Tuesday's #FolklorePhoto: Hooking Away

Dale Wells assembles her mat hooking frame, St. Anthony. Photo by Lisa Wilson. 2010

Today's Folklore Photos come from St. Anthony collection on Memorial University's Digital Archives Initiative. St. Anthony is located on the northeastern tip of Newfoundland's Great Northern Peninsula. This site was first given the name of 'St. Anthony Haven' in 1532, for the way in which the area operated as a safe landing point for fishing fleets. The region was initially settled based on the fact that there were rich cod fishing grounds in the vicinity, a move that helped to establish a productive fishery that would last for several centuries. Despite the eventual collapse of the cod fishery, St. Anthony has had many development successes, making it a vital service center for residents of the broader GNP region.

Another important feature of St. Anthony is the community's historic affiliation with the legacy of Dr. Grenfell. Wilfred Thomason Grenfell (1865-1940) - a British doctor-arrived in St. Anthony in 1892 as a medical missionary, sent by The Royal National Mission to Deep Sea Fishermen. Within a year of his arrival, Dr. Grenfell commenced building a medical system that eventually grew to serve the regions of Northern Newfoundland and Labrador. As his medical mission grew, his mandate expanded to include the development of schools, cooperatives, industrial work projects, an orphanage, and other social programs. One such program involved utilizing local textile-based craft skills to help sustain the region's economy. Grenfell style embroidered coats and hooked rugs with Grenfell inspired designs are being produced by residents of the Great Northern Peninsula to this day. These objects are now referred to as being a part of the 'Grenfell tradition' and can be seen and purchased at Grenfell Handicrafts, located in St. Anthony.

The St. Anthony inventory is part of a founding collection for the Great Northern Peninsula Textiles Archive and Learning Center. This project, based in Conche, NL, is an on-going initiative to document and preserve the textile-based crafts that are being created on Newfoundland's Northern Peninsula. The items in this collection were gathered between May and July of 2010 and include photographs of textile craft objects such as patchwork quilts, knitted items, and Grenfell-style hooked rugs. This inventory also includes audio clips of craftspeople discussing their particular textile-based skills and practices.

If you want to learn more about this collection click here and if you want to listen to an interview with Dale Wells about quilting and knitting click here.

A nautical themed quilt made by Dale Wells, St. Anthony. Photo by Lisa Wilson. 2010

A tie dyed quilted wall hanging made by Dale Wells, St. Anthony. Photo by Lisa Wilson. 2010

Grand Falls-Windsor Memories Mug Up - Roy Oldford

Storytellers on stage.

On Friday, July 13, as part of the celebrations for Salmon Festival the Grand Falls-Windsor Heritage Society hosted their second annual Memories Mug Up at the Classic Theatre on High Street. About a hundred audience members came out to listen to the six storytellers share their memories of growing up in Grand Falls-Windsor. The session was moderated by Mary Kelly, a recently retired teacher and member of the heritage society.

There were stories about growing up in during the Second World War, the newspaper industry, memories of High Street and Main Street, and stories about the paper mill. Today's story comes from Roy Oldford:

View of the Classic Theatre.

Living Heritage Podcast Ep120 Local experiences and fishcakes

Kelly Mansell is an owner, as well as sales and marketing manager, for the popular Rocket Bakery & Fresh Food on Water Street. She has a long history of creativity in entrepreneurship and, besides her bakery, she is also involved as a partner in the Toronto-based Comrags boutique and its acclaimed fashion line. She has worked as an account director and public relations consultant for several PR firms on international tourism accounts and, most recently for PraxisPR. In this episode, Kelly talks about how she came to Newfoundland to start the bakery, and her desire to create a space were people wanted to hang out. This summer, Kelly has all sorts of programs and events on the go, including “Fishcakes & Accordions” every Tuesday and “Fishing for Success” every Wednesday. Kelly also gave us a sneak preview of Rocket’s new space in Churchill Square, which she affectionately dubs “baby Rocket.” You can find more Rocket Bakery’s events and programs online here.

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The Living Heritage Podcast 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 HFNL and CHMR Radio. Past episodes are hosted on Libsyn, and you can subscribe via iTunes, or Stitcher. Theme music is Rythme Gitan by Latché Swing.

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.

Update from the St. James Anglican Cemetery project, Carbonear

Last year, Heritage NL was asked by one of our Registered Heritage Structures, St. James Anglican in Carbonear, to give some advice on their cemetery cleanup project (see past blog entries here). A year into the project, they've made great strides to cut back invasive bushes and trees, trim rose bushes, and expose some hidden stones and markers.  A big shout out to Judy Symonds who has taken the lead on this project, and to last year's summer students for their excellent and careful work.

Yesterday, I was back in Carbonear to help give some training on this summer's phase of the project. The cemetery has been partially mapped, with the majority of the pre-1900s graves transcribed. Several plots were left unfinished, and there are quite a few 20th century grave markers that have not been recorded at all. So I worked with their current batch of summer students, and taught them how to use the Marker Record Form designed by the Family History Society.  The goal is to finish recording the south half of the cemetery.

One of the intriguing finds made this year was of a First World War Memorial Plaque (sometimes called a Dead Man's Penny) firmly mounted on concrete. The plaques were issued to the next-of-kin of all British and Empire service personnel who were killed as a result of the war, but it is rare to see one used as a cemetery memorial.

The plaque bears the name William Stephenson, who might possibly be this person:
https://www.therooms.ca/sites/default/files/stephenson_william_3737.pdf

More to come as research and documentation continue!

If you want to learn more about the process of cemetery transcription, we are holding a Cemetery Transcription Bee Thursday, August 9th, 2018 at 9am in partnership with Logy Bay-Middle Cove-Outer Cove Museum. This combination workshop/documentation project will instruct participants on how to transcribe grave markers. You’ll learn about the DOs and DON’Ts of recording inscriptions, tombstone symbols and stone types, how to fill out cemetery marker forms, and assist the Logy Bay-Middle Cove-Outer Cove Museum in collecting tombstone information at the St. Francis of Assisi RC Cemetery.  Pre-registration required (right here!)

Origin of the word "Bee" (the work party, not the insect)

DID YOU KNOW?

Origin of the word “Bee”

“Because the word describes people working together in a social group, a common false etymology is that the term derives from the insect of the same name and similar social behavior. According to etymological research recorded in dictionaries, the word probably comes from dialectal been or bean (meaning "help given by neighbors"), which came from Middle English bene (meaning "prayer", "boon" and "extra service by a tenant to his lord")”

Source: Wikipedia


We're organizing a work party of our own, part bee, part workshop, on how to transcribe tombstone inscriptions. You can read all about that right here.

Photo: Digby County, Nova Scotia quilting bee

Grand Falls-Windsor Memories Mug Up - Barbara Smith

Storytellers on stage.

On Friday, July 13, as part of the celebrations for Salmon Festival the Grand Falls-Windsor Heritage Society hosted their second annual Memories Mug Up at the Classic Theatre on High Street. About a hundred audience members came out to listen to the six storytellers share their memories of growing up in Grand Falls-Windsor. The session was moderated by Mary Kelly, a recently retired teacher and member of the heritage society.

There were stories about growing up in during the Second World War, the newspaper industry, memories of High Street and Main Street, and stories about the paper mill. Today's story comes from Barbara Smith:

View of the Classic Theatre.

The Outer Cove Cemetery Transcription Bee! August 9th

Thursday, August 9th, 2018
9am-12pm
Logy Bay-Middle Cove-Outer Cove Museum
744 Logy Bay Road, Logy Bay

(backup rain date: August 16th, 2018)

This combination workshop/documentation project will instruct participants in how to transcribe grave markers. You’ll learn about the DOs and DON’Ts of recording inscriptions, tombstone symbols and stone types, how to fill out cemetery marker forms, and assist the Logy Bay-Middle Cove-Outer Cove Museum in collecting tombstone information at the St. Francis of Assisi RC Cemetery. Participants will take a walk about the cemetery and then will record contemporary grave markers, as part of the Museum’s ongoing project to maintain a database of cemetery inscriptions.

The workshop component will take place at the LBMCOC Museum, followed by fieldwork at the nearby cemetery. Participants should bring comfortable closed-toe shoes/boots, dress appropriately for the weather, and bring their own bug spray/sunscreen.  This event is a partnership between Heritage NL and the LBMCOC Museum.

Cost: $10 (includes refreshments, instruction, and materials)

Pre-registration required at www.heritagenl.ca

Proposed Audience: heritage and church volunteers, genealogists, researchers

Biography of presenter:
Dale Jarvis is the Intangible Cultural Heritage Development Officer for the province of NL, helping communities safeguard traditional culture. Dale holds a BSc in Anthropology/Archaeology (Trent), and a MA in Folklore (Memorial). He has worked for Heritage NL since 1996, and is Adjunct Faculty with the Memorial University Department of Folklore. He regularly teaches on oral history, cultural documentation, and public folklore.


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For more information:

Katie Crane
Museum Coordinator
Logy Bay-Middle Cove-Outer Cove Museum
lbmcocmuseum@gmail.com

(709) 726-5272

Living Heritage Podcast Ep119 A giant garden party

Chris Neary is President of the 2018 Royal St. John’s Regatta, which celebrates its 200th anniversary this year. In the past nine years, Chris has worn many hats with the Regatta. He’s been Vice President and Captain of the Course, Commutations Director, Secretary, and Treasurer. Chris is also an avid rower and has competed in many regattas across the province, including the Placentia and Harbour Grace Regattas, Fogo Island Punt Race, Canadian Henley Regatta, and Atlantic Championships. In this episode, Chris talks about the history of the Regatta, beginning with recreational races in the 1700s and the earliest known document announcing the St. John’s Royal Regatta in 1818. The Regatta isn’t just about sport- Chris also describes how the Regatta came to be the “a giant garden party,” with games of chance, food, and live music. The 2018 Regatta is the largest in history with 156 teams competing in 36 races. To learn more about the Royal St. John’s Regatta, visit the website here.

Download MP3



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The Living Heritage Podcast 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 HFNL and CHMR Radio. Past episodes are hosted on Libsyn, and you can subscribe via iTunes, or Stitcher. Theme music is Rythme Gitan by Latché Swing.