1909
One of the most infamous stories from 207 Cathcart Street centers on Mrs. Alfred Laframboise. She earned a $1 fine from the deputy magistrate after slapping 11-year-old Alice Lauglois of 262 Cathcart on August 20, 1909. Mrs. Laframboise insisted she was justified, claiming Alice had hit her own young son first. The magistrate told her that the law, not her hand, was the right way to settle scores, and issued a nominal fine.
1910
Wilfrid Cousineau, a motorman on car 101, witnessed a tragic accident on October 22, 1910. That afternoon, a young girl, Joan Lucy Fowler, daughter of Robert Fowler of 62 Waverley Street, was struck by a streetcar on Elgin Street. She was rushed to St. Luke’s Hospital by John Lewis of 304 Nepean Street, but sadly, she later died from her injuries.
1938
In 1938, 207 Cathcart’s best-known resident was likely Louis Camille Pothier, who died at age 73. His funeral took place in the home, then the procession continued to the Basilica, where Rev. Father O. Larose chanted a requiem high mass. Among those in attendance were J.A. Pinard, M.P. for Ottawa East, Aid. A. Belanger, Aid. N.A. Bordeleau, Aid. G.A. Parisien, staff from the Government Printing Bureau, teachers and students from LaSalle Academy, and the 41st troop of Scouts. Born in Sorel, Quebec, Pothier moved to Ottawa in 1885 to work for the Government Printing Bureau, later rising to the Civil Service Commission. Although his passing was not unexpected, it was said to have caused widespread sorrow in Ottawa, where he was well-known.
Mr. Pothier had a deep connection to Notre Dame parish and was a regular at the Basilica. He belonged to the Sacred Heart League, the Third Order of St. Francis, the Men’s Congregation of St. Mary, and the St. Vincent de Paul Society. He was survived by his wife, Lucia Potvin, and their son, Emile.
1944
On April 22, 1944, James Rodrique applied to convert the building into a duplex.
2023
Today, the building has been restored as a single-family home. In 2023, the front porch was finally completed, after a contracting company that began the job in 2022 went bankrupt. The house now features striking galvanized finials and corbels that highlight the rose-adorned roof entablature. Out front, a crab apple tree stands proudly, with Liberty and Granny Smith branches grafted onto it, sharing pride of place in the yard.
Other Information
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