Claude Allard

1923-2015

Claude Allard was born on 19 June 1923 in Carleton, New Brunswick. He did his classical studies at the Séminaire de Gaspé where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts in 1943. Four years later, he obtained a degree in sociology from Université Laval. Subsequently, he studied theology at the Petit Séminaire de Québec and at the Holy Heart Seminary in Halifax. Allard was ordained a priest on February 27, 1951.  First curate at Rivière-au-Renard, he taught literature at the Séminaire de Gaspé from 1952 to 1956. The Social Service of the Diocese of Gaspé was set up in 1954 with Allard is its first director. Allard was one of the founders of the Gaspésie Historical Society. He was also the first editor of the Revue d'histoire de la Gaspésie. In 1966, Allard enrolled at McGill University where he completed a degree in social work. He then returned to teaching as a professor of social work at the Cégep de la Gaspésie et des Iles. He served as Vicar General and Pastoral Coordinator in the Diocese of Gaspé (1977-1986). In 1990, he became parish priest of Douglastown and, in 1991, of those of Saint-Georges-de-Malbaie and Barachois. In 2004, Claude Allard won the Gaspé Cultural Merit Award. He also won the 2011 Senior Personality award for the Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine region. He died on 3 April 2015.

Predominant New Brunswick Residences:

Carleton

Archival Material

• Fonds Claude Allard
  ⌄
  Location

  Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec

  Website/Catalogue Record

  View Archival Record

  Retrieval Number

  P056

  Date Range of Material

  1936-1975

  Extent

  86 videocassettes. - 179 photographs. - 0.14 m of textual documents. - 8 postcards.

  Scope and Content Note

  The collection documents Claude Allard's interest in the history, heritage and oral tradition of the Gaspé. It contains a series of interviews conducted with people from the four corners of the peninsula. Claude Allard questions his interlocutors on various subjects such as fisheries, religion, social relations, transport, medicine, and politics. The fonds also provides information on the Association de la jeunesse canadienne-française (Cercle Mgr Ross). It also reveals the existence and the rites of a local section of the Order of Jacques Cartier. Finally, the fonds contains information on the Social Service of the Diocese of Gaspé and the Musée de la Gaspésie. The collection is mainly composed of video tapes entitled "Témoignages gaspésiens". It also contains a certificate of primary studies, death cards, photographs, transcripts of interviews, correspondence, minutes, pamphlets, reports, membership lists and a member's notebook.