A Conception Bay South fairy story, circa 1944, by Donald W. Smith.

A while back, Karen Smith, the owner of SeaGlass B&B in New Perlican, sent me a fairy story from her father, Donald W. Smith, of Manuels. What follows is his version of a fairy encounter or abduction from 1944. It features some of the classic NL fairylore motifs, such as missing or compressed time, and the use of bread as a protective charm.

Donald William Smith was born February 11, 1932. He married Phoebe Warren on April 28, 1953 and they had 6 children and over 65 wonderful years together. Unfortunately, Mr Smith had been in declining health for the past few months, and passed peacefully away on Sunday December 9, 2018. Our thoughts go out to the family. 

Here is Mr. Smith's story:

Conception Bay South, 1944 

Don Smith 12 years old, John Nickelson (Nick) age 50ish, and his dog 

We left Cherry Lane, Manuels to go fishing for trout at Thomas Pond on a Wednesday afternoon. Mom let me go because Ethel (John’s friend) didn’t like Nick to go in the woods fishing by himself. After two hours of walking about five miles we reached our fishing spot. It was starting to get dark so we decided to lay down for a rest and planned to get up at 5am to fish all day. When I woke up I realized the sun had already set and we had slept all night and the entire next day. The dog was still laid next to us and we felt rested but surprised that we lost the entire day. And thought it was too late to head home so we fished for a short while and ate supper. We lay down again and next thing we know another day has passed and it is evening again. Each time we woke the scene was exactly the same as the first. The dog never barked or wandered away during the night or day. On Friday we woke at dusk again. Nick was worried about getting home as they had a snack bar to run on Saturday and Ethel would be poisoned with him if he didn’t get back. So before things got out of hand Nick insisted that we try to find our way out of the woods in the dark. After 3 hours or more we finally made it home. I was expecting Mom to be mad and she was. I explained as best I could what had happened and she remarked that I must have been taken by the fairies. That was the last time I was allowed to go fishing for a long time after that. Although I still saw Nick from time to time, he never once mentioned our ordeal to me or anyone else. I’m not sure I believe in fairies but I have no explanation of how we lost time for 3 days and nights with no recollection. My father, Walter Smith, often cautioned us youngsters to wear a piece of clothing inside out or carries a piece of bread in our pockets while walking in the woods for fear of being taken by the fairies.

Donald W. Smith
Atkins Road, Manuels, CBS NL

You can read a 2016 CBC article on Karen's "zombie fairy" photoshoot here, inspired by some of the fairy stories she heard growing up.  Photo of Donald and Phoebe Smith courtesy Karen Smith via facebook. 

Saving traditional Newfoundland knitting patterns - Christine LeGrow is the focus of this month's Living Heritage Economy Case Study!

We have an early Christmas present for you - the next in our Living Heritage Economy Case Studies!

This month, we are delighted to showcase the work of Christine LeGrow and Spindrift Handknits. Christine LeGrow was born and raised in Newfoundland, and has a keen interest in the people, places, and things that make this island unique. A life-long knitter, her company Spindrift Handknits produces over 30 regular hand-knit wool products across a diverse product line. The business is supported by rural knitters throughout the island who make extensive use of traditional patterns that have been handed down through generations.

You can download the pdf version of the case study right here. 

And, you can listen to an interview with Christine and Shirley "Shirl the Purl" Scott here.

This is part of a series of case studies examining the links between living heritage, traditionality, entrepreneurism, and community economic development in Newfoundland and Labrador. For more information, contact Dale Jarvis at dale@heritagenl.ca. Photo courtesy Christine Le Grow.

Some very dapper Vokeys, circa 1945. #folklorephoto

This photo shows Ruby Rees's grandmother Sarah (Anthony) Vokey and her grandfather Isaac Vokey, circa 1945. Location uncertain, but check out those hats!

Photo courtesy Ruby Rees. 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

Living Heritage Podcast Ep139 The Pyrex Nerds

Terra Barrett is a public folklorist with Heritage NL. She is researching the folklore and oral history of the province. Terra holds a BA in Folklore and French and a MA in Public Folklore from Memorial University. She is a lover of all things vintage and an avid Pyrex collector. In this episode, Terra talks about the history of Pyrex, how she became a collector, and the thrill of the hunt for new (and old!) pieces and designs.

Download MP3

###

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.

A note on the Bauline funeral hand-barrow, biers, and catafalques.

Last Thursday, we were in Bauline making a preliminary research trip to look at the old, unmarked Methodist burying ground. While there, we got a tour of the local United (originally Methodist) Church. The cornerstone of the church was laid November 12th, 1919 by A. Soper, Esq, and the inscription on the stone reads “Thy house shall be a house of prayer.” Construction was finished  sometime between 1920 and 1921 (a banner inside the church gives a date of 1920, while other records indicate 1921). The building was expanded, a basement was hand-dug with pick and shovel, and a new concrete block foundation was put in place in 1985.

Whilst exploring the basement, we were able to take a few photos of Bauline’s funeral hand barrow. Its exact age is unknown, but it was recovered a number of years ago from a nearby shed, and was restored by Mr. Alton King.

According to the Dictionary of Newfoundland English, a hand-barrow is a flat rectangular wooden frame with handles at each end for two men to carry cod-fish, seal 'pelts' and other bulky materials. The Bauline funeral hand-barrow differs from a regular fisheries hand-barrow in that it is slightly longer, as it would have been used to carry a coffin to the cemetery, and in that it features a centre bar that swivels out, allowing for an additional two men to act as pall-bearers.

In other places, this piece of technology is often referred to as a “bier” - a stand to support a corpse or a coffin prior to burial. The term “catafalque” is sometimes used interchangeable, or to describe a decorated bier on which a coffin rests in state during a funeral.

Biers like the Bauline example were used in various locations around the province. One good example of the use of a bier is found in the description of the 1887 death and funeral of Captain Alonso Francis of the steamer Curlew:

Before dying the captain, feeling perhaps that death was approaching, had ordered the ship back to Harbor Briton, and it was just outside the heads of that port he died. The body was placed in a coffin as soon as possible, after which the steamer left for St. John's. On arriving here last night Mr. Carnell's hearse was in waiting, and in a short a time as possible the body of the dead seaman was lifted from the life-boat and laid on the bier. The ensign enshrouded it and it was borne on to the wharf by six of the seamen of the Curlew. The wharf was crowded with people, for the dead captain was greatly beloved in St. John's. The scene was weird and awful in the extreme.
- The Colonist, vol. 02, no. 134 (17 June 1887) p 4

Another example of the use of a bier is found in the description of the 1918 Holyrood funeral of Seaman Francis Peddle of the Canadian Naval Reserve:

...when the funeral service had been recited over his bier the body was borne to the hearse in waiting by the pallbearers and the funeral cortege continued its route to Holy Cross Cemetery where the remains were interred beside those of his wife Mary Quinlan who predeceased him nine years ago.
- Evening Telegram (St. John's, N.L.), 1918-10-25 page 9

Other examples of these can be found online, such as the 1800s funeral bier below, from a Welsh chapel, used to carry the coffin during a funeral service and to the site of burial (photo courtesy Caerphilly County Borough Council Museums & Heritage Service).  It does not feature the additional swivel handle of the Bauline example, but is very similar in construction otherwise.



If you know of another example of one of these devices somewhere in Newfoundland and Labrador, contact dale@heritagenl.ca

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

Bauline Burial Ground

Group in the unmarked cemetery.

On Thursday Dale and I met with three archaeologists from Memorial University, and three residents of Bauline to discuss the possibility of completing a project in an abandoned cemetery in the community. The unmarked cemetery is an old Methodist burying ground which predates the old United Church cemetery in the community.

Measuring out the cemetery. The rock walls delineating the cemetery can be seen in the foreground.

We met beside the United Church and walked down to the site which is on an incline and is only marked by a short rock wall. One of the residents pointed out two rocks which he was told by an older community member was the entrance to the graveyard.

Reviewing the church floor plans.

After a trip through the graveyard and a discussion of what the next steps were we visited the United Church building. The church is due to celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2020. Dale is completing some research on the history of the church itself and we were able to find some floor plans of some alterations done in the 1980s.

Undenominational Cemetery. 1925.

Once we finished exploring the church we took a quick detour on the way back to town to visit an undenominational graveyard where several goldpreachers or coonies are buried. We are also interested in learning more about this religion and are looking into where else there were goldpreachers practicing in Newfoundland and Labrador.

One of three marked stones in the undenominational graveyard.
Several unmarked stones are also located in the small graveyard.

Stay tuned for more updates on the church and the graveyard! But in the meantime if you have any information about either please reach out to Dale Jarvis at 739-1892 ex. 2 or dale@heritagenl.ca

Living Heritage Podcast Ep138 Something is Brewing in Newfoundland

In 2013, Mike became the first certified cicerone in Atlantic Canada, a certification commonly understood as the equivalent of a sommelier in the craft beer world. Mike is also the co-founder of The Newfoundland and Labrador Artisanal Special Order Beer Club, a special order club that allowed people to order beers that were not available through the Newfoundland and Labrador Liquor Corporation (NLC). In addition, he is the founder of The Beer Thief, an online forum that connects craft beer enthusiasts. In this episode, Mike talks about his training as a cicerone and the origins of the Special Order Beer Club, as well as the recent decision to have the club take a break as the craft beer scene in Newfoundland continues to grow.

Download MP3

###

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.

Digital Storytelling: 1968 Oxfam Walk with Palma Mercer

Digital storytelling is a short form of digital media production that allows everyday people to share aspects of their own family and community history. Many people have stories about family members and local places that often go untold. Digital storytelling helps interpret and make community history accessible.

Palma Mercer tells the story of the 1968 Oxfam Miles for Millions Walk.

Or click here to watch the video on YouTube.

Photos and audio courtesy of Palma Mercer. Photos collected as part of the Digital Storytelling workshop held Tuesday, October 16th, 2018 in Portugal Cove-St. Philip’s. If this video elicits memories for you, or if you'd like to arrange a digital storytelling workshop for your community, contact Dale Jarvis at dale@heritagenl.ca