Books by or about Lowertowners: A review of 1 Sussex Drive by Gabrielle D’Emilio-Lappa, Friesen Press, 2021

By Nancy Miller-Chenier

Lowertowners know that our community already has a link with Rideau Hall through Adrienne Clarkson (née Poy), the 26th Governor General, who started her life in Canada at 277 Sussex Drive and decades later moved to 1 Sussex. 

This book shares the memories of Richard Legrand, amongst others, who moved from Rideau Hall to live among us here in Lowertown. He knows things about Rideau Hall that only someone who worked for Governors General from Roland Michener to Clarkson herself could know and his reminiscences stand out in this collection of stories by people who worked at Rideau Hall. For example, he knows about Norah Mitchener’s smile on her formal portrait, about Lilly Schreyer’s “escape route” from the Citadelle in Quebec City, and about Rockcliffe drivers taking speedy shortcuts as one reason for closing the gates during Jeanne Sauvé’s tenure.

Legrand advanced from footman to maître d’hôtel during his 35 years of service. In 1968, at 17 years of age, he walked across the newly constructed Macdonald-Cartier bridge and up the driveway to the official residence of Canada’s Governors General. He started in the uniform of a footman, living in a room on the lower level, waking at dawn, and often working seven days a week attending to the incumbent Governors General and their families. Respect for protocol and for the “pecking order” among staff was essential for ensuring that the Governors General could perform their roles efficiently.

During Madame Sauvé’s mandate, Richard Legrand became maître d’hôtel, a position he held for 18 years, teaching “the fine art of service and hospitality.”  One skill involved setting tables for official dinners and using a measuring stick to ensure precise distances between each place setting and from the table edge to each chair. At these formal dinners, Legrand was the one giving the signal for the ballroom doors to open to admit the footmen with their domed platters.

His stories shine a light on the adventures and misadventures of Rideau Hall occupants. During his time, he witnessed significant changes – distinctive styles and expectations of the Governors General, unionization of the workers, increased security in and around Rideau Hall. He helped organize annual Christmas parties for children from Le Patro d’Ottawa, prepared for a G7 Summit state luncheon in the Art Gallery of Ontario, and another for a Francophonie Summit at Collège Saint-Joseph in New Brunswick. He observed the miracle of a tent set for 500 guests being lifted off the ground by St Lawrence River winds and set down with nothing broken!

This collection provides multiple glimpses into the decades of service by Richard Legrand and many others who worked at 1 Sussex. Its intimate focus on Rideau Hall activities gives us insight into the closest experiences that Canadians have to Downton Abbey.