Quebec Garrison Club Memorial Plaque

The Quebec Garrison Club was founded by militia officers in 1879 and is deeply rooted in the tradition of private clubs that began in 18th century England. In colonial times, British military officers posted to Canada kept alive their tradition of holding regular gatherings for rest and recreation, to discuss ideas and to celebrate various events. Following the departure of the British garrison in 1871, it seemed entirely normal to wish to preserve this tradition by having a social club for the Canadian military elite posted here. This led to the establishment of the Garrison Club. Initially, the Club’s membership was opened up to only a few members of the civilian elite; it was not until the 1890s that a larger number of civilians were admitted and allowed to sit on the board of directors. Throughout the twentieth century, the Québec Garrison Club maintained its interest in the military and continued to safeguard this tradition of social gatherings. It even expanded upon the concept by gathering into one club members of the military, political, economic and religious elite. When it was founded, the Garrison Club occupied the former office of the Royal Engineers in the old city, at the corner of Saint-Louis and Côte de la Citadelle streets. Built in 1816, this building was located in a predominantly military section of the city that included among its features the citadel, fortifications, the esplanade, and the Connaught and Saint-Louis barracks. It was given its present appearance in 1893 by architect Harry Stavely, working from a Château-style plan devised for the building in 1881 by Eugène-Étienne Taché. The Club still occupies the premises and continues to preserve their heritage value. In 1984, the Garrison Club merged with the Cercle universitaire de Québec. It has since preserved its military tradition, however, and still has a number of military personnel among its members. One of the oldest existing social clubs founded by the military in Canada, it continues to preserve the British tradition of military social gatherings. Furthermore, through its long association with the upper classes, it has transmitted to them the social club tradition; membership in the Club therefore constitutes a symbol of success and social status. A long-standing fixture of local society, the Club is a major contributor, because of the quality and finely preserved condition of the architectural and landscape complex it has occupied throughout its existence, to the heritage value of the Old City of Québec.