Living Heritage Podcast Ep222 Mentor-Apprentice Program: Bark Tanning with Susan Furneaux and Nicole Travers

Bark tanned seal skin. Photo submitted by Susan Furneaux.

In this episode we talk with mentor Susan, and apprentice Nicole who are two participants of Heritage NL’s Mentor-Apprentice Program. Susan is a craft educator who has been working with and extracting local tannin sources for over 30 years in her natural dye practise. Susan began practising her skill in leather tanning in 2011, and has been traditionally bark tanning and producing viable leather for over five years. Nicole is an avid bead artist and has recently expanded her artistic interest into the craft of tanning. She has been tanning fish skins for over a year, creating fish leather items beaded with traditional Mi'kmaw double curve motifs, petroglyphs and hieroglyphs. Nicole prides herself on teaching others traditional skills and wants to aid in the revival of bark tanning skins.

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Living Heritage is about people who are engaged in the heritage and culture sector, from museum professionals and archivists, to tradition bearers and craftspeople - all those who keep history alive at the community level. The show is a partnership between HeritageNL and CHMR Radio.

Theme music is Rythme Gitan by Latché Swing.

Yarns and Yarns - a virtual knitting and storytelling circle around the North

 

Join us for the first Yarns and Yarns event - we’ll be live from St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada with the regular weekly knitting group at the St. John’s Public Library! Make yourself a cup of tea, tune in, and knit along as we hook up with friends and colleagues and have a virtual chat with Siun Carden about her woolly experiences from Shetland!  All knitters, story lovers, and textile enthusiasts are welcome. 

This is being organised by Heritage NL on behalf of the UArctic Northern and Arctic Island Studies Network linking island communities across the north. There will be others based in other northern islands in the coming months!

When: Jan 24, 2023 02:00 PM Newfoundland and Labrador (UTC/GMT -3.30)

Register in advance for this webinar:

https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_tCzmqrt0TSKwRN37ah2QXA

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Living Heritage Podcast Ep221 The Story of Marguerite Lindsay

Miss Marguerite Lindsay, 1918.
Photo courtesy of Lucy Anglin and the Genealogy Ensemble blog.

In this episode we talk with Lucy Anglin and Katie Crane who connected over research into Marguerite Lindsay. Marguerite was Lucy’s great aunt and her story caught Katie’s eye when she was researching for another project. We discuss their connection, their research, and tips on how to conduct research in online archives and genealogical websites.

Lucy is involved with a group that writes genealogy stories and contribute to the blog Genealogy Ensemble. She has written six stories about Marguerite's life and would like to make them into a small book with the pictures she has of Marguerite. Read a blog piece written by Lucy about Marguerite here!

The image below comes from the January 1924 issue of the Among the Deep Sea Fishers journal. Katie sent along several files relating to Marguerite and there are several results about Marguerite on Memorial University's Digital Archives Initiative. If you are intersted in learning more about Marguerite's story check out these results on the DAI. 

Among the Deep Sea Fishers, vol. 21, issue 4, pg. 146. January 1924.

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Living Heritage is about people who are engaged in the heritage and culture sector, from museum professionals and archivists, to tradition bearers and craftspeople - all those who keep history alive at the community level. The show is a partnership between HeritageNL and CHMR Radio.

Theme music is Rythme Gitan by Latché Swing.

Old Blackhead Methodist Cemetery Database Available

Heritage NL compiled a database of all occupants of the Blackhead Methodist Cemetery and is available below. 

A database of the individuals buried in the cemetery was created using a 1998 headstone survey completed by the Newfoundland and Labrador Genealogical Society and historical death records from the Newfoundland government. The database includes biographical information (first and last name, place of birth, date of death, age at death, etc.) and information about the headstones, if applicable (marker type and material, inscription, size, etc.). The database includes over 1000 entries.

Headstones at Blackhead Cemetery

Cemetery database here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1sh5u34yMCXDIhcIdCqIEf17OVqpwHh8paugXXjMxMHQ/edit?usp=sharing

Any errors or omissions can be submitted to info@heritagenl.ca

From Designation to Destruction - A Timeline of the fight to save the Bryn Mawr (Baird Cottage) Property, St. John’s

August 1993 - Steinhauer family applies to Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador for designation of Bryn Mawr as a Registered Heritage Structure

September 1993 - Bryn Mawr designated as a Registered Heritage Structure by Heritage NL

April 2016 - St. John's looking at heritage status for Bryn Mawr (CBC); Demolition permit application submitted for Bryn Mawr in St. John's (CBC); Rally to save Bryn Mawr heritage home in St. John's (CBC); Bryn Mawr Threatened by Demolition (Trident); NL Historic Trust Bryn Mawr Rally (Flickr)

May 2016 - Bryn Mawr owner will sue if city grants heritage status, son says (CBC); St. John's city council passes motion to give Bryn Mawr heritage status (CBC)

June 2016 - Designated a Heritage Building by the City of St. John’s

July 2016 - Controversial heritage property Bryn Mawr sold for $2 million (CBC)

January 2017 - Lawsuits totalling $8.7M against St. John's from former Baird Cottage owner, developer (CBC)

June 2017 - Bryn Mawr placed on the National Trust for Canada’s 2017 Top 10 Endangered Places List; Bryn Mawr Named to Canada's 10 Most Endangered List (Trident)

November 2019 - Heritage Property Baird Cottage at Heart of $8.7-Million Court Challenge (VOCM)

August 2020 - Proposed personal care home buildings would cushion Bryn Mawr heritage home in St. John's (Saltwire)

September 2020 - Personal care home near historic Bryn Mawr proceeds (Saltwire)

October 2021 - Supreme Court dismisses developer's lawsuit against City of St. John's over heritage designation (CBC); Historic St. John's property's potential not damaged by heritage bylaw, Newfoundland court rules (Saltwire); Capital City Reacts to Historic Structures Court Decision (VOCM)

February 2022 - Preserving NL’s Built Heritage is Key to Its Future (Independent)

November 2022 - Prolonged Legal Battle Leaves Heritage Property in Disrepair (VOCM)

9 December 2022 - Bryn Mawr Cottage in St. John's destroyed by fire (Saltwire); Mired in disputes about its fate, historic St. John's cottage destroyed by fire (CBC); Heritage building destroyed by overnight fire (NTV)

Adam's Cove Methodist School: A Social History

Introduction

The Adam’s Cove Methodist School Hall is a two-storey wooden community building in a vernacular Palladian style built in 1910 in Adam’s Cove, NL. It was designated as a Registered Heritage Structure by the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador in 2018 due to its historic, aesthetic and cultural value. The designation includes the school hall and its interior. It is located in the town of Adam’s Cove which amalgamated with the surrounding communities to create what is now Small Point-Broad Cove-Blackhead-Adam’s Cove.

Adam’s Cove School. Image courtesy of Heritage NL.

Construction and Building Description

The Adam’s Cove Methodist School Hall is a well-preserved example of a building type once found in several communities. It was designed by John Ayre in a vernacular Palladian style and built under foreman William Brennan. Palladianism is exemplified here by the hall’s symmetry, gabled roofs which resemble pediments, and Palladian window arrangements. Similar structures were built in Adam’s Cove, Blackhead, and Winterton. While many outport buildings served multiple purposes, this particular design is unique to the region. It is built atop an early concrete foundation with a relatively low-slope roof and is therefore representative of a transition period in local building practice.

Historical Context

This school in Adam’s Cove was built by and operated for its community. Fundraising and construction was organized by a local committee in collaboration with the Methodist church. Lumber was harvested on community-wide outings and funds came largely from canvassing residents. The completed hall was never owned by the Methodist Board of Education or the provincial Department of Education but was rented from the local committee. The school hall was operated this way for more than 100 years and in that time was a venue for school classes, Sunday school and prayer meetings, harvest festivals, auctions, garden parties, holiday concerts, and many other community events. It was used as a two-room school with classes held downstairs (and for a while upstairs) and events hosted upstairs, each room heated by their own potbelly stove.

Photo of children hanging in Adam’s Cove School, image courtesy of Heritage NL.

Recent History

Over the years since the school closed in 1967 it has managed to stay in relatively good condition and has been used as a community hub, maintained by a volunteer committee that is dedicated to preserving the history of the school and its importance to the community. Some of the events that are still hosted at the school hall are the Thanksgiving Harvest Festival, Christmas gatherings, and community meetings.

October 2022 Harvest Festival Display at the Adam’s Cove School. Image courtesy of Robert Hudson.

There have been few changes made to the building. The exterior changes have been the replacement of the wooden clapboard in the 1980s, asphalt shingles installed on the roof, the wooden window frames restored, the cornerstone being fixed, and the steps being repaired. The interior changes include the removal of a partition on the first floor, the covering of the pressed tin ceiling on the second floor, and new coats of paint. The original pressed tin can still be seen on the walls and a portion of the second floor ceiling.

(Left) Second floor with pressed tin walls, (right) second floor pressed tin ceiling. Images courtesy of Heritage NL.

Local Stories/Memories

The Adam’s Cove school hall committee in collaboration with Heritage NL hosted a Mug Up event on November 10th, 2022 to gather folks from the community to share memories and stories about the Adam’s Cove school. 27 people attended to share their appreciation for the school, which made the event a great success.

November 2022 Mug Up. Image courtesy of Heritage NL.

Some fond memories were told of both the school and the community as a whole:

-Drinking cocoa-malt, playing ball in the yard in front of the school

-Competitions to build the biggest fire and Halloween pranks

-Enjoying the concerts and dances hosted at the hall

-Burning milk on the stove in the school

-Lighting the fire with hard coal to heat the school, riding in the back of a truck going to boil-up picnics, and putting sods down chimneys as a prank on Halloween

-Riding a bike around the field behind the school

-Remembering Christmas dances, garden parties, and the harvest festivals

-Running around and playing soccer in the field behind the school

-Bean suppers hosted for fundraising by the Ladies Auxiliary

Conclusion

The long term plans for the Adam’s Cove Methodist School Hall according to the committee are to preserve the heritage of Adam’s Cove, use the space to host traditional community events such as harvest festivals and concerts, organize recreational and educational activities for the community, and more.

Sources:

Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador property file “Adam’s Cove – Adam’s Cove Methodist School Hall – FPT NL-3577.”

Personal Communication, November 2022 Mug Up.

New Fieldnote on the Fowler House in Brigus

Check out Heritage NL's new fieldnote on the Fowler House in Brigus written by Megan Webb below! Learn more about the history of the house through architectural changes, information about the people who lived there, and more in "Fowler House: A Historic Home in Brigus." 

Image of Fowler House taken. Photo courtesy of Heritage NL, 2017.

Fieldnote is available here. 

New Fieldnote on the Methodist (United) Church in Jackson's Cove

Check out Heritage NL's new fieldnote on the Methodist Church in Jackson's Cove written by Dennis Knight below! Learn more about the early history of Jackson's Cove and the local Methodist church's construction in "A Handmade Church in the Arms of Green Bay: Jackson's Cove United (Methodist) Church, Green Bay, Newfoundland."

Methodist (United) Church in Jackson's Cove, Green Bay

Fieldnote is available here. 

The Formation of a Masonic Lodge in Twillingate: 1889 Meeting Minutes

This small book of meeting minutes circa 1889 is about the formation of a Masonic Lodge in Twillingate. It was given to Heritage NL to be documented. Included are the names of founding members, mention of scripture and prayer, appointment of roles to individuals, and monetary donations to fundraise for the building of the lodge. 

Take a look at the document on Memorial University’s Digital Archives Initiative by clicking the following link: https://collections.mun.ca/digital/collection/ich_cn/id/1163/rec/1

Headstone Art at the Old Blackhead Methodist Cemetery

 

Throughout the Old Blackhead Methodist Cemetery there are several different decorative motifs visible on the headstones. This article will highlight some of the most common ones.

 

Fig 1: Headstone with motif of two clasping hands and a Calla Lily

Two of the most typical motifs throughout the Old Blackhead Cemetery are hands and flowers. In figure 1 two hands are clasped, a very common headstone design. In some cases you can see the difference in the two hands cuffs (figure 2) indicating they were husband and wife. 

Anther motif typical in the Blackhead cemetery is flowers, in figure 1 a Calla Lily which often symbolizes marriage.

Fig 2: Headstone motif of two clasping hands with different cuffs

Hands can also be pointing, either up towards God/Heaven (figure 3), or as the hand of God pointing downward symbolizing mortality (figure 4).

 

Fig 3: Grave motif of a hand pointing up

Fig 4: Grave motif of a hand pointing down 

Fig 5: Books, specifically the Bible, are also a recurring symbol. 

All photographs are credited to Heritage NL and were taken at the Old Blackhead Methodist Cemetery.

 

New Fieldnotes Article about St. George's Courthouse

Original building plan for the exterior of the St. George's Courthouse
(Scan courtesy of the Rooms)

Learn more about the early history of the Bay St. George region and the St. George's Courthouse in Heritage NL's most recent fieldnote.

View Fieldnote here

Additional publications on NL's historic places available here. 

Mortuary Mondays- Causes of Death at Blackhead Cemetery

While transcribing the death records from Blackhead cemetery, I noticed several causes of death you wouldn't see in modern times.

Blackhead Cemetery

"Consumption," now known as Tuberculosis, was a common cause of death in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Another common cause of death was "La Grippe," more commonly known as Influenza.

Bay De Verde Death Register 1891

Bay De Verde Death Register 1891

"Scarlatina," commonly known as Scarlet Fever, also appears as a cause of death in Blackhead cemetery throughout the 1890s. More unusual causes of death include "Dyspepsia," which is typically known as Indigestion, and "Gravel and Stone," which probably refers to Kidney Stones. 

Bay De Verde Death Register 1895

Bay de Verde Death Register 1895

You can read more about the Bay De Verde vital statistics here: http://ngb.chebucto.org/Vstats/1vstats-bdv-idx.shtml

Heritage NL receives Community Builder Award from the NL Association of Professional Planners

Lara Maynard, Heritage NL Heritage Skills Training Coordinator; Andrea O'Brien, Heritage NL Municipal Outreach Officer; Julia Schwarz, NLAPP President.

In celebration of World Town Planning Day 2022, Heritage NL has been awarded the 2022 NLAPP Community Builder Award for making heritage relevant to the present day. The award is presented by the Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Professional Planners, the provincial membership body for professional planners.

Heritage NL has been running a long-standing heritage grant program, and an annual heritage poster contest in schools. It has expanded its community outreach for public workshops and events. The NLAPP Nominating Committee’s recommendation reads:

“Heritage NL is making heritage relevant to the present day in terms of housing, economic activity, community involvement, cultural awareness, historical memory, and place-making.  Along with a long-standing heritage grant program and annual heritage poster contest in schools, Heritage NL has been expanding its community outreach for public workshops and events – everything from documenting and cleaning headstones in graveyards to holding community story-telling days and building wooden wriggle fences.  Heritage NL has published a booklet of historic paint colours, mapped community assets in workshops with residents of many NL communities, and helped plan for adapting and reusing old buildings to new uses.  This work is the very definition of community building, with a planning lens to shape it.”

Heritage NL was established in 1984 to stimulate an understanding of and an appreciation for the historic places and living heritage of the province, through projects that support local economic development and tourism. The foundation also has an educational role and coordinates events, publications and other projects designed to promote the value of Newfoundland and Labrador heritage. 

Heritage Update: Berry Barrels, Killicks, Courthouses, and #TwineLoftTuesday!

Photo: Henry Charles Burgess (1922-1995) standing in Burgess Lane with a cow that provided milk and butter. Courtesy Burgess Family. 

In this edition of our heritage newsletter, we have an update on the Fowler House restoration in Brigus; a story about our recent killick-making workshop in Torbay; research on the historic St. George's Courthouse; and an article from Robert Burgess on food production and storage traditions at the Burgess Heritage Property, Whiteway, NL.

Download PDF version here.

Living Heritage Podcast Ep220 Mentor-Apprentice Program: Duffle Work with Joyce Lee and Miranda Rumbolt

Duffle with embroidery. Photo submitted by Joyce Lee and Miranda Rumbolt.

In this episode we talk with mentor Joyce, and apprentice Miranda who are two participants of Heritage NL’s Mentor-Apprentice Program. Joyce is an award winning wildcrafter whose dedication to the conservation of Labrador's traditional crafts is only matched by her immense talent. Joyce has demonstrated and taught her skills in workshops across Labrador and has helped bring duffle work back to Labrador, by completing workshops from Labrador City to Lanse au Clair. Miranda is a novice artisan of duffle work, a craft that uses a pure wool fabric to create mittens, slippers and more. She is well versed in traditional Innu crafts such as Tea Dolls and Beadwork. Miranda is currently employed at the Great Caribou Studio in Mary's Harbour where she has been focusing on beadwork and has had the opportunity to sell her art.

### Living Heritage is about people who are engaged in the heritage and culture sector, from museum professionals and archivists, to tradition bearers and craftspeople - all those who keep history alive at the community level. The show is a partnership between HeritageNL and CHMR Radio.

Theme music is Rythme Gitan by Latché Swing.

Introduction to Oral History Workshop, Twillingate, Oct 18th.

 

Introduction to Oral History Workshop

Tuesday, Oct 18th, 2022
1pm - 4pm
Twillingate Masonic Lodge

Calling all budding folklorists and armchair historians! This workshop is open to anyone with an interest in local history, culture and folklore, and who wishes to learn more about safeguarding our heritage using oral histories. The course will give a brief background on conducting research interviews in the field and explore the practical matters of creating effective oral history research projects, project planning, interview questions, ethical issues, and recording equipment. 

The workshop will be taught by folklorists Dale Jarvis and Terra Barrett of Heritage NL (www.heritagenl.ca) 

For more information, contact Dale Jarvis at dale@heritagenl.ca 

The workshop is free, but limited to 20 people. 

Register at: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/introduction-to-oral-history-workshop-tickets-440308222747 

Twillingate Masonic Lodge searching for historic photos

 

Twillingate Masonic Lodge is asking for the public’s help in documenting the history of their designated heritage building. 

Twillingate Lodge is collecting photos to populate a photo archive that they hope to make available to the public in 2023 or 2024.  Twillingate Masonic Temple was designated a Registered Heritage Structure by Heritage NL in 1998 due to its aesthetic, historic and cultural value.

The Lodge is looking for photos of:

• The building at any time throughout its long history or photos of the Old Court House that was the home of Twillingate Masons from 1889 to 1907.
• Former and current members of the lodge in their regalia at formal events. 
• Masons participating in any community event - regalia or not.
• Any old documents pertaining to Twillingate Lodge or of its members.

Heritage NL is assisting Twillingate Lodge in this initiative. By sharing any pictures or documents that you have, you will be helping preserve this aspect of our heritage for future generations. The public is invited to drop by the Lodge and Heritage NL staff will scan your photo or document. Originals will be returned during the event. 

When? Wednesday, October 19th

1:30 - 4:30 PM and 6:30 - 9:00 PM

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For more information:

Bro. John Holwell
Secretary, Twillingate Masonic Lodge
TwillingateMasonicLodge@gmail.com 

Living Heritage Podcast Ep219 Mentor-Apprentice Program: Weaving with Jessica McDonald and Christian Dauble

Jessica McDonald and Christian Dauble.

In this episode we talk with mentor Jessica, and apprentice Christian who are two participants of Heritage NL’s Mentor-Apprentice Program. Jessica is a Textile Artist who completed the Textiles program at the College of the North Atlantic and fine-tuned her skills at NSCAD University. She has presented and taught workshops at the Anna Templeton Centre and the Craft Council of NL, and continues to promote and bring awareness to weaving. Christian, an avid knitter, became enamoured with weaving in 2019 and decided to pursue it further. They built a small loom from a canvas frame where they began to practice basic tapestry weaving. Christian has completed over twenty projects in the past two years.

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Living Heritage is about people who are engaged in the heritage and culture sector, from museum professionals and archivists, to tradition bearers and craftspeople - all those who keep history alive at the community level. The show is a partnership between HeritageNL and CHMR Radio.

Theme music is Rythme Gitan by Latché Swing.

Which crafts or skills are being lost in your community? Heritage NL wants to know!

 

Which craft, building, or technical skills are at risk of being lost in your community?

In 2021, Heritage NL and Craft Council of NL released their Craft at Risk List. The list featured 55 crafts, 10 of which were listed as critically endangered. You can see the full list of Heritage Crafts considered at risk at https://heritagenl.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Craft-at-Risk-List-2021.pdf

Now, Heritage NL is looking to update and expand that list, and needs your help! What is missing? Which crafts or technical skills should be included in the list for 2022? Interested makers, craft producers, and heritage enthusiasts can take the survey online at www.heritagecraft.ca or email ich@heritagenl.ca

Fowler House: A Restoration Project in Brigus

The Fowler House in Brigus, built circa 1850, was designated as a Registered Heritage Structure by Heritage NL in 1988 for its historic value.

Image: Fowler House, Brigus. Photo courtesy of Heritage NL

The most iconic and distinctive part of the structure is the roller located at the base of a door on the second floor of the attachment - this served as a way to ease pulling fishing nets up from the street into the loft to mend them. As the town of Brigus was heavily involved in the fishery, having a tangible representation of the history of the fishery in the community through the house is very valuable.

Image: Clapboard removal from Fowler House. Photo courtesy of @brigus_twine.loft

Today the current owners are working with Heritage NL, contractors, and individuals skilled in heritage restorative work to restore the house to be not only a home, but also a representation of the history of the community. In collaboration with them we are going to be posting a chronological history of the house, as well as restoration updates, on social media.

Follow along with the project by using the hashtags #BrigusTwineLoft and #HeritageNL on our
Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook: @hfnlca, and by following @brigus_twine.loft on Instagram and @brigustwineloft on Facebook.

Living Heritage Podcast Ep218 Mentor-Apprentice Program: Boatbuilding with Jerome Canning and Chris Hogan

Photo Caption: Jerome Canning and Chris Hogan in Chris' workspace. Photo by Heritage NL.

In this episode we talk with mentor Jerome, and apprentice Chris who are two participants of Heritage NL’s Mentor-Apprentice Program. With over 40 years of experience, mentor Jerome Canning is a master boat builder. A well known craftsman across the island, Canning has completed over 100 wooden boats during his career. Apprentice Chris Hogan is an experienced carpenter and woodworker with a long-held desire to explore the unique craft of wooden boatbuilding.

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Living Heritage is about people who are engaged in the heritage and culture sector, from museum professionals and archivists, to tradition bearers and craftspeople - all those who keep history alive at the community level. The show is a partnership between HeritageNL and CHMR Radio.

Theme music is Rythme Gitan by Latché Swing.

Pouch Cove Clifton Lodge SUF #46 Adaptive Reuse Report: Looking Back and Possible Futures

Check out what we did in Pouch Cove when we were working with the community in planning for the restoration and adaptive reuse of the Pouch Cove Society of United Fishermen’s (SUF) #46 Clifton Lodge! 

Image: Clifton Lodge building from the Northeast side.

We have been working with the Pouch Cove Heritage Society and the community of Pouch Cove to come up with adaptive reuse ideas for the old SUF Hall, Clifton Lodge, that would be a benefit to the community. Most recently, we created and published a report - “Pouch Cove Clifton Lodge SUF #46 Adaptive Reuse Report: Looking Back and Possible Futures.” This was created following a public meeting with Heritage NL, the Pouch Cove Heritage Society, and the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts & Recreation. 

During this meeting we encouraged members of the community to identify their memories of the SUF Hall, what is missing in the community, and what they would like to see become of the building. The report details the results of the meeting, an accumulation of historical research on the Pouch Cove SUF Hall #46 Clifton Lodge, memories and stories from the meeting attendees, and concludes with suggestions and examples for the future possibilities of reuse based on the values of the community. 

To read the report and learn more about the project click this link:

https://tinyurl.com/PouchCoveSUF