Showing posts with label Spaniard's Bay. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Spaniard's Bay. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 10, 2019

Heritage Craft Show-and-Tell July 17th



How many people do you know who can run a birch broom, weave a basket, or turn a wooden rolling pin? At one point, makers of these types of objects were commonplace in Newfoundland and Labrador. Today, it seems that fewer people have the knowledge of how to make the tools, objects, and crafts of yesteryear.

Heritage NL and Spaniard's Bay Heritage Society are celebrating heritage crafts, and want to see what family treasures you might have in your cupboard. On Wednesday July 17th, at 7pm, bring something you or your ancestors made to the Heritage Craft Show-And-Tell at the Wesley Gosse Heritage Museum. Folklorist Dale Jarvis with Heritage NL will be on site to chat with you about your object, and Craft Council of Newfoundland and Labrador researcher Rachael Green will answer your questions about the Craft-at-Risk project.

Nothing breakable or bigger than a breadbox please.
A free event, with mug up to follow.

Heritage Craft Show-And-Tell 
Wednesday July 17th
7pm
Wesley Gosse Heritage Museum
6 Church Hill, Spaniard's Bay

Facebook event listing:

https://www.facebook.com/events/321708925447391/

Can't attend, but have an object you want to show off? Send us a photo!


photo: Model of 17th century British battleship, 
carved out of ivory by Harvey Taylor, resident of Raleigh, Great Northern Peninsula. 
Harvey Taylor was listed as being 45 years old and the father of 6 children in the Census of 1935. 
source: The Rooms,  International Grenfell Association fonds,  Ottawa Business Office, 
St. Anthony office, File MG 63.2192, Item A 58-70, 1932.

Monday, December 31, 2018

Sweeping up the old year! Our final #FolklorePhoto for 2018



Help us identify the woman in this photo! In our records, she is listed as the daughter of Martin Gosse of Spaniard's Bay, caught here mid-action, sweeping up with a broom in front of his house. Note the doll or baby in the little buggy to the bottom right!


Photo courtesy Daphne Robinson. Photos collected as part of the "Lassy Days Photo Scanning Pary" held Wednesday, August 8th, 2018 at the Wesley Gosse Heritage Museum. If this photo elicits memories for you, or if you'd like to arrange a photo scanning party for your community, contact Dale Jarvis at dale@heritagenl.ca

Tuesday, December 11, 2018

Launching the "Maxwell Roy" - 1940s. #FolklorePhoto





These photos show the boat "Maxwell Roy" about to be launched. The Maxwell Roy was the last ship to be launched by Martin Gosse of Spaniard's Bay. The photos were taken sometime in the 1940s. The two main buildings shown in the background of the second photograph were still standing in 2018.

Photo courtesy Daphne Robinson. Photos collected as part of the "Lassy Days Photo Scanning Pary" held Wednesday, August 8th, 2018 at the Wesley Gosse Heritage Museum. If this photo elicits memories for you, or if you'd like to arrange a photo scanning party for your community, contact Dale Jarvis at dale@heritagenl.ca

Tuesday, December 4, 2018

Skipper Martin Gosse, Spaniard's Bay. #FolklorePhoto



Photo of Skipper Martin Gosse (middle), son Roy (right), and son-in-law Allan Jerrett (left). Early 1950s.

Photo courtesy Daphne Robinson. Photo collected as part of the "Lassy Days Photo Scanning Pary" held Wednesday, August 8th, 2018 at the Wesley Gosse Heritage Museum. If this photo elicits memories for you, or if you'd like to arrange a photo scanning party for your community, contact Dale Jarvis at dale@heritagenl.ca

Tuesday, November 27, 2018

The Funeral Procession. #FolklorePhoto



A funeral procession on Church Hill, Spaniard's Bay, approximately 1930s or 1940s. Note the flag at half mast on the right half of the photo. Any automobile enthusiasts who can give us a date for the car, let us know!

Photo courtesy Daphne Robinson. Photo collected as part of the "Lassy Days Photo Scanning Pary" held Wednesday, August 8th, 2018 at the Wesley Gosse Heritage Museum. If this photo elicits memories for you, or if you'd like to arrange a photo scanning party for your community, contact Dale Jarvis at dale@heritagenl.ca

Tuesday, November 20, 2018

All aboard! Newfoundland Railway, 1950s. #FolklorePhoto



This photo shows men posing on the Newfoundland Railway boxcar number 1228, close to the old Spaniard's Bay railway station off New Harbour Road in the1950s. What looks like a speeder car can be seen in the distance off to the right.


Photo courtesy Daphne Robinson. Photo collected as part of the "Lassy Days Photo Scanning Pary" held Wednesday, August 8th, 2018 at the Wesley Gosse Heritage Museum. If this photo elicits memories for you, or if you'd like to arrange a photo scanning party for your community, contact Dale Jarvis at dale@heritagenl.ca

Wednesday, August 1, 2018

Lassy Days Photo Scanning Party, Spaniard's Bay

Church of the Holy Redeemer, Church of England, Spaniard's Bay, with car leaving church grounds, circa 1947.
The Rooms VA 15D-25.3.

Do you have an old photo album that might include images from Spaniard’s Bay?

During the town’s Lassy Days celebrations, the Spaniard’s Bay Heritage Society is hosting a scanning party, to help save and share old photos for all to see.

The society is looking for old photos of Spaniard’s Bay, from the 1880s to the 1980s, including anything showing old buildings, garden parties, family reunions, or cars decorated for weddings. The event will be hosted in partnership with the intangible cultural heritage office of Heritage NL.

“We want to see those snapshots Nan kept in the old biscuit tin in the closet,” says folklorist Dale Jarvis with the Heritage NL. “Sometimes photos from the 1970s and ‘80s include buildings or structures that have been torn down, so even if they aren’t ancient photographs, they can still help us document changes to the community.”

Jarvis and Spaniard’s Bay Heritage Society workers will be on site to scan the photographs and ask questions about who or what is in the photo. If you bring your own USB flash drive, you can take home a digital copy as well as your original photographs.

The digital copies will be used by the society, shared on Facebook with the owner’s permission, and a copy will be uploaded to Memorial University’s Digital Archives Initiative, which is indexed and archived for history buffs everywhere to see.

So go ahead and dig out those old photos, and come out Wednesday, August 8th, at 7pm for tea, treats, and a chat. The scanning party will take place at the Wesley Gosse Heritage Museum, located in the former United Church, 6 Church Hill, across from the Harold Gosse Park and Gazebo.

Monday, December 11, 2017

#CollectiveMemories Monday - Spaniard's Bay Folk Cures with Jeanette Russell

Spaniard's Bay. 30-E. Rev. Edwin Hunt photographs. Geography Collection of historical photographs of Newfoundland and Labrador. Courtesy of Memorial University's Digital Archives Initiative.
On August 8th, 2017, as part of the Collective Memories project and our work with the Spaniard's Bay Heritage Society, I interviewed Jeanette Russell about growing up in Spaniard’s Bay and her recollections of folk cures and home remedies including memories of midwives and the health benefits of May snow.

Jeanette grew up with four siblings in the 1950s and 1960s on Bishop’s Cove Shore in Spaniard’s Bay. She described children’s games like tiddley and red rover and how she would would play and create a cobbyhouses [copyhouses or cubbies]. Jeannette also discusses the folk cures from her childhood and remedies she learned from her in-laws. She even describes having the warts charmed off her hands and explains how to make bread poultices.

If you would like to listen to the full interview on Memorial University's Digital Archives Initiative click here or you can check out the pdf of our folk cures booklet here.

~Terra Barrett

Friday, October 20, 2017

Old Shops of Port Blandford and Folk Cures and Practical Magic Booklet Launches

Katie Harvey discussing "Everything was Wrapped in Brown Paper" in Port Blandford.
The past few weeks have been busy ones at the ICH Office. We've been working on several projects including our two latest booklets which have recently launched. On Thursday, October 12th, Katie and I hit the road to Port Blandford with one of the latest booklets in the Oral History Roadshow series. “Everything Was Wrapped in Brown Paper: The Old Shops of Port Blandford” is the third booklet in the Oral History Roadshow Series produced by the Heritage Foundation. This booklet focuses on the old shops of Port Blandford, and people’s memories associated with these places.
Participants Sarah Greening and Linda Bennett reading the book. 
The booklet developed as a result of conversations with Calvin Efford of the Port Blandford Heritage Society and a public event held in August 2017. This event focused on the shops in the community. There were over forty shops in the town from the late 1800s to the early 2000s. Over the course of a couple of days in August we did some interviews with community members who worked or shopped in the stores. These interviews were combined with background research done by the Port Blandford Heritage Society and the community's summer Green Team as well as photos from the community.

On Tuesday October 17th, Dale and I along with our summer student Andrea McGuire headed out to Spaniard's Bay for the launch of the second booklet in the Oral History Roadshow series, "Folk Cures and Practical Magic". This booklet was focused in Spaniard's Bay but also includes a couple of stories from seniors who were interviewed during the summer as part of the Collective Memories project. It includes sections of charming warts, and curing toothaches as well as memories of the midwives and doctors in the 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s.

Andrea McGuire and Terra Barrett with some of the participants interviewed for the Folk Cures and Practical Magic book.
This booklet was the result of a roadshow event held in Spaniard's Bay in July 2017 that focused on home remedies like poultices for infections or practical magic such as removing a stye with a gold ring. Andrea McGuire and I completed interviews with community members who attended this Oral History Night and the Spaniard's Bay Heritage Society's summer student, Thomas Lane, completed a series of interviews with identified community members.

Judy Symonds reading one of her excerpts from the book.
Both launches were quite successful and the popular booklets are being sold by each Heritage Society. The Heritage Foundation will also place a PDF version online in the next few weeks which can be accessed and downloaded for free. 


If you would like to know more information about how your community can get involved in the Oral History Roadshow call Terra at 1-888-739-1892 ex. 5 or email terra@heritagefoundation.ca or Dale ex. 2 and ich@heritagefoundation.ca

~Terra Barrett

Monday, August 7, 2017

#CollectiveMemories Monday - Charming Warts with Dianne Carr

Dianne Carr of the Spaniard's Bay Heritage Society. Photo by Terra Barrett.
On Tuesday July 31st, as part of the Collective Memories project, I interviewed Dianne Carr about her memories of charms and cures from Spaniard's Bay, Newfoundland. One of the stories Dianne told me was about her sister Jeanette and how she had her warts charmed as a child. Listen to the clip below to learn more about how a local woman charmed the warts away!

If you have any stories about folk charms, and cures, or practical recipes for things like soap, toothpaste, or wallpaper paste me know at terra@heritagefoundation.ca or call Terra at 1-888-739-1892 ex. 5.

Friday, August 4, 2017

A cabbage cure for migraine headaches! #FoodwaysFriday



"My Grandmother, Mary Jane Gosse, had a ‘cure’ for migraine headaches. I’m familiar with it having been her patient several times. The treatment was this. A dark green cabbage leaf was soaked in strong vinegar, place on your forehead and carefully tied on with a sock, nothing else, and kept there until the headache was gone. My guess is that the stinging of the strong vinegar hurt more and the headache was soon forgotten."

- Wesley Gosse, Stories and Stuff Spaniards Bay, page 31. March 2007.

Monday, July 31, 2017

#CollectiveMemories - Folk Cures and Practical Magic - Oral History Night

Participants describing types of poultices to Dale Jarvis.
On Wednesday July 26th, Dale, Andrea (McGuire), and I went out to Spaniard's Bay for the Folk Cures and Practical Magic Oral History night. The event took place at the Wesley Gosse United Church in Spaniard's Bay where 22 people came out to share stories of cures, charms, and recipes for ailments such as warts, arthritis, cuts, colds, freckles, etc.

The Cures and Practical Magic Night is part of the foundation’s Oral History Roadshow. This project is an initiative of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Office of the HFNL made possible with assistance from the New Horizons for Seniors program. The Oral History Night Roadshow will see researchers travel from community to community, hosting a series of Oral History Nights, open-mic storytelling sessions led and inspired by seniors in that community.
Andrea taking notes on the cures and charms.
We discussed recipes for bread poultices used to draw out splinters, and to cool burns and mustard poultices which would be spread over the chest for a cold. Several people remembered Aunt Eminy Barrett who would charm warts but wouldn't accept thanks for the work. Shelly Bowring went to see Aunt Eminy as a child and hasn't had a wart since. Shelly also shared her own knowledge of using a wedding band to make the sign of a cross to remove a sty, or using a needle and thread to divine whether or not someone would have children and the amount and sex of the children.
Shelly Bowring and her daughter Courtney Bowring.
Midwives and midwifery were discussed and there were stories of babies being thrown in the snow or dunked in hot and cold water until they were able to catch their breath. Two woman at the event were delivered by midwives and there was a discussion of Anne Marie Sheppard from Trinity Bay who was said to have delivered over 1200 babies!
Sharing stories!
If one was nauseous during pregnancy a mixture of 2 tbsp cider vinegar, and 2 tbsp of honey mixed with water would settle the stomach. Cures for seasickness included a ginger drink or a cloth bag of salt worn around the neck. The bag of salt could also be used for car sickness.

When the crowd was asked about uses for vinegar they repeated the second verse of Jack and Jill. We were told brown paper and vinegar could cure headaches and bruises! Jack and Jill is a traditional English nursery rhyme dates back to the 18th century and there are several variations. The version repeated last night is as follows:

Jack and Jill went up the hill
To fetch a pail of water
Jack fell down and broke his crown,
And Jill came tumbling after

Up Jack got and home did trot,
As fast as he could caper;
And went to bed and bound his head
With vinegar and brown paper.

If you want to learn more about vinegar and it's uses check out this blog post on the Folklore of Vinegar!

We finished off the evening with a cup of tea and some blueberry cake. This is a just a small sample of the stories we heard in Spaniard's Bay. We will be doing some follow up interviews and are hoping to produce a booklet of practical magic.  If you would like to learn more keep your eye on the blog, our Facebook, and Twitter! If you know any cures or charms reach out by phone to Terra at 1-888-739-1892 ex. 5 or terra@heritagefoundation.ca or Andrea ex. 7, mcguire@heritagefoundation.ca

Cup of tea!
~Terra Barrett

Monday, July 17, 2017

Folk Cures and Practical Magic Oral History Night - Spaniard’s Bay, Conception Bay North

Photo from: http://archivalmoments.ca/2016/09/newfoundland-and-cod-liver-oil/
Have you ever made a bread poultice? Do you remember stories about a seventh son or daughter? Do you know the perfect mix for wallpaper paste? Have you had a wart charmed? The Heritage Foundation NL, in partnership with the Spaniard’s Bay Heritage Society, wants to know!

The Foundation will be hosting a Cures and Practical Magic Oral History Night at the Wesley Gosse United Church, Spaniard’s Bay on Wednesday, July 26th, 2017 at 7:00pm.

“We are looking for anyone with memories of cures, charms, or practical recipes such as soap or wallpaper paste, as well as midwives, and healers with memories of practicing medicine in the area,” says the foundation’s folklorist Dale Jarvis.  “If you have memories of cures and recipes, we would love to hear from you."
The Cures and Practical Magic Night is part of the foundation’s Oral History Roadshow. This project is an initiative of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Office of the HFNL made possible with assistance from the New Horizons for Seniors program. The Oral History Night Roadshow will see researchers travel from community to community, hosting a series of Oral History Nights, open-mic storytelling sessions led and inspired by seniors in that community.
Come for a cup of tea, share a memory or two about a cure, and bring some home recipes. The information gathered will be used alongside oral history interviews and archival research to create a booklet about folk cures and practical traditions in Spaniard’s Bay. If you have photos or old written recipes, bring them along.
For more information please contact Terra Barrett with the Heritage Foundation toll free at 1-888-739-1892 ext. 5 or email terra@heritagefoundation.ca.

Tuesday, April 11, 2017

#Folklorephoto The American Man of Spaniard's Bay


Gerald Crane stands next to a remaining American Man at Spider Pond near Spaniard's Bay, 2008
This photo shows a pile of rocks, called "The American Man" located at Spider Pond near Spaniard's Bay. Reminiscent of an inukshuk, the rocks were used as markers for direction when traveling across Spider Pond and Long Pond in stormy weather. Originally there were two markers at Spider Pond and one at Long Pond, though only the one pictured remains.

According to an article in The Compass written by Gerald Crane, in the early 1900s, fisherman from the area would travel along the Labrador coast. On the shore, they would see piles of rocks set up by Americans to mark good fishing ground. When the fishermen came back to the Spaniard's Bay area and set up the markers, they named these piles of rocks after their American friends.

Do you know of any similar land markers? Have you heard an other stories of the origin of The American Man? Have you visited The American Man at Spider Pond?

Source: "The American Man and Some Spots in Tilton" by Gerald Crane, The Compass, 17th March 2009

~ Kelly


Tuesday, April 4, 2017

#Folklorephoto Hearse Rules of the Spaniard's Bay Orange Lodge



This list came to us with material written by Wesley Gosse about Spaniard's Bay. This list would have hung at the "No Surrender" Loyal Orange Lodge No. 15 in Spaniard's Bay, and outlined the rules for the use of the Lodges hearse. The fraternal organization held parades, sometimes called 'walks', in the community as well as funeral procession for deceased members. The rules outline who could use the hearse for free, and how much it would cost for those who had to pay. Unfortunately the rules are not dated.

~ Kelly

Friday, August 26, 2016

Lassy Wall, Crackie Road, and the Unmarked Graves – Stories from Spaniard’s Bay


Workshop participants.
On Wednesday August 24, 2016 Dale and I drove out to Spaniard’s Bay for a short #NLHeritage roadtrip for a People Places and Traditions workshop. The local heritage society invited us out to do a workshop with the community and engage local people with their heritage.
Discussing what to put on the cards for people, places, and traditions.
The People, Places, and Traditions is the first step for communities who want to map out what heritage means to local people. It is a way to get people thinking about the resources in the area. All the people who make the best toutons, build boats, farm strawberries, tell great stories, or have knowledge particular to the area. It makes people think about the places where they swim, berry pick, trout, and about the old names for neighbourhoods and trails, community gathering places, and historic buildings. People remember traditions around bonfire night, Santa Claus parades, hauling wood, mummering, fairies, and local festivals and events.
Brandon and Dale discussing the location of a local sliding hill.
Several great stories came out of last night’s discussion of community heritage including the story of the Lassy Wall. The Lassy Wall below the Holy Redeemer Church was built in 1830 as a retaining wall to shore up the hill from the main road. The people who built the wall were paid in molasses so the wall became known as the Lassy Wall.
The Lassy Wall in Spaniard's Bay.  Photo by Cathy Kleinwort, 2005.  Courtesy of the Town of Spaniard's Bay.
Another story about a place name was about Anthony’s Road which is locally known as Crackie Road. There were two stories about where the name came from. Several of the older community members said the road was called Crackie Road because the people that lived there were “saucy as crackies” while a younger summer student with the heritage society who lived on the street was told it was just because there were a lot of crackies or small saucy dogs on the street.
Plotting the cards on the map.
One story which was not well known in the community was about the unmarked graves on a marshy island in Shearstown Pond. The story that was told was of a family who died of a contagious disease and the people of the community were so worried about catching the disease that they buried the family on the island rather than in the community’s cemetery.
People, places. and traditions.
There were a number of important local characters mentioned such E.H. Vokey who was a teacher, local historian, writer, and photographer. Another woman put down her grandfather who would always bake molasses raisin bread just for her (without the raisins) and would be sure to heat up rocks to send her to bed with at night!
Reviewing the story about the Spaniard's Bay Riot in 1932.
Did you grown up in Spaniard’s Bay? If you have memories of other people, places, and traditions in the area let us know in the comments!
Traditions practiced at the Loyal Orange Lodge.
~Terra Barrett

Thursday, July 21, 2016

Pics from Youth Heritage Night in Spaniard's Bay



Courtney, Emily, Thomas, and Stewart pose after a successful Youth Heritage Night at the Wes Gosse Heritage Museum in Spaniard's Bay. Local youth talked about their heritage projects, with a focus on local oral history, museum work, and involvement in the First World War Commemorations. Congrats to all!



Monday, July 18, 2016

Youth Heritage Night at the Wesley Gosse Heritage Museum, Spaniard's Bay, July 20th.



I got an email last week from Emily Welsh, one of the interpreters at the Wesley Gosse Heritage Museum in Spaniard's Bay. The Museum is organizing a Youth heritage Night for Wednesday, July 20th. Emily asked to share this message with the readers of the blog:
Head out to the Wesley Gosse Heritage Museum for our Youth Heritage Night. You will hear from our museum interpreter, Thomas who will be sharing some interviews from the past year with some members from the community, Stewart Brazil, who will be sharing stories about filming the documentary Newfoundland in Armageddon, Jenna Lee Ralph who will be telling us about her trip to Beaumont Hamel, and more! What a terrific opportunity to show our support and pride for Spaniard’s Bay youth!
The event is at 7pm at the Wesley Gosse Heritage Museum, located in the former United Church, 6 Church Hill across from Harold Gosse Park & Gazebo. See you there!

- Dale

Tuesday, May 10, 2016

Folklore Photo - Help identify this Spaniard's Bay landmark.



I got an email yesterday with the attached photo taken Saturday, 7 May 2016, asking if I knew anything about this structure. It is a cairn of stones near Spaniard's Bay, located on the ridge straight back from the Harbour Grace marina (does this make it more Harbour Grace South? or Bryant's Cove?)

I have a bit of a weak spot for cairns and marks, and have written a blog post about the American Man in Cupids, which can be found about a 20 minute drive from Spaniard's Bay.  This one seems a bit different, more square in shape than the round cairn of rocks that is the American Man.

So, Conception Bay people: if you know anything about this collection of stones, let me know. What is it called? Who built it? How old is it? What was it used for?

Comment below, or email me at ich@heritagefoundation.ca.

photo courtesy Paul Brazil.

Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Living Heritage Podcast Ep023 Spaniard’s Bay Heritage with Dianne Carr


Dianne Carr (nee Vokey) is a Spaniard's Bay native who recently "resettled" in the community after retiring from teaching. Diane became involved with Spaniard's Bay Heritage Society two years ago. Her father was one of the founding members of the society and she decided she would like to carry on his legacy and give back to the community by getting involved with the summer programming and helping to promote the small museum. We discuss Dianne’s memories of growing up in Spaniard’s Bay, her love of and passion for heritage, and her work with the Spaniard’s Bay Heritage Society including their heritage walks and the community museum.