Homes, Trades and Games of Long Ago · Drawing 05 of 40
A chest full to the top
The 17th and 18th centuries
Long ago, clothes and sheets could be kept in a big wooden chest. People folded them inside, then closed the lid to keep the dust out.
Look together
What would you keep in this chest?
An idea to try
Draw an open chest on a sheet of paper. Invite the child to add three things they would like to keep and explain their choices.
For the adult reading along
A little more to discover
Maison Saint-Gabriel, in Pointe-Saint-Charles, is one of Montréal’s oldest farms. Marguerite Bourgeoys, who already held land at the Pointe from 1662, bought the neighbouring land and its farmhouse in 1668 to support her community, the Congrégation de Notre-Dame; until 1673 she also welcomed Filles du Roy there, young women who came from France to start families in the colony; the present stone house, rebuilt in 1698 after a fire, is now a museum. The museum presents chests among its household furniture: people could store clothing and other belongings in them.
Invite your child to compare the chest with a wardrobe, a drawer or a box they know. Some chests lock: ask what a family might want to keep safe. The chest in the drawing is imagined; it does not copy a particular piece from the museum.
Sources and illustration notes (2)
Original simplified illustration for colouring; not a historical document.
These links lead to other websites. Explore them with an adult. References identify the institution and the related lesson; some linked pages are in French.
- Maison Saint-Gabriel — CollectionHousehold objects, chests, furniture and lighting from rural Montréal, notably in the 17th and 18th centuries.
- Répertoire du patrimoine culturel du Québec — Maison Saint-Gabriel (in French)Purchase of the land and house in 1668, home to Filles du Roy (King’s Daughters), fire of 1693, rebuilding in 1698, and museum.
Page prepared on September 15, 2026. Illustrations simplify places and scenes; they are not historical documents.
This drawing is from the book Life in Old Québec to Colour
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