Fair Island, also called Vere Island, is a former community on the northeast coast of the island of Newfoundland. Together with other nearby communities it comprises an area called Bonavista North. These communities have a shared history in that they were settled by people from England, predominantly from the West Country - Dorset, Devon Somerset and Hampshire.
On the northeast coast of Newfoundland in Bonavista Bay, just east of Centreville, lie a group of islands close to the shore line called Fair Islands. The dome-shaped islands are separated by a narrow channel called the Fair Island Tickle. Fair Islands was once a popular settlement because its harbours were excellent for schooners, it was near the seal migration routes, and it was a good fishing base because of its offshore location and ample fresh water. However, Fair Island was vacated by the 1960s. [1]
Fair Islands, originally called Vere Island, [2] was one of the earliest fishing bases in Bonavista Bay; in the summer of 1681 there was a population of 16 recorded there and they were fishing from three boats. Beginning in the early 19th century, there was an increase in English settlement, and by 1806 there were two fishing rooms built in Fair Island by English men. The earliest settlers came from Devon, Cornwall, and Liverpool, England. It is believed that Richard Rogers from Sheffield, England settled in Fair Island around 1800 and other families soon followed. Families that moved there between 1800 and 1840 were: Ackerman, Gibbons, Pond, Way, Wicks, and later came, Harlock, Farmage,Oakley & Boland
The population doubled between 1836 and 1869 from 105 to 212 settlers and they turned more towards the Labrador fishery as the inshore fishery could no longer sustain the growing population. Sealing activity was first recorded in 1857, the Labrador cod fishery was still growing, and smaller quantities of salmon, herring, and capelin were also being caught. By 1891 there was also a lobster factory recorded which employed 31 men.
The economy was based on the Labrador fishery until its decline in 1930s and 40s. By 1952 there were only 8 families engaged in fishing for cod, lobster, and turbot. In the winter men were employed with woods work, but by the 1950s most families were being resettled elsewhere. Fair Islands were vacated by the 1960s. [1]
On September 7, 1846 Bishop Edward Feild, sailed to Fair Island and consecrated St. Barnabas Church. He was the first bishop to visit since Bishop Inglis' visit in the 1830s. [3]
A school was first reported in 1836, established by the Newfoundland School Society. The first teacher was Moses Cutler and the initial enrolment was 28 students. [1]
| 1836 | 1869 | 1857 | 1874 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| population | 105 | 212 | 184 | 209 |
| inhabited houses | 12 | 23 | 17 | 33 |
| families | - | 36 | 28 | 38 |
| Church of England | 104 | 212 | 184 | 209 |
| Roman Catholic | 1 | - | - | - |
| # of pupils | - | 33 | - | 9 |
| can read/write | - | 56 | - | 107 |
| total fishing boats | 11 | 15 | 14 | 12 |
| boats built | - | - | 2 | - |
| people catching/curing fish | - | 72 | 144 | 98 |
| seamen/fishermen | - | - | 41 | 33 |
| vessels in seal fishery | - | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| men on board | - | 22 | 6 | 23 |
| tonnage | - | 53 | 30 | 76 |
| nets and seines | - | 32 | 70 | 8 |
| seal nets | - | - | 30 | 10 |
| seals caught | - | - | 16 | - |
| cod fish cured (qtls) | - | - | 1440 | 1730 |
| salmon caught and cured (tres) | - | - | 5 | 7 |
| fishing rooms in use | - | 13 | 10 | 10 |
| stores/barns/outhouses | - | 11 | 9 | 11 |
| oil produced (tuns) | - | - | 4.5 | 660 gals |
| barrels of potatoes produced | 416.5(bushels) | 174 | 135 | 50 |
| barrels of turnip | - | 5 | - | - |
| cattle/cows/oxen | 2 | - | 10 | - |
| hogs | 3 | - | - | - |
| swine/goats | - | 1 | 7 | 35 |
- Hutchinson's Directory [4] of 1864 lists one person under Fair Island:
- Lovell's Directory describes Fair Island as an island on the west side of Bonavista Bay, distant from Greenspond by 9 miles by boat with a population of 212. [5] The names that are listed are:
Newtown is a part of the Municipality of New-Wes-Valley, located at the North end of Bonavista Bay in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The approximate population is 400. Settlement in Newtown originated around 1850 when people relocated from nearby areas. Newtown is well known for being built on many small islands, and is the home of the Barbour Living Heritage Village.
Greenspond is a community in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.
Clarke's Head, Newfoundland is the first community on the north side of the mouth of the Gander River. A small community, which joined with several other small communities, to form Gander Bay.
Safe Harbour is an abandoned outport on the northeast coast of Newfoundland in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Settled by 1870, it was abandoned in 1955.
Tilting is a community on the eastern end of Fogo Island off the northeast coast of Newfoundland. It was incorporated as a town before becoming part of the Town of Fogo Island through an amalgamation in 2011. The community has been designated as a National Historic Site of Canada, and has also been designated as a Registered Heritage District by the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Baker's Tickle was a Canadian fishing settlement in the Burgeo, Newfoundland and Labrador District of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Musgrave Harbour is a town in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Bay de Verde is an incorporated town in Conception Bay on the northern tip of the Bay de Verde Peninsula of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The first recorded inhabitants at Bay de Verde arrived in 1662. Bay de Verde became an incorporated town in 1950.
Cape Island is the name of both an island and a former community in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Deadman's Bayis a local service district and designated place in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It is on the Straight Shore of Bonavista Bay near the community of Lumsden. The community is located near fishing grounds, contributing to its diversified and successful fishery despite its exposed, sandy coastline and harsh fall storms.
Indian Bay is located in Newfoundland, Canada.
Flowers Island was one of the communities in an area on the northeast coast of the Island of Newfoundland called Bonavista North. These communities have a shared history in that they were settled by people from England, predominantly from the West Country—Dorset, Devon Somerset and Hampshire.
Cape Freels is one of the communities that comprise an area on the northeast coast of the Island of Newfoundland, called Bonavista North, in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. These communities have a shared history in that they were settled by people from England, predominantly from the West Country - Dorset, Devon, Somerset and Hampshire.
Pool's Island is an incorporated community of Badger's Quay-Valleyfield-Pool's Island in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. It is now part of the town of New-Wes-Valley.
Swain's Island, Newfoundland, is actually a group of eight islands on the north side of Bonavista Bay, southeast of Wesleyville. All of these islands once had inhabitants but eventually all of them were resettled, mostly to Wesleyville.
Located on the northwest side of Bonavista Bay, Newfoundland at the mouth of the Indian Bay inlet is a small island named Silver Fox Island that was once inhabited. It is about 3 km in length and about 3 km from Fair Island. The first settling began at Warren's Harbour on the southern side of the island.
Pinchard's Island was one of the communities that comprise an area on the northeast coast of the Island of Newfoundland, called Bonavista North. These communities have a shared history in that they were settled by people from England, predominantly from the West Country - Dorset, Devon Somerset and Hampshire.
Robert Dyer left the village of Heytesbury, in the county of Wiltshire, England, to voyage across the Atlantic Ocean to serve as a Newfoundland School Society teacher in the fishing community of Greenspond, Newfoundland. The Newfoundland School Society was established by the English merchant, Samuel Codner, who realised the need for educating the poor population of Newfoundland, and other poor colonies in British North America as well. Dyer first arrived in Newfoundland in 1839 and began his career as a teacher. He stayed in Greenspond for twenty years, earning the respect and admiration of the inhabitants and those who met or worked with him. Dyer was also ordained a Church of England Deacon in 1849; therefore, his work in Greenspond consisted of both teaching and ministerial duties. Dyer and his family later moved to Alberton, Prince Edward Island, where he was a minister in a Church of England Parish.
The Reverend Julian Moreton (1825–1900) was a Church of England (Anglican) clergyman and author who travelled from England to Newfoundland, Canada to be ordained as a missionary for the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts. He stayed for thirteen years, kept a detailed journal, and wrote a book, entitled "Life and work in Newfoundland: reminiscences of thirteen years spent there".
Samuel Blandford was a sealing captain and political figure in the Newfoundland Colony. He represented Bonavista Bay in the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly from 1889 to 1893 as a Liberal.
Research on this page has been contributed by the Greenspond Historical Society. Please assist us in getting the history of Bonavista North online for all to access.