lartigue house, yet another of a similar construction date and size, laying separate, both of which, possibly, were also raised by the occupying forces, for an indeterminate use.(57)
By a later accounting, the New England Complex consisted of 4 houses fitted up for the Master Smith, Master Armourer, Master Mason, and Master Cooper. (58) Of interest, the New Englanders, in 1746, regarded Lartigue's "New House" as part of this artificers' complex.(59)
Sometime between 1746 and 1749, the English occupational forces would sink masonry foundations adjoining the New England artificers' shops (and their two forges) and dwellings, upon which to place a 1/2 timber building. (60) Apparently, this structure then would have replaced the two existing smaller buildings which, earlier, had been erected to the "north" of the newly built artificers' building.(61)
The occupying forces were gravelling the Quay this year, from Block Three to the Dauphin Gate, thus raising the entire strand in the process.(62) In addition, they cut a gutter in Gun Lane [Rue du Petit Etang].(63)
In contrast to other plans, illustrated to the "south" of Lartigue's "New House," in a central position was a single building.(64)
This year, the Government rented the gunsmith and blacksmith forges (and house) that existed on the widows Lartigue and Fautoux property.(65)
On the first of August, the Government's rental agreement for the Lartigue-Fautoux house ended.(66) Then, on August 20, in a private three-year agreement, the widow Fautoux, rented out a house (40 pieds long - and attached to the [house] of the widow Lartigue) with its forge contained therein, as well as a yard and storehouse behind.(67) Clearly, upon her property, the New Englanders had built the "south" portion of their artificers shops and dwellings, and now she was exercising her right of ownership to both it and her portion of the building.
The widow Lartigue produced a plan, dated this year, illustrating the state of her holdings, including her New House Property at this location. On the "north" portion was the house that her husband had built, standing without gardens or fencing further to the "north;" Centrally, where the New Englanders had placed foundations for a 1/2 timber building, were illustrated foundations (butting the "south" building, open to the "north") designed for a masonry residence, raised to a height of 4 pieds in rubblestone and cutstone; and to the "south," where the New Englanders had erected their artificers shops, a brick-infilled charpente building, set upon a 3 1/2 pieds high rubblestone stone foundation with cutstone corners, and entered by means of exterior steps and landings set upon the street.(68)
When closely examined, the 1753 Widow Lartigue plan is often poorly executed in detail: for example, elevations conflict with their corresponding plans; pieds is meant when toise is indicated; construction technique is fanciful; scaled doorways and window heights are problematic, etc. Wrong in detail, and suspect in general, perhaps a detailed discussion of this plan (for example, of the illustrated floor plan of the central building) should be carried no further than as discussed above. Suffice to say that to the "west" of the foundations, there existed a yard, outbuilding and garden and its fencing; and to the "south" of the New Englander's building, three parallel yards (presumably servicing three lodgings contained within the main building), separation fences of a nature unlike traditional piquet, and a long storehouse, probably segmented as well. (69)
A three unit structure stood at the extreme "south" of the New House Property with a large space between it and the "New House."(70)
While the fire which destroyed the boulangerie could have caused some collateral damage to the street, it appeared not to have impacted upon any of the features within the footprint.(71)
On the Lartigue property, the "New House" appears in the "north" portion, and the New England Complex in the "south," with the [presumed foundations] of another (butting the "south" building, open to the "north") positioned in-between.(72)
On the Lartigue New House Property, in elevation, the "New House" appears in the "north" portion and the New England Complex in the "south". (73) On the Quay, and intersecting the conceded property to the "north" of the "New House," there had been erected traverses, raised in preparation for war.(74)
Remaining on the Quay, and intersecting the conceded property to the "north" of the "New House," were the traverses raised in preparation for war.(75)
On the Lartigue New House Property, from Rue Royalle, towards the "north" in a line, were the ruins of long structure, consisting of 5, or more, units. Only Lartigue's "New House" (occupied), and its gardens, to the "west," "north-west" and "north," remained in use. (76)
The only standing building remaining on the Lartigue New House Property was the "New House."(77)
2. February 01, 1737.
3. December 20, 1735.
4. Brenda Dunn, The Private Properties In Block 2, Louisbourg, (Fortress Of Louisbourg, Unpublished Report H D 17 R, 1971 - Revised 1978).
5. France, Archives Nationales, Outre-Mer, G1, Volume 467, Part 3B, pp. 584-592, January 04, 1715.
6. Map 1716-07.
7. November 10, 1717.
8. Map 1717-02.
9. November 10, 1717.
10. Map 1717-02.
11. Map 1718-02.
12. Map 1718-02.
13. Map 1720-02; Map 1720-04.
14. Map ND-06 (1720).
15. May 13, 1721.
16. Map 1722-01.
17. Map 1722-01.
18. May 02, 1722.
19. May 31, 1723.
20. Map 1723-01; Map 1723-02; Map 1723-03; Map 1723-04; 1723 - Etat.
21. Map 1723-01; Map1723-02; 1723 - Etat.
22. Map 1724-02.
23. Map 1725-09.
24. Map 1725-09.
25. Map 1725-09.
26. Map 1730-02; See also: Map ND-24 (1732-1737).
27. Map 1730-02.
28. July 10, 1731.
29. November 29, 1731.
30. Map 1731-01; Map 173-03.
31. Map 1731-01.
32. December 26, 1731.
33. Map 1733-07.
34. December 20, 1735; Map 1734-03; Map 1734-04.
35. Map 1734-03; Map 1734-04.
36. October 24, 1734.
37. December 20, 1735.
38. Map 1735-07; Map ND-105 (1735); December 20, 1735.
39. Map 1735-07; Map 105 (1735).
40. May 08, 1736; November 10, 1736.
41. October 24, 1738; November 01, 1738.
42. Map 1739-01.
43. February 01, 1737.
44. November 02, 1737.
45. October 24, 1738; November 01, 1738.
46. November 01, 1738; November 04, 1738.
47. Map 1739-01.
48. April 22, 1743.
49. Map ND-57 (1744).
50. Map 1745-17 (See also: 1758-20); Map 1745-24.
51. Map 1745-17 (See also: 1758-20); Map 1745-19 (Note: This may be the Lime Kiln) ; Map 1745-35.
52. Map 1745-17 (See also: 1758-20) and Map 1745-24; See also: Map 1746-02; Map 1746-03; and Map 1746-13 (See also: 1757-12).
53. Map 1745-17 (See also: 1758-20); Map 1745-24; Map 1745-33D.
54. Map 1745-17 (See also: 1758-20); Map 1745-35.
55. May 30, 1745.
56. Map 1746-02; Map 1746-03; Map 1746-13 (See also: 1757-12).
57. Map 1746-08; Map 1746-8A.
58. July 14, 1749.
59. 1746-08; 1746-8A.
60. July 14, 1749; August 20, 1749.
61. Map 1746-08; Map 1746-8A.
62. July 18, 1747; July 29, 1747; August 08, 1747; July 14, 1749.
63. July 29, 1747.
64. Map 1748-02.
65. August 20, 1749; See also: June 14, 1750.
66. November 15, 1750.
67. August 20, 1750.
68. Map 1753-01.
69. Map 1753-01.
70. Map 1755 - 03.
71. October 01, 1756.
72. Map 1757-08.
73. Map 1758-06; 1758-09.
74. Map 1758-28.
75. Map 1759-01.
76. Map 1767-01.
77. Map 1768-01.