Édouard-Raymond Fabre
Édouard-Raymond Fabre | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Montreal, Canada |
| Died | July 16, 1854 (aged 54) |
| Occupation(s) | Bookseller, politician |
| Years active | 1826–1854 |
| Known for | Mayor of Montreal (1849–1851) |
Édouard-Raymond Fabre (15 September 1799 – 16 July 1854) was a Canadian bookseller and politician who held the position of Mayor of Montreal between 1849 and 1851.
Life
Édouard-Raymond Fabre was born in Montreal to Pierre Fabre, a carpenter, and Marie-Anne Lamontagne. He attended the Petit Séminaire de Montréal until 1812, after which he spent nearly ten years employed at Arthur Webster’s hardware store. Subsequently, he traveled to Paris for a year to acquire knowledge in the book trade at the Galeries Bossange.
On 9 May 1826, Fabre wed Luce Perrault, who was the sister of the patriote Charles-Ovide Perrault. In 1832, he played a role in founding the Maison Canadienne de Commerce aimed at rivaling British enterprises. During this period, he also took ownership of the patriote English-language paper Vindicator and Canadian Advertiser, with Edmund Bailey O'Callaghan as its editor.
In 1835, Fabre partnered with his nephew Jean-Adolphe Gravel to launch a bookstore located at the intersection of Rue Saint-Vincent and Rue Notre-Dame. The store specialized in religious literature, educational books, and stationery, later expanding into publishing and bookbinding activities. He held part ownership in the steamship Le Patriote and was an engaged member of the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Society, advocating for French-Canadian heritage and Catholic values. That same year, he contributed to founding La Banque du peuple, assuming the role of treasurer.
Fabre’s bookstore became a central meeting place for members of the Patriote movement. He actively took part in the Lower Canada Rebellion (1837–38), endured brief imprisonment but was released due to insufficient evidence coupled with his wife’s health issues. Following these events, he dedicated efforts to assisting those affected by the uprising, particularly exiles sent to Australia.
Fabre entered municipal governance in 1848 as a councillor representing Montreal's East Ward and was subsequently elected Mayor in 1849. His administration prioritized fiscal reforms and responded to a cholera epidemic; additionally, he founded a permanent firefighting service. Despite hesitations about continuing in office, he remained mayor until 1851.
He succumbed to cholera in July 1854. Esteemed political figure Louis-Joseph Papineau acknowledged his significant impact on Canadian society. Fabre’s final resting place is at Notre Dame des Neiges Cemetery in Montreal.
He fathered Archbishop Édouard-Charles Fabre. His memory is honored through a street in Plateau Mont-Royal and a park located in Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve bearing his name.[1]