Feature: Le Palais des Nains | Count and Countess Nicol of Montreal’s Midgets Palace
Last January I published a three-part series of posts about Montreal’s ex- Midgets Palace, an entertainment venue founded by Philippe Adelard Nicole and Rose Semilida Dufresne.
What I am sharing today is a letter from Jocelyne Nicol – a collateral descendant of these Nicols (see below). Jocelyne lives in Châteauroux, France and she’s contacted me because she is trying to track down information about photos, funiture and\or artefacts that were originally located in the Midgets Palace/Palais des Nains. If you are someone who inherited some of this, please consider contacting her. Can you imagine how much this Nicol family historian would appreciate learning more about her grandparents? You can leave a message in my comment boxes below or visit one of Jocelye’s terrific Nicole genealogy sites.
Les Nicolle-Nicole-Nicol – Mon ancetre Olivier Nicolle Read more »
The New Midgets Palace (Pt.3/3) | Count and Countess Nicol of Montreal
Source: BNQ, Albums de rues E.-Z. Massicotte,1904
In former posts I introduced you to Montrealers Count and Countess Nicol of The New Midgets Palace (aka Le Nouveau Palais des Nains) and shared some information about the birth of their son Philippe Nicol. I wanted to point out that the English text on the advertising card stated that he was born at Mercy Hospital in Montreal, but this was really the Hopital de la La Misericorde which was part of the Convent that was home to the Misericorde nursing sisters and their birthing centre and creche (see image).
Count Nicol was born Philippe Adelard Nicole in Levis, Quebec in 1881. His Countess was Rose Semilida Dufresne and the two had been married in Lowell, Massachusetts in 1906.
Philippe Adelard’s parents were Alexandre Nicole and Josephine Philomene Brousseau (daughter of Andre Brousseau and Eleonore Garon). The couple were married on March 4th, 1867 in St-Bernard (Dorchester County) Quebec.
Alexandre’s parents – Olivier Nicole and Apolline Morissette were married in St-Henri (Levis, Quebec) on January 24th, 1826. Her parents were Michel Morisset and Marie-Anne Morin.
Olivier was the son of another Olivier Nicole and his wife Francoise. According to the BMS index Francoise’s surname was Henry but I have not found that marriage and I have found a possible couple – Olivier Nicol and and Marie-Francoise Fleury. The parents of that couple (whom I have not confirmed as being in this line) were Olivier Nicol & Marie-Louise Brochu and Francois Fleury & Marie-Francoise Dubeau, and they were married in St-Vallier (Bellchasse, Quebec) on July 7th, 1797. Read more »
The New Midgets Palace (Pt.2/3) | Count and Countess Nicol of Montreal
In an earlier post I shared a vintage advertising card of The New Midgets Palace and introduced you to Montreal’s most famous Little People – Count and Countess Nicol of Montreal. In this post I’m sharing the English-language information on the back of the card.
Note: Typographical errors present in the original.
THE RARE BABY
Was born in Montreal, at the Mercy Hospital corner Saint Hubert and Dorechester streets, on September 19th, 1926.
He is the son of Count Philippe Nicol and Rose Dufresne; Count and Countess Nicol are the smallest maried couple on earth, without exception.
After 20 years of married life, this child, the Rare Baby, was sent to them with a mission to perform: look after his tiny Papa and Mamma in their old days. He was weighing on his birth three and one half pounds, and he is full of life. The five physicians who attended at his birth are of the opinion that he will never be taller than his father (he is now 25 inches high); but he will have a real man’s head, his father promises, and he shall be charitable and conrageous. Read more »
The New Midgets Palace (Pt.1/3) | Count and Countess Nicol of Montreal | Sepia Saturday
I have a very faint memory that dates back to over 50 years ago when I was a little girl growing up in Ville Lasalle, and my parents brought me downtown to visit what we called “The Dollhouse”. I remember that I was enchanted with the visit but that my mother felt vaguely uncomfortable and warned me before going in that I should “be polite”. I’ve since found out that what I was visiting was “The New Midgets Palace” which was an independant business founded by Montrealers Count and Countess Nicol. It was later bought by another person of short stature – Mme Huguette Riou-Bastien – and I’m actually not yet sure who I saw when I visited! Read more »
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