This fine building met with disaster, its roof fell in shortly afterward and finally it was burned down on October 2, 1872, after which the affairs of St. Patrick’s Hall Association were wound up and left the stockholders with 55% of their shares. In 1863 it was incorporated, its charter in part running as follows:
“WHEREAS, Thomas McKenna, Edw. McKeown, Dennis Downey, Wm. P. McGuire, J.J. Curran, Patrick O’Meara, M. Cuddihy, Daniel Lyons, P. Jordan, John H. Duggan, F.B. McNamee, O.J. Devlin, A. Brogan, Richard McShane, P. Mullin, J.E. Mullin, B. Devlin, Wm. Mansfield, M. Doherty and others have by their petition to the legislature represented that the Society of which they are members, known as the ‘St. Patrick’s Society of Montreal,’ has for many years been organized for benevolent and other purposes, and
“WHEREAS, They have prayed by the said petition that for the better attainment of the object of the said Society it may be invested with corporate powers, and by reason of the good effected by the said Society it is expedient to grant the prayer of the said petition;
“THEREFORE Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the legislative council and assembly of Canada, enact as follows:”
Since this time St. Patrick’s Society has carried on its good work, but it has never had a permanent building of its own. It has continued its interest in Irish charities, caring for orphans and immigrants. It has watched over the fortunes of Irishmen in civic, provincial and federal life and has always promoted Home Rule for Ireland. On April 24, 1893, St. Patrick’s Society telegraphed, through the Hon. Edward Blake, then a member of the English Parliament, congratulations to Mr. William Ewart Gladstone and himself on the second reading of the bill. Of recent years its activities in this line of similar promotion of their national cause have been great. Their annual dinner on St. Patrick’s day has seen the presence of some of the most distinguished Irish orators from Ireland and the American Continent.
The past presidents of the Society have been:
| 1856-57 | Henry Howard, M.D. |
| 1858-59 | Hon. Marcus Doherty, J.S.C. |
| 1860-61 | Hon. Edward Murphy |
| 1862-63 | James A. Sadlier |
| 1864 | Thos. McKenna |
| 1865-66-67 | Bernard Devlin |
| 1868 | J.E. Mullin |
| 1869 | F.B. McNamee |
| 1870 | Bernard Devlin |
| 1871 | Francis Cassidy, Ex-Mayor |
| 1872 | James Homley |
| 1873 | Michael Donovan |
| 1874-75-76-77 | Bernard Devlin |
| 1878 | P.J. Coyle |
| 1879-80-81-82-83 | F.B. McNamee |
| 1884-85-86-87-88 | Hon. Denis Barry |
| 1889-90 | Hon. Henry Cloran |
| 1891-92 | Hon. J.J. Curran |
| 1893-94 | Hon. James McShane |
| 1895-96-97 | Hon. Jas. J. Guerin M.D. |
| 1898-99 | E.J. Kennedy, M.D. |
| 1900-01 | W.E. Doran |
| 1902-03 | Hon. C.J. Doherty |
| 1904 | F.E. Devlin, M.D. |
| 1905-06 | Frank J. Curran, B.C.L. |
| 1907-08 | W.P. Kearney |
| 1909-10 | Henry Kavanagh, K.C. |
| 1911-12 | J. C Walsh |
| 1913-14 | Walter G. Kennedy |
IRISH PROTESTANT BENEVOLENT SOCIETY
The Irish Protestant Benevolent Society of Montreal was formed in 1856, after having separated from the joint St. Patrick’s Society. In that year an act of incorporation was granted, on March 18th, on the petition of a certain number of petitioners “and others of Irish birth or extraction, residents of Montreal (who) have maintained by voluntary contributions a certain charitable association whereof they are members, for the relief of distressed immigrants and others from Ireland or of Irish descent, under the name of the Irish Protestant Benevolent Society of Montreal.”