Pinchard's Island, Newfoundland and Labrador

Last updated

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.

Contents

Geography

Pinchard's Island is situated at the northern edge of Bonavista Bay, Newfoundland about 5 km from Cape Freels. It is located near excellent fishing grounds to its east and on its south there are islets that provide shelter and protection to small boats. Pinchard's Island was one of the first settled sites in Bonavista Bay but is no longer inhabited. [1]

History

The earliest people on Pinchard's Island were probably sent over by West Country English firms to do trading at Greenspond. The first and most common family names on Pinchard's Island were: Norris, Blackmore, Hounsell, Davis, Gill, Parsons. There were 13 families in the beginning.

George Coster, a clergyman for the Church of England in Bonavista visited Pinchard's Island in 1827 and recorded 20 families residing there. He called it a thriving community with 120 people. He appointed John Sainsbury as layreader and teacher and an old fish store was used to hold the classes.

In 1845 there were 291 people living there which made Pinchard's Island the second largest community in northern Bonavista Bay. By 1850 people began moving to the nearby mainland, particularly Newtown because it had a better harbour. The population had one last peak in 1921 with 413 people, but by 1950 (population 218) the island fell under the resettlement program and were relocated. [1]

Church History

The Rev. Coster, resident minister in Greenspond, visited Pinchard's Island in 1830 and recorded 80 people living there and he catechised 24 children. In 1831 the Bishop John Inglis visited the island and baptized 3 people and confirmed 20. In October 1834 there was record that a young girl was conducting Sunday school and there were about 50 students, but no day school. [2]

Because of Pinchard's Islands size, Julian Moreton, the minister in Greenspond argued that it should be made a parish center for the northern islands and Straight Shore rather than Greenspond being responsible for it. In 1853 there was a new church and school built on Pinchard's Island. St. Matthew's Church was consecrated in 1857 by Bishop Edward Feild, and Rev J.G. Cragg was the resident minister. However, by 1870 Pinchard's Island became part of the Greenspond circuit once more. [1]

A Methodist church was built on the island in 1906.

Education History

John Sainsbury was appointed layreader and teacher in 1827 and held classes in a disused fish store. For the next 30 years school was not consistently held until a school-chapel was built in 1844. The Board of Education for Bonavista Bay north decided that a school should be started in 1843. In October 1844, John Sainsbury was appointed to be layreader and teacher by the board. [2]

Census Information

1836184518691874
population171291457264
inhabited houses16245334
families--7342
Church of England147253389232
Roman Catholic243819-
Wesleyan/Methodist--4932
attending school-422314
can read/write--184131
people catching/curing fish--165103
seamen/fishermen---35
total fishing boats1121185
sealing nets-19015140
sealing vessels-1113
men on board--8618
tonnage-4028745
nets/seines-169531
cod fish cured (qtls)---1900
fishing rooms in use--1812
stores/barns/outhouses--2212
barrels of potatoes produced381(busls)116648277
barrels of turnip--5142
tons of hay--6
sheep/swine/goats--6237
cattle/oxen-22
hogs17---
butter manufactured--40

See also

Related Research Articles

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.

Wesleyville, Newfoundland and Labrador

Wesleyville is a small coastal community in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. It is located on the Straight Shore of Bonavista Bay, on the northeast coast of Newfoundland, near the communities of Greenspond and Newtown. It was settled in the early 19th century, when residents relocated from nearby islands.

Greenspond Town in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

Greenspond is a community in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.

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.

Templeman is a community of New-Wes-Valley in Newfoundland, Canada, located on the north side of Bonavista Bay just south of Cape Freels and north of Wesleyville. Templeman has a shallow and rocky harbour, and can only accommodate small boats.

Valleyfield, Newfoundland is a village and was served by the C.N.R. It joined the Rural District of Badger's Quay-Valleyfield-Pool's Island in April 1980 until 1992 when the District merged with other nearby towns to form New-Wes-Valley. Valleyfield has a good harbour, and is the location of the Beothic Fisheries fish plant.

Musgrave Harbour is a Canadian town in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Cape Island is the name of both an island and a community in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Deadman's Bay, Newfoundland is located on the Straight Shore of Bonavista Bay near the community of Lumsden. The community is located near excellent fishing grounds, contributing to its diversified and successful fishery despite its exposed, sandy coastline and harsh fall storms.they mayor would later become Tyler abbott

Indian Bay is located in Newfoundland, Canada.

Flower's Island is 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.

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.

Lumsden, Newfoundland and Labrador Town in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

Lumsden, formerly known as Cat Harbour, is a community located on the Straight Shore of Newfoundland in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, near communities such as Musgrave Harbour and Newtown. Lumsden was formerly made up of two settlements, Lumsden North on the tip of a sandy peninsula and Lumsden South on the main road. Although the harbour in Lumsden is not ideal because it is not sheltered, Lumsden has excellent fishing grounds.

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.

Pouch Island was once a fishing community on isolated island in Newfoundland, in northern Bonavista Bay situated about 5 km east of Wesleyville. The settlement is now abandoned.

Fair Island, Newfoundland and Labrador

Fair Island, also called Vere Island, is 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.

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.

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".

References

  1. 1 2 3 Encyclopedia of Newfoundland and Labrador
  2. 1 2 Naboth Winsor, Through Peril, Toil, and Pain, 1981.

The Greenspond Historical Society

Coordinates: 49°12′00″N53°29′19″W / 49.20000°N 53.48861°W / 49.20000; -53.48861