James Conquest
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Birth: | 28 Apr 1852 | Whitehaven, UK |
| Marriage: | 7 Sep 1879 | St Andrews W, On | |
| Death: | 14 Nov 1926 | Montréal, Qc | |
| Burial: | Côte-des-Neiges | Montréal, Qc | |
| Father: | John Conquest | 1823-unkn | |
| Mother: | Dinah Donley | 1825-unkn |
James was born in Whitehaven, England on April 28, 1852 to John and Dina Conquest. He immigrated to Canada with his parents from England at the age of 5 according to the 1901 census. There is no information about him growing up in Canada. We know he was engaged in different activities until 1879 when he joined the Montreal Fire Brigade at age 28 and was very successful, winning promotion after promotion until his volunteer retirement in 1905 as Captain.
It was just seven months after becoming a fireman that he married Flora Macdonald, daughter of the Hugh and Ann Macdonald of Roxborough. The ceremony was performed at St. Andrew’s Church, St. Andrew’s West by Rev. Father Corbet, then parish priest. Witness included his sister-inlaw Sarah McDonald and Michael McDonald.
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James was a fit individual who competed and won in competitions. His favourites were snowshoeing and lacrosse. Being a fireman did have its hazards. It was reported in the Gazette in 1884 that he broke his leg and was laid up for forty days. Other information gleamed from the newspaper included his promotion to foreman on Nov 1, 1893 and then to captain on May 5 1899 and even his salary of $800 in 1898. He resigned his position on Nov 30, 1904 due to poor health at age 52 but not before his two oldest daughters were married.
Tragedy struck the Conquest family with the death of their only son Hugh in 1911 followed by his wife in 1914 and his youngest daughter in 1915.
He died after a long illness at his daughter’s home in Montreal, on November 14th, 1926 at the age of 74. Besides his two daughters, Mrs. Bryan and Mrs. Murphy, he leaves behind 17 grandchildren, a sister-in-law, Mrs. Annie McDonald, several nephews and nieces. His funeral included about one hundred and fifty firemen with their band and muffled drums playing appropriate marches lined up at funeral parlor and preceded the hearse to the church and cemetery. It was very solemn and most impressive, the more so as prominent members of the several brigades and of the Police Association were on parade and marched before the hearse.
This photo of station no 3 shows a couple of his daughters and son in the windows with him standing at the doorway
