Job Posting - Museum Attendant – Part time

The Museum of Logy Bay – Middle Cove – Outer Cove Museum is looking to hire an enthusiastic and independent student for the summer.

Responsibilities include: greeting visitors and leading tours of the museum, helping to establish an archives, and aiding with historical research.

Experience working in a museum and conducting historical research considered an asset.

Please forward your resume to Museum Coordinator, Katie Harvey, at lbmcocmuseum@gmail.com or drop off at the Museum of Logy Bay – Middle Cove – Outer Cove located at 744 Logy Bay Road in the town hall.

Petty Harbour Oral History Project - Interviewer Becomes Interviewee

Photo by Terra Barrett

Tune in this Sunday July 20th to the Weekend Arts Magazine (WAM) hosted by Angela Antle for an interview with the Heritage Foundation’s summer intern Terra Barrett.  The interview will air at 7:50am Newfoundland Time on CBC’s Radio One and online at http://www.cbc.ca/player/Radio/.  

If you have any memories of growing up in Petty Harbour or the social life within the community please contact Terra at terra@heritagefoundation.ca or (709)739-1892 extension 5.

Cupids Headstone Documentation Workshop

If you are in Cupids this upcoming Friday, you might considering joining us for the HFNL's second annual Headstone Rubbing Workshop! This session will be in partnership with Cupids Legacy Centre.

This workshop is aimed at teaching best practices for documenting headstones in historic cemeteries. We will cover the art of making rubbings, reasons to use this method for headstone documentation, basics of discovering headstone symbology, and how to give attention and respect to our historic cemeteries without doing damage to the stone artifacts.

You will walk away with at least one headstone rubbing that you have made yourself, as well as some knowledge about the importance of cemetery conservation.

Note: Charcoal can be messy so please remember to dress in clothes you don't mind getting dirty.  All materials provided but you may wish to bring a pillow, knee pads, or a stool.

Date: Friday, July 18
Time: 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Admission: $15
Facilitator: Lisa Wilson, Heritage Outreach Officer, Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland Labrador
Pre-registration required, please contact Cupids Legacy Centre at (709) 528-1610


*All outdoor events are weather dependent. An alternate date will be set in the case of wet conditions. For updates call 528-1610, or check facebook or twitter.*

Heritage grant announced for documenting the historic NL fishery

The Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador is announcing a $5000 grant program for projects that document, record, present or safeguard the intangible cultural heritage (ICH) of the fishery in the province. Possible projects could focus on the intangible cultural heritage associated with boats, their builders and those who went to sea, net making and mending, crab or lobster pot repair, knot-tying and ropework, cod traps, make-and-break engines, knowledge associated with marks and berths, the architecture of fishing stages and associated material culture (splitting tables, etc), the business of making fish, or oral histories related to the fishery.

“This new program will give communities an opportunity to record some of the important stories and information about the fishery and its role in the daily life of Newfoundland and Labrador,” says Dale Jarvis, folklorist and development officer with the foundation. “A lot of this information is fragile, and needs to be collected before it vanishes.”

The Fisheries ICH Grants are open to town councils, museums, archives or incorporated non-profit cultural and/or heritage organizations.

Deadline for applications is 22 August 2014.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to discuss their proposal with the ICH Development Officer before applying, by phone at 1-(888)-739-1892 ext 2, or email ich@heritagefoundation.ca

• Fisheries ICH Grant program guidelines
• Fisheries ICH Grant application form

(photo: the fish plant and boats, Twillingate, 1963)

Tuesday’s Folklore Photo - Flakes and Fish

Thomas Ruck fonds
VA 45-1; Petty Harbour in the 1860s
Photo: Courtesy of The Rooms

Today’s folklore photos are pictures of the flakes, stages and stores of Petty Harbour’s past. Throughout my interviews in Petty Harbour a major change that has been mentioned has been the change in the fishery.  The move from making fish to catching crab has meant a shift in the physical landscape of the harbour.  

Petty Cove [Petty Harbour]
VA 143-18 [between 1892 and 1904]
Photo: Courtesy of The Rooms

The loss of the fish flakes from the island rooms has been mentioned in a number of interviews as has the shift in the fishery.  Several of my informants have memories of the responsibilities of making fish and cutting tongues for the fishermen.  

Mike Hearn

Mike Hearn described walking into the Goulds to sell the cod tongues 10₵ a dozen as opposed to selling the tongues for 10₵ a pound in Petty Harbour.  He also mentioned making flickers out of his mother’s old cotton reels filled with lead in order to catch tom cods in the harbour.        

Petty Harbour VA 15a-43.1
Newfoundland Tourist Development Board photograph collection
Newfoundland Views Photographs
Photo: Courtesy of The Rooms

The lack of children involved with the fishery today has caught the attention of people in Petty Harbour and a non profit organization called Fishing for Success has been established.  Check out their website and facebook page as they reintroduce fishing knowledge to the children of Petty Harbour Maddox Cove and beyond.

"Better to die a child than live in vain" - Winterton tombstone mystery

I posted a little while ago about a mystery headstone motif from Cupids, which generated some suggestions, and an article in The Telegram. Following that, I got this image (above) and note from Grant Tucker, about a headstone in the Anglican cemetery beside the church at Winterton. Grant writes:

"It has a six line epitaph which is only partially decipherable; perhaps you or one of your contacts can help us. Here is what we have deciphered: 

At last from worldly strife ------------------- (hand?) - Iambic Hexameter
And (valiant?) (souls?) -------------------------------- - Iambic (Pentameter?)
(Where?) mercies never fade - Iambic Trimeter
But if protracted guilt --------------------- the span - Iambic Hexameter
Better to die a child than live in vain - Iambic Pentameter
And sink into the shade - Iambic Trimeter 

Jasper, my fifth great-grandfather, or perhaps the generation before him, are thought to have been among the first of Winterton's permanent settlers who came from Trinity."

 Any thoughts? Does the epitaph ring any bells with poetry fans out there?

Drop me a line at ich@heritagefoundation.ca or post a comment!

Walking through the Great Fire of 1892

The Newfoundland and Labrador Historic Trust (“The Trust”) is accompanying the launch of the latest version of its Walk St. John’s app with a real-time history lesson. On Tuesday, July 8, the Trust will live-tweet the events of the Great Fire of 1892 from its account @NLHistoricTrust using #GreatFire1892.

The Walk St. John’s app allows users to experience the alluring streetscapes and heritage architecture of the city, which stand as a testament to the resilience and perseverance of its citizens who rebuilt time and again over the ashes of its past structures.

The app, created with the assistance of local developers TPLED Technology Inc., was initially released for iPhone and iPad in 2012. It allows users to select from several round-trip historic walking tours which guide them through the streets of St. John’s. The new version of the app includes a fifth tour tracing the path of the Great Fire of 1892 and is now also available for Android devices.

“The Great Fire dramatically altered the City of St. John’s,” said Robyn Pike, President of the Newfoundland and Labrador Historic Trust. “Using the app to explore the path of the fire and following #GreatFire1892 on July 8 will introduce you to the places and people that were forever changed by the events of that day.”

The information used to compile the fifth walking tour was collected by a student researcher employed by the Trust in 2013. A founding member of the Trust, Shane O’Dea, provided a voiceover to highlight points of interest along the Great Fire tour.

The Walk St. John’s app is available for free download for iPhone and iPad in the iTunes Store at: http://bit.ly/1n7uwoa and for Android in the Google Play Store at: http://bit.ly/1j8gDGx.

The Newfoundland Historic and Labrador Trust, established in 1966, is a membership-driven, non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of all forms of architecture reflecting the culture and heritage of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Memories of Petty Harbour Wanted for Oral History Project

Do you have memories about the concerts, times and social customs in Petty Harbour? The Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador (HFNL) and the Petty Harbour Maddox Cove Heritage Museum are launching the Petty Harbour Oral History Project, and want to talk to you.

Collected stories will be made available through a public website, and will also be archived at the Petty Harbour Maddox Cove Heritage Museum. Researchers have started to interview locals, and are looking for more people to share their stories.

“We are looking for anyone with a connection to Petty Harbour who would be willing to share their memories,” says folklorist Dale Jarvis, with the foundation. “From recollections of the town’s social life to tales of the community concerts, if you have been involved in the community we would love to hear from you.”

The oral history project is part of HFNL’s ongoing Intangible Cultural Heritage program. The program works to safeguard the living heritage of the province for present and future generations everywhere, as a vital part of the identities of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, and as a valuable collection of unique knowledge and customs.

As part of the 6th Annual Arts and Heritage Festival, a “Memory Store” recording booth will also be set up in an old fishing store in Petty Harbour, where family members and friends can interview each other.

If you would like more information or are interested in being interviewed for the project please contact Heritage Intern Terra Barrett at (709)739-1892 ext. 5 or terra@heritagefoundation.ca.

Tuesday's Folklore Photo: A Collection of Conversations

Today's folklore photo is actually a collection of photos from the past week.  It has been a busy week with the Heritage Foundation.  Last Tuesday was the cemetery clean-up and since then I've been kept busy with interviews!

Ron Doyle

On Wednesday I interviewed Ron Doyle about growing up in Petty Harbour, the changes it has seen and the influence of music on his life and in the community.  Ron described the musical influence of his family and in particular his father, the recitations and songs they would perform and how he began playing at community concerts, formed a band and all the good that came out of the concerts.

Gordy Doyle

Thursday I had two interviews.  The first interview in the morning was with Gordy Doyle and focused on growing up in Petty Harbour, working as a fisherman, the changes in the equipment and methods of fishing and the stories and practical jokes that come with the job.  Gordy also touched on the camaraderie between fisher people and how they would support one another when launching boats and gather together in the twine stores to work and talk.

Cyril Whitten

Thursday afternoon I met Cyril Whitten in his cottage in Saint Luke's.  Cyril's friends stopped in to
have a boil up and put some freshly caught lobsters on the stove.  Cyril and I discussed his life in Petty Harbour, the games he played as a child, his memories of the community concerts, fishing in the community and his time as Mayor.  Cyril contacted me and said he would like to meet again and said he had much more to say about Petty Harbour.  I'm looking forward to interviewing Cyril again this week.

With my feed of lobster.

In true Newfoundland hospitality I was invited to stay for a feed of lobster with Cyril and his friends' Dennis Madden, Peter Squires, Richard Murphy and his cousin Muriel Andrews.  When I left they insisted I take a meal of freshly caught and cooked lobster home with me.  This was definitely a highlight of my week and a great example of Newfoundlander's warmth and generosity.

Betty Cheeseman

Monday's interview was with Betty Cheeseman and Betty had vivid memories of her time in Petty
Harbour.  Betty described growing up in a musical family with a mother who played the accordion and a father who danced.  She also described being in the community plays, listening to the concerts and the intensity of the card games played in the community.

I'm looking forward to meeting and interviewing more people from Petty Harbour as well as working on the interviews I have already completed. The interviews need tape logs and all the necessary metadata so they can be published on MUN's DAI. If you have memories of growing up in Petty Harbour please contact me at terra@heritagefoundation.ca or (709) 739-1892.