The Battery, St. John's

Last updated
The Battery
Neighbourhood
The Battery, St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada.jpg
CountryCanada
Provinces and territories of Canada Newfoundlandand Labrador
City St. John's
Ward2
Government
  Administrative body St. John's City Council
  CouncilorOphelia Ravencroft

The Battery is a neighbourhood within the city of St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador that sits on the entrance to the harbour, on the slopes of Signal Hill. It is sometimes described as an outport within the city of St. John's and is noted for its steep slopes, and colourful houses. The Battery has been the site, over the centuries, for gun emplacements (batteries), such as Fort Waldegrave, for the defence of St. John's Harbour, including during both World Wars.

Contents

Chain Rock

It is home to Chain Rock, a land outcropping to which a large chain was attached connecting to Fort Amherst, since as early as 1770, to prevent the entry of enemy ships into St John's harbour. Chain Rock is one of two rocks located on opposite sides of the Narrows, the aptly named entrance to the harbour; Pancake Rock is on the opposite shore. The space between the two rocks is 174 metres. [1] A defensive chain was stretched between the rocks by means of a capstan at nightfall. During World War I and II the chain was replaced with anti-submarine nets.

Avalanches & landslides

Minor landslides have been frequent in the area's past, and a small number of avalanches; there were three avalanches in the twentieth-century involving loss of life or serious injury, two in February 1921, and one February 1959.

A list of major avalanches includes: [2]

Date of avalancheHomes destroyedHuman losses
February 8, 1921One occupied; numerous unoccupiedTwo severe injuries
February 18, 1921One home destroyedOne death
February 16, 1959Two homes destroyedFive deaths; multiple injuries
January 17, 2020 [3] One home damagedNone

Although no major events have occurred between 1959 and 2020, in 1995 the city of St. John's began studying the area in an attempt to minimize risk associated with rock slides and avalanches. The Canadian Avalanche Association conducted studies in the area; based on their work, the city spent an estimated $300,000 to protect the area from further instability. [4] Despite this a house was badly damaged by an avalanche in January 2020, following a record snowfall and hurricane force winds. [5]

The Battery, overlooking St. John's Harbour Stjohns harbor4302.jpg
The Battery, overlooking St. John's Harbour
Picture of The Battery and Signal Hill, St. John's Signal Hill St John's NF 2.jpg
Picture of The Battery and Signal Hill, St. John's
Street in The Battery StreetInTheBattery.JPG
Street in The Battery
An aerial view of The Battery An aerial view of The Battery, Located in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.jpg
An aerial view of The Battery

Notables

See also

Related Research Articles

St. Johns, Newfoundland and Labrador Capital and largest city of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

St. John's is the capital and largest city of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador, located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland.

Paradise, Newfoundland and Labrador Town in Newfoundland, Canada

Paradise is a town on the Avalon Peninsula in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Paradise is the third largest settlement in the province and is part of the St. John's metropolitan area, the 20th largest metropolitan area in Canada. The town borders the City of St. John's, the City of Mount Pearl, the Town of Portugal Cove-St. Philip's, and the town of Conception Bay South. According to the 2016 census the population of Paradise is 21,389, after recording a 21% increase in population over five years.

Cape Spear

Cape Spear is a headland located on the Avalon Peninsula of Newfoundland near St. John's in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. At a longitude of 52°37' W, it is the easternmost point in Canada and North America, excluding Greenland.

Signal Hill, St. Johns Historic site in Canada

Signal Hill is a hill which overlooks the city of St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Mostly a National Historic Site, adjacent to is the largely encaved museum of Johnson Geo Centre and its associated park. The highest point, Ladies' Lookout, above Cabot Tower, is 167 metres (548 ft) high. The community of The Battery lies on the slope of the hill overlooking the Harbour. On 12 December 1901, the first transatlantic wireless transmission was received by Guglielmo Marconi, to its abandoned fever hospital.

Ferryland (electoral district)

Ferryland is a provincial electoral district for the House of Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. As of 2011, there are 8,571 eligible voters living within the district.

Harbour Grace Town in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

Harbour Grace is a town in Conception Bay on the Avalon Peninsula in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. With roots dating back to the 16th century, it is one of the oldest towns in North America.

Quidi Vidi Neighbourhood in St. Johns, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

Quidi Vidi is a neighbourhood in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. The village is adjacent to Quidi Vidi Lake. Quidi Vidi's harbour is known as "The Gut". Located in Quidi Vidi is the Quidi Vidi Battery Provincial Historic Site. The village is home to several small businesses.

Goulds is a designated place in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It is a rural neighbourhood within the City of St. John's southeast of the city centre.

The Burin Peninsula is a peninsula located on the south coast of the island of Newfoundland in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Marystown is the largest population centre on the peninsula.

Fortune Bay is a fairly large natural bay located in the Gulf of St. Lawrence on the south coast of Newfoundland, Canada. The Bay is bounded by Point Crewe on the Burin Peninsula and Pass Island at the entrance to Hermitage Bay to the northwest for a distance of 56 kilometers. The bay extends in a northeast direction for 105 kilometers ending at Terrenceville.

Fort Amherst, St. Johns Neighbourhood in St. Johns, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

Fort Amherst is a neighbourhood in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. It is located at 47°33′48.96″N52°40′49.60″W, on the southern side of the Narrows, the entrance to St. John's harbour. Apart from some family dwellings, Fort Amherst consists of a man-made harbour, a lighthouse and the remains of gun emplacements built during World War II to defend against German U-boats. Two QF 4.7-inch B Mark IV* guns remain in place on their mountings.

Georgestown, St. Johns Neighbourhood in St. Johns, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

Georgestown is a Neighbourhood Improvement Area in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador a short distance north from downtown of St. John's. This was established in the 1970s as part of an effort by Federal and local government to improve inner cities. Originally what was known as Georgestown village was much smaller and only "extended from Donnelly's Lane to what is now Belvedere Street". The neighbourhood improvement area includes, in addition to the original Georgestown, the former Monkstown and Tubridtown, along with adjoining land, including Circular Road, and Belvedere Street as well as some other parts of the former Belvedere Estate. It is bordered by Military Road, Monkstown Road, Empire Avenue, a small part of Carpasian Road, the east side of Bonaventure Avenue, and Holy Heart and Brother Rice Schools to the west. It was settled, around 1819, as the city's first suburb. The name is an evolution of "George (Winter)'s Town", as it was known in the 19th century.

Pleasantville, St. Johns Neighbourhood in St. Johns, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

The neighbourhood of Pleasantville in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador is located in the east end of the city, directly north of the downtown. The neighbourhood extends from the north side of Quidi Vidi Lake northward to Newfoundland Drive, and is largely made up of apartment blocks.

The Narrows, St. Johns

The Narrows, is the only passage from the Atlantic Ocean to St. John's Harbour, Newfoundland, bordered north and south by steep rock walls. A skilled captain is required to navigate large ships through the Narrows, known as “threading the eye of the needle”. The channel has a least depth of 11 metres and at its narrowest point near Chain Rock is 61 metres wide. From at least circa 1830, metal rings were set into the rock on either side of the Narrows so that boats could "warp in" and be hauled along to clear the cliffs and dangerous rocks in the water. In 1855, work began to blast away the submerged top of the Merlin Rock to make a safer passage for steam ships.

The timeline of St. John's history shows the significant events in the history of St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.

Newfoundland expedition Action of the War of the First Coalition

The Newfoundland expedition was a series of fleet manoeuvres and amphibious landings in the coasts of Newfoundland, Labrador and Saint Pierre and Miquelon carried out by the combined French and Spanish fleets during the French Revolutionary Wars. This expedition, composed of seven ships of the line and three frigates under the orders of Rear-Admiral Richery sailed from Cadiz in August 1796 accompanied by a much stronger Spanish squadron, commanded by General Solano, which had the aim of escorting it to the coast of Newfoundland.

Fort Waldegrave, Newfoundland and Labrador

Fort Waldegrave was a battery or an emplacement for heavy guns in St. John’s Newfoundland, strategically overlooking the Narrows and St John’s Harbour.

Fort William, Newfoundland Former fort in St. Johns, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

Fort William was a fort in St. John's built in 1698 to protect English interests on Newfoundland, primarily against French opposition. It was the original headquarters of the British garrison in Newfoundland. A second fort, known as Fort George was situated at the east end of the harbour connected by a subterranean passage with Fort William. On the south side of the Narrows, there was a third fortification called the Castle. Garrison headquarters were later moved to Fort Townshend, which was built between 1775-1779.

Division No. 1, Subdivision U is an unorganized subdivision on the Avalon Peninsula in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, in Division 1. It contains the unincorporated communities of Admiral's Cove, Bauline East, Bauline South, Burnt Cove, Devils Kitchen, Flat Rock, St. Michaels and Seal Cove.

January 2020 North American storm complex

In mid-January 2020, a complex system of winter storms that crossed North America, bringing heavy snowfall and high winds to Atlantic Canada and the northern United States between 15 and 18 January. At least one person was killed, in California, while at least one went missing, in Newfoundland. The person who went missing in Newfoundland was later found dead. Another two people died in Newfoundland after shoveling snow, although the connection to the storm is unclear. The winter storm caused historic blizzard conditions in many areas, particularly Atlantic Canada.

References

  1. Encyclopedia of Newfoundland and Labrador , Volume one, page 395, 396
  2. The Assessment of Geological Hazards and Disasters in Newfoundland: An Update. (St. John's: Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, Department of Mines and Energy, Geological Survey) http://www.nr.gov.nl.ca/mines&en/geosurvey/publications/cr1999/batterson.pdf
  3. "Avalanche hits one home in St. John's Battery". The Telegram. January 17, 2020. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
  4. The Battery - A Case Study; Newfoundland and Labrador Heritage Site; Memorial University of Newfoundland http://www.heritage.nf.ca/environment/battery.html
  5. "Avalanche crashes into house in St. John's as 'very dangerous' blizzard slams Newfoundland". nationalpost.com. January 17, 2020.

Coordinates: 47°34′08.01″N52°41′25.49″W / 47.5688917°N 52.6904139°W / 47.5688917; -52.6904139