Avondale Railway Station: List of People who Worked Here

Picture taken during a visit to the Avondale Railway Station as they were re-shingling the roof. (Heritage NL, 2023)

Heritage NL and the Town of Avondale have been working together to compile a list of everyone who may have worked at (or lived in) the Avondale Railway Station. The names of station agents, telegraphers, section foremen, and others associated with the station will be included in a proposed exterior sign helping to tell the personal stories behind this historic building. With much research we have been able to recover this list of names of individuals who worked at and around the Avondale Railway Station. This is only a small portion of the people who spent their time here and we are always looking for more information and stories about the station and workers! Feel free to email research@heritagenl.ca or fill out our survey on the subject at forms.gle/f37hryvx7eUurGtJ9!

The following list of workers is in chronological order of when they worked at Avondale Railway Station:

William Aspell (Section Foreman) 1887-1918

C.J. Furey (Telegrapher) circa 1890

G.A. Simms (Telegrapher) circa 1890

Edward Kennedy (Post Office Operator) 1890-1913

J.W. Mitchell (Telegrapher) 1895-Unknown

John Meany (Telegrapher) circa 1895 & (Station Agent) circa 1898 

(Mr) S. Forbes (Telegrapher) circa 1901

Richard White (Station Agent) circa 1904

John Withycombe (Unknown) Unknown-1905

James Kennedy (Post Telegraph Operator) 1905-1906

John Kelly (Section Foreman) circa 1906

Louis Lawton (Post Telegraph Operator) 1907

P. Lee (Conductor) circa 1908

Annie Moore (Post Telegraph Operator) 1908-1910

(Mr) Maher (Station Agent) 1909-1911

A.J. O’Rielly (Station Agent) 1911-Unknown

(Mrs) Maurice Kennedy (Telegrapher) circa 1911

Bertha Moore (Post Telegraph Operator) 1911-1918 & (Post Office Operator) 1914-1919

C. Tavernor (Reid Co. Station Agent) March 1913-October 1913

W. Dwyer (Reid Co. Station Agent) Unknown-1913

John T. Meany (Postal Telegraphs) circa 1914

Dennis Meany (Reid Railway Co. Staff) circa 1914

(Mr) Fox (Station Agent) circa 1918

Jennie Moore (Post Telegraph Operator) 1919

(Mrs) Wade (Unknown) circa 1920

Julia Kennedy (Post Office Operator) 1920-1930 & (Post Telegraph Operator) 1920-1931

Catherine Hennessy (Maid/Housekeeper) Mid to late 1930s

Anne Costello Doyle (Snack Bar Worker/Housekeeper) 1939-1941

Mike Wade (Station Master- Operator) circa 1940s

Daniel Costello (Telegrapher) 1945-1947

Greg Costello (Station Master) circa 1947

Patrick A. Costello (Section Man) 1940s-1950s

James Costello (Section Man) 1940s-1950s

Leo Hickey (Relief Agent) 1961-1971

Chelsey Gosse (Carpenter/Labourer) Unknown-1968

Terrance Michael Doyle (Station Agent) 1969-1984

Terry Doyle (Station Agent- Operator) circa 1980s

James B. Lewis (Worked on train and at station) Unknown

Thomas Costello (Section Foreman) Unknown

James P. Fleming (CN Railway Station Agent) Unknown

John R. Kennedy (Unknown) Unknown

John Parsley (Unknown) Unknown

Living Heritage Podcast Ep236 Mentor-Apprentice Program: Letterpress Printing with Duncan Major and Katie Butler Major

Duncan and Katie in their home studio. Photo courtesy of Heritage NL.

In this episode we talk with mentor Duncan Major, and apprentice Katie Butler Major who are two participants of Heritage NL’s Mentor-Apprentice Program.

Walpugis Press

Duncan learned the craft of letterpress from Tara Bryan, a painter and book artist who was well known internationally for her letterpress work. He started working as Tara’s apprentice in 2000 at the age of 14. In this role Duncan helped make handmade, limited-edition artist’s books. The pair continued to collaborate until Tara’s death in 2020.

Since 2004, Duncan has operated Walpurgis Press with Katie Butler Major, making cards and sundries. Duncan has introduced bookmaking and printing to kids in St. John’s, Goose Bay, North West River and Nain.

Working on the Love poster during the apprenticeship. Photo submitted by Duncan Major and Katie Butler Major.

Katie has always been drawn to handcrafts. She is an avid sewer and knitter, and enjoys working with her hands creatively—so letterpress is a natural fit for her. Katie has helped design and produce invitations, coasters, and cards. As Duncan’s partner, she has learned the basic printing process and is also familiar with the materials that go along with printing. Katie has participated in Printer’s Fairs organized by the Book Arts Association, met letterpress artists from abroad, and visited Running the Goat’s printshop in Tors Cove.

Avondale Railway Station: Did someone in your family work here? We want to know!

Did someone in your family work at the Avondale Railway Station? We want to know their names!

Heritage NL and the Town of Avondale are working together to compile a list of everyone who may have worked at (or lived in) the Avondale Railway Station. The names of station agents, telegraphers, section foremen, and others associated with the station will be included in a proposed exterior sign helping to tell the personal stories behind this historic building.


If you know of someone who worked at the station, you can email research@heritagenl.ca or fill out the short online survey at https://forms.gle/f37hryvx7eUurGtJ9

Avondale Railway Station 1988 before restoration

Source unknown

Avondale Railway Station 2022

Photo credit Heritage NL

If you would like to learn more about the Avondale Railway Station and its history click the link below:

https://heritagenl.ca/heritage-property/avondale-railway-station-registered-heritage-structure/

The Gale Carding Mill: an interview with Terri (née Gale) Dunphy and Don Gale

Photo of the Gale family circa 1944.
Photo courtesy of Don Gale.

Earlier this month, Heritage NL visited the West Coast and interviewed Terri and Don Gale about the Gale family and their family's carding mill in Millville. Terri and Don’s grandfather, Alexander Gale, started the original Gale’s carding mill during the 1890s. 

Gale's Carding Mill in 1971.
Photo from The Last Stronghold by Margaret Bennett.

The Gale’s mill would card wool from all over the province, arriving via train. The mill operated throughout the spring and summer, carding the wool from the shearing season. Terri Gale recounts that when she was a child in the 1940s, all the employees of the carding mill were women.  

Newspaper Clipping from the Western Star
September 20th 1905

Spinning bee in 1935, probably in Millville.
Photo courtesy of Don Gale.

Sending wool to be carded saved time, and yarn was used for creating knitted wares like blankets and knit clothes. Terri and Don recount that most families in the Codroy Valley owned sheep for wool and meat. 

Current Equipment in the Mill

The original mill from the 1890s ran using a waterwheel from water diverted from the nearby brook. During the 1940s, a new mill was constructed and a diesel generator was installed, replacing the waterwheel. Alex Gale left the Millville carding mill to his sons Edward and George Gale, who ran the business as Gale Brothers. 

Advertisement and instructions for the Gale Brothers Carding Mill
in the Western Star 1945.

The Gale carding mill closed in the 1970s.

For further listening check out Living Heritage Podcast Episode 186 on Carding and Weaving in Millville, Codroy Valley, here: http://www.ichblog.ca/2020/08/living-heritage-podcast-ep186-carding.html

You can read more about the Gale Carding Mill on Heritage NL's main website: https://heritagenl.ca/heritage-property/gale-carding-mill-registered-heritage-structure/

Living Heritage Podcast Ep235 Mentor-Apprentice Program: Cossack Making with Charlene Rumbolt and Katie Lee

Katie posing with her finished cotton duck tote bag. Photo courtesy of Charlene Rumbolt and Katie Lee.

In this episode we talk with mentor Charlene Rumbolt, and apprentice Katie Lee who are two participants of Heritage NL’s Mentor-Apprentice Program.

Charlene is the lead artist and knowledge keeper at the Great Caribou Studio in Mary's Harbour. A talented seamstress, she was a winner in the Senior Visual Arts division of Arts & Letters NL in 2019 and 2021. Charlene is a member of the NL Craft Council. She began sewing at 11 years old and has since made dresses, pants, handbags and more. Charlene has taught crafting and art for over twenty years, in both group and individual settings. For the last 12 years, after learning from elders in Nain and Hopedale, Charlene has been making the traditional Cossack/Dickie and the Akalik. Learn more about her work at Great Caribou Studio.

Katie's finished cossack (also known as a dickie). Photo courtesy of Charlene Rumbolt and Katie Lee.

Prior to the start of the program Katie had basic skills in cossack making and was intent on improving her abilities. Her artwork has been inspired by her Indigenous roots and she plans on making more traditional outerwear to carry on her ancestors traditional craft while simultaneously expressing her own creativity within her culture. She has previously worked at the Great Caribou Studio in Mary's Harbour.

Katie sewing her cotton duck tote bag. Photo courtesy of Charlene Rumbolt and Katie Lee.

Gale Carding Mill, Codroy Valley, designated as a Registered Heritage Structure

MILLVILLE, CODROY VALLEY - A historic wool carding mill, possibly the last remaining in the province, has received heritage designation as a Registered Heritage Structure by Heritage NL.

Located at a crossroads and along Granddaddy’s Brook, the Gale Carding Mill is a well-known landmark in the Codroy Valley.  Constructed around 1940 to house the Gale family’s carding mill, this two-storey, wooden building employs utilitarian design elements and is constructed using locally milled lumber.

Millville was established in 1897 when Alexander Gale started a wool carding business (later known as A. Gale and Sons) near Granddaddy’s Brook, close to the site of the present-day mill building. Gale built a dam and a water wheel on Granddaddy’s Brook to power the British-made, industrial carding machines he purchased in Nova Scotia. 1,000 pounds of fleece were carded in the first year of operation. 

An interview with Sir Edward Morris, following his visit to the Codroy Valley in 1908, reported that the carding mill was “run by a man and a little girl, and they turn out ten thousand pounds of wool annually.” By 1942 the existing mill was constructed and operated in conjunction with the original mill. While the original carding mill was powered by a water wheel, the new one was operated using a diesel generator. At top production, the Gales were producing about 500 pounds of carded wool per day up to a peak of 40,000 pounds annually. 

“This is an exciting project that shows the link between our architectural history and the strong heritage of craft and craft development in Newfoundland and Labrador,” says Dale Jarvis, Heritage NL Executive Director. “

“We look forward to working with the Gale family to see that this mill, and the heritage skills associated with it, continue on into the future.”

Heritage NL was established in 1984 to stimulate an understanding of and an appreciation for the historic places and living heritage of the province.

Listing on Heritage NL's register of heritage buildings:

https://heritagenl.ca/heritage-property/gale-carding-mill-registered-heritage-structure

Living Heritage Podcast Ep234 Mentor-Apprentice Program: Spruce Root Basketry with Danny White and Arlene White

Danny and Arlene collecting spruce roots.
Photo courtesy of Danny White and Arlene White.

In this episode we talk with mentor Danny White, and apprentice Arlene White who are two participants of Heritage NL’s Mentor-Apprentice Program.

Danny demonstrating how to make the basket mould.
Photo courtesy of Danny White and Arlene White.

Danny learned the teachings, stories, and process of basket making starting at the age of 12 from his father, Anthony White. Anthony was considered a master basket maker. Danny has taught courses and held exhibitions at Pow Wows, schools, and colleges. His work has been documented in newspapers, magazines, and videos.

Arlene White with the frame of her spruce root basket.
Photo courtesy of Danny White and Arlene White.

Arlene completed a course with Master Basket Maker Dan White in 2018. She has an understanding of how to dig spruce roots, and how to harvest some of the material. She has made two baskets but is interested in taking her knowledge to the next level in order to keep the skills alive, and pass it on to the next generation to ensure the tradition continues for years to come.

Living Heritage Podcast Ep233 Mentor-Apprentice Program: Weaving with Morgaine Parnham and Sylvie Mitford

Sylvie's loom set up for overshot weaving. Photo courtesy of Sylvie Mitford.

In this episode we talk with mentor Morgaine Parnham, and apprentice Sylvie Mitford who are two participants of Heritage NL’s Mentor-Apprentice Program.

Morgaine has been a practicing craftsperson for over 10 years. She graduated from the College of the North Atlantic Craft and apparel design program in 2012 majoring in Print and Dye, Surface Embellishment and Weaving. After graduation Morgaine held a studio at Quidi Vidi Village Artisan Studios. Later she moved to Bonavista to open her own craft shop and weaving studio. Aside from formal training Morgaine learned a lot from her mother who has been informally teaching Morgaine since she was a child. Morgaine has experience teaching group workshops to both adults and children.

Sylvie posing with her finished woven bedspread. Photo courtesy of Sylvie Mitford.

Sylvie has been interested in weaving since she was a teenager, and has moved from a simple handmade loom to a floor loom. She has woven scarves, wraps, blankets, tea towels and yardage. Sylvie is a knitter and sewer and also has an interest in natural dying. She wants to learn more advanced weaving techniques and weave structures, and also learn how to spin, and make use of the local wool from the sheep in Bonavista.

One of Sylvie's finished products! Photo courtesy of Sylvie Mitford.

Living Heritage Podcast Ep232 Mentor-Apprentice Program: Letterpress Printing with Marnie Parsons and Abby Hann

Abby showing off her work outside Marnie's press and shop, Running the Goat.
Photo submitted by Marnie Parsons and Abby Hann.

In this episode we talk with mentor Marnie Parsons, and apprentice Abby Hann who are two participants of Heritage NL’s Mentor-Apprentice Program.

Abby preparing her ink for printing. Photo submitted by Marnie Parsons and Abby Hann.

Marnie first learned letterpress printing from Tara Bryan, who invited her to her studio in the summer of 2000. After working for several years in Tara’s shop, Marnie set up her own letterpress studio in her home in St. John’s. She then moved her shop to Tors Cove in 2013, where it remains. The shop is open to visitors throughout the year.

Abby getting ready to set the type. Photo submitted by Marnie Parsons and Abby Hann.

Abby graduated with a Bachelor of Fine arts from NSCAD University in Halifax in 2020. During her degree she focused on printmaking, primarily using the relief technique. Since then, Abby has maintained a prolific printmaking practice from her home studio and small printing press. Abby has participated in artist residencies in Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, and South Africa, while exhibiting prints in multiple solo and group exhibitions.

Check out the episode here:

Heritage Update for June 2023 - New plaques, old memories, and a herd of Lop Chops invades Centreville

Howard House Registered Heritage Structure, St. John's

In the Heritage Update for June 2023: Heritage NL and the St. George’s Indian Band unveil a new bilingual English and Mi’kmaq plaque for the St. George’s Courthouse; as part of the 2023 Winter Carnival in Centreville-Wareham-Trinity and Indian Bay, Heritage NL was asked to lead a Memory Mug Up afternoon at the Wareham church hall; Heritage NL's exhibition proposal for The Early Lebanese Community in Newfoundland receives funding as part of Digital Museums Canada; a herd of Lop Chops and Horsey Chops take over Centreville; and several of our Registered Heritage Structures receive funding through Heritage NL's Maintenance Grant program. 

Download the pdf at:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sGRsI0BsjSChfaRskN4s8RN9LC6ubSTY/view?usp=share_link

Living Heritage Podcast Ep231 Mentor-Apprentice Program: Birch Broom Making with Richard and Michelle Park

Michelle and Richard holding two birch brooms at the Gilliams History Society Museum in Gilliams, NL. Photo courtesy of Heritage NL.

In this episode we talk with mentor Richard Park, and apprentice Michelle Park who are two participants of Heritage NL’s Mentor-Apprentice Program.

Richard Park is a retired teacher who was first exposed to the birch broom in 1957 while teaching in the community of Fox Roost-Margaree. Later in 1979 in Francois, he learned the skills to make birch brooms from a fisherman in the community. He has been making birch brooms since, and has made several brooms including many as gifts.

Richard demonstrating how to "run" a birch broom.
Photo courtesy of Richard Park and Michelle Park.

Michelle is a history teacher with an interest in local history and folklore. Since the age of 10 she has watched her father make birch brooms as gifts for family and friends, as well as for the family’s own use. Michelle’s experience was admittedly limited; she helped make brooms in the past and was looking to refine the skill.

The pair offered a Build Your Own Birch Broom (BYOBB) program at the Gillams Historical Society Museum on Wednesdays in August of 2022.

Richard Park holding a spruce root basket, Eileen Murphy holding a birch broom.
Eileen was a mentor in spruce root basketry and she stopped by Richard and Michelle's BYOBB program this summer. 
Photo courtesy of Richard Park and Michelle Park.

St. George’s Courthouse to Receive New Bilingual Plaque

Join Heritage NL and the St. George’s Indian Band as we present a new bilingual English and Mi’kmaq plaque for the St. George’s Courthouse, now the K'Taqmkuk Mi'Kmaq Historical Museum and Indian Band council office. The plaque presentation will take place during an open house for the K'Taqmkuk Mi'Kmaq Historical Museum.

When:      Sunday, June 4, 2023, at 2-4 p.m. 

Where:     183 Main Street, St. George’s, NL

“Heritage NL is pleased to announce a new heritage plaque for the St. George’s Courthouse, as it represents two themes that are not as strongly represented in the catalogue of Registered Heritage Structures: the West Coast of the island and our Indigenous heritage,” says Dr. Lisa Daly, Chair of the Heritage NL board. 

“Heritage NL has much work to do to better represent all people of our province, and being able to present the St. George’s Courthouse with a plaque in both English and Mi’kmaq is a small step we can take to acknowledge and celebrate the Indigenous history and heritage of Newfoundland and Labrador.”

The St. George’s Courthouse is a strong example of the Second Empire style courthouses constructed in the early 20th century by Public Works, and represents St. George’s significance as an early population centre on the West Coast. Throughout the courthouse's 115 year history, it has been used as a community space as a polling station, for dances and public meetings, and now as the K'Taqmkuk Mi'Kmaq Historical Museum. Through the ongoing efforts of the St. George’s Band Council, the courthouse is now a place for the protection and celebration of Mi'kmaq history and culture. 

"We have been working to focus on underrepresented areas, with staff recently on the West Coast to assess currently registered structures and some that have the potential to be recognized,” says Daly. 

“Our recent Heritage Skills Training Program allowed us the opportunity to pair mentors and apprentices across the province, including numerous Indigenous participants who are passing on their traditional skills and intangible cultural heritage to the next generation.”

St. George’s Courthouse Plaque Text:

Built 1903-1904

Recognizable for its curved roof and central tower, this

courthouse shares a similar design with several others built

across the island during this period. It also served as a post

office, meeting space, and as a spot for community dances.

The building is now the Indian Band Council Office and

ktaqmkuk Mi'Kmaw Historical Museum.

Kisitasiks 1903-1904

Weji nenmɨk ta’n teli upmik poqwatikn aqq miawe’k

kini’skwik espɨtek, ula courthouse telik nkutey pukwelkl

pilue’l kisitasiksɨpn kame’k minikuk net tele’kek. E’wasiksɨp

wjit Post Office, Etl mawteskatultimk, aqq wjit i’tliamalkaltimk.

Nekmowey na nike’ ewasik wjit L’nueyey Band

Council Office aqq Ktaqmkuk Mi’kmaw Historical Museum.

Digital Museums Canada Investment - The Early Lebanese Community in Newfoundland

Photo of Melin and Marion Noah and family in the doorway of their New Gower Street grocery store. Courtesy of City of St. John's Archives

Heritage NL's exhibition proposal for The Early Lebanese Community in Newfoundland receives funding as part of Digital Museums Canada's 2022 investments. Stay tuned as we create this digital exhibition over the next year. 

The Early Lebanese Community in Newfoundland
Heritage NL
The Lebanese community has a long history in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador that is not often commemorated. This virtual exhibit delves deeper into the story behind many well-known local businesses across the province, exploring how one group of immigrants built a unique sense of place while retaining cultural ties to its ancestral homeland.

Heritage NL has produced three exhibitions funded by Digital Museums Canada:
2019 - Remembering the Merchants of Main Street, Windsor
2020 - Carved by the Sea: Heritage Places of Bay Roberts, Newfoundland
2022 - Heritage Underground - A History of Root Cellars in Newfoundland and Labrador

Press Release shared from Digital Museums Canada:

We’re pleased to announce that 19 new projects submitted as part of the 2022 call for proposals were approved for investment.

“The recipients of funding from the 2022 Call for Proposals represent a wide range of compelling subjects from organizations all over Canada,” said Leah Resnick, Director of Digital Museums Canada. “We look forward to working with these organizations to build their digital capacity and bring their projects to life.”

 “Through Digital Museums Canada, the Canadian Museum of History is pleased to honour its commitment to communities across the country in sharing diverse online stories, accessible to all,” said Caroline Dromaguet, President and CEO of the Canadian Museum of History.

Topics covered in this year’s new digital projects include:

• Diaspora: Montréal Jewish Community (QC); Lebanese community in Newfoundland and Labrador
• Community History: Early coal mining in the Bow Valley (AB); Lithuanian immigrants and the War of 1812 (ON); a community festival in Saint-Eustache (QC); the impact of the SS Atlantic shipwreck (NS)
• Art and Architecture: Inuit art (MB); Winnipeg modernist architecture (MB); NFT artmaking (ON); Franco-Ontarian illustrators (ON); Acadian stained glass (NB)
• Women: Women in medical illustration (QC); women journalists in the early 20th century (QC)

In all, DMC received 39 proposals for the Medium and Large investment streams, and 20 proposals for the Small stream from museums and heritage organizations across the country. Projects were selected through a competitive process by an arm’s-length advisory committee.

See the full list:
Approved Projects

Eligible organizations are invited to apply during the next Call for Proposals, which opens on Thursday, June 15, 2023. For more information, please visit the DMC website.

Yarns and Yarns Kick Off - West Coast

See you there!

Are you a knitter, spinner, or hooker? Heritage NL is hosting a series of Yarns and Yarns events, to help preserve and share knitting and other textile knowledge and memories.

We invite knitters, spinners, or hookers of all ages to come together for an evening of crafting and storytelling followed by a mug up with tea/coffee and snacks.

“We are interested in hearing stories about how you learned to knit, spin, or hook” says Terra Barrett, ICH Researcher with Heritage NL. “Often textile crafts are not formally documented or recognized and this project aims to change that. So come out and share your story!”

Yarns and Yarns is a project to recognize, record, and celebrate the importance of knitting and crafting to Newfoundland and Labrador. The main objective of Yarns and Yarns is to combine traditional knitting and crafting knowledge with social participation through a series of ten Yarns and Yarns mug ups or workshops. These mug ups will combine a knitting circle with story telling for community members, where people gather, have a cup of tea, enjoy healthy snacks, and share memories.

Heritage NL is partnering with three local groups to host Yarns and Yarns events on the west coast. If you are a knitter, spinner or hooker we want to see you! Bring your latest projects and come out to share how your learned your craft. 

• Thursday, May 4th, 1-3pm - Yarns and Yarns with Our Lady of Mercy Museum - Our Lady of Mercy Heritage Museum, 101 Main Street, Port au Port West
• Tuesday, May 9th, 6:30-8:30pm - Yarns and Yarns with the Knit Wits - Pasadena Place, 19 Tenth Avenue, Pasadena
• Wednesday, May 10th, 1pm -3pm - Yarns and Yarns with Kindred Spirits Knit 'n Yarn - Salvation Army, 20 Church Street (corner of Chapel Hill), Deer Lake

This project has been funded by the Government of Canada's New Horizons for Seniors Program.

If you are interested in hosting a Yarns and Yarns event in your community reach out to Terra Barrett at terra@heritagenl.ca or 709-739-1892 x2.

On the road to Humber Valley - we are coming your way in May!

Department of Highways Trucks, 1930s
used during the construction of the highway
between Corner Brook and Deer Lake, courtesy Deb LeDrew

Attention all knitters, crocheters, snowshoe makers, people who know traditional recipes, and anyone who makes, crafts, or creates objects - Heritage NL is looking for you!

The Humber Valley Skills Inventory, part of the Humber Valley Thriving Regions project, will identify existing knowledge holders in the area, including craft producers, bakers, farmers, foragers, brewers, printmakers, fly tyers, beekeepers, cooks, artists, antler carvers, and makers of all kinds.  We are looking for anyone with skills and knowledge about the making of everyday objects, skills, art, and crafts from these communities:

Steady Brook, Little Rapids, Humber Village, Humber Valley Resort, Pasadena, Pynn’s Brook, Little Harbour, St. Judes, Deer Lake, Reidville, Cormack, and Howley

The end product will be a publicly-available listing of local skills holders. For examples see:

• Saving Traditional Skills in the Tri Town Area and Surrounding Communities, Great Northern Peninsula (2022)

• Baccalieu Trail Traditional Knowledge Inventory (2021)

If you wish to be listed in the Inventory, email ich@heritagenl.ca or fill out the survey at https://forms.gle/53EMsrC9mTm9FUku7 

 

Heritage NL will be at three open-to-all meetings where you are encouraged to come and learn about the project.  If you are crafty, bring an object you made to show and share!

 

• Monday, May 8th, 7-9pm - Cormack Skills Show and Share - Cormack Town Hall 
• Tuesday, May 9th, 6:30-8:30pm - Yarns and Yarns with the Knit Wits - Pasadena Place, 19 Tenth Avenue, Pasadena
• Wednesday, May 10th, 1pm -3pm - Yarns and Yarns with Kindred Spirits Knit 'n Yarn - Salvation Army, 20 Church Street (corner of Chapel Hill), Deer Lake
• Thursday, May 11th, 7-9pm - Deer Lake Skills Show and Share  - Humber Lodge, 2 Poplar Road
• Saturday, May 13th, 1pm -3pm - Pasadena Heritage Society AGM - Royal Canadian Legion, 92 Main Street. You can register with Pasadena Heritage at https://forms.gle/fBnzU3TL1jk8zF7F7 to help plan number of attendees. Coffee, tea and treats will be provided!

Living Heritage Podcast Ep230 Mentor-Apprentice Program: Moccasin Making with Loretta John and Kevin Drew

Completed moccasins. Photo courtesy of Kevin Drew.

In this episode we talk with mentor Loretta John, and apprentice Kevin Drew who are two participants of Heritage NL’s Mentor-Apprentice Program.

Mrs. John has over 45 years’ experience making moccasins. She originally learned the craft from Ms. Johnson (known as Doctor Granny among the Mi’kmaq) of Eskaosni First Nation. Since learning her craft, Mrs. John worked at the Glen John Craft Shop in Miawpukuk First Nation for year until she retired. She has shared her skills and knowledge through one-on-one mentoring and group workshops.

Kevin Drew has worked with the Glen John Craft Shop for several years now. Over that time, he has worked with many crafters in the community, having an opportunity to observe different Mi’kmaq crafts. Over the course of his time at the craft shop, Kevin has focused on beading and embroidery work.

Kevin Drew sewing a moccasin. Photo courtesy of Kevin Drew.

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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.

The Staff Cable Houses: Part of the Telecommunications History of Heart's Content

In February of 2023, Heart's Content, NL and Valentia, Ireland, were added to the Tentative List for UNESCO World Heritage Status, one step closer to recognition ten years in the making. The two sites for the first Transatlantic cable, laid in 1866, connected Europe and North America and enabled quicker and more reliable communication between the two continents. The Anglo-American Cable Company established a permanent cable station in Heart's Content in 1875/76. One of the buildings they constructed was the Cable Staff Houses, a duplex for housing employees of the cable station. 

Photo of the Cable Staff Houses #1 and #2 in 2017.

Built in 1882, the house was designed by J.T. Southcott, a prominent architect in Newfoundland for introducing the Second Empire Style of architecture. 

The duplex has undergone significant restorations since its designation as a Registered Heritage Structure in 1995 to preserve and maintain this building. The Cable Staff House has a mansard roof, an architectural feature associated with the Second Empire Style and Southcott's designs. 

The Cable Staff House Mansard Roof (L): Prior to restoration in mid 1990s (R): Following restorations in 2017.

The building also has decorative eaves brackets, visible in the pictures below.

Before and after pictures of the buildings eaves brackets. (L): Picture prior to restoration in 1990s (R): Photo after restoration in 2017.

Photo of the Cable Staff House's windows. (L): Photo from mid 1990s (R): After restoration in 2017.

Another key design element of the Cable Staff Houses is the variety of styles of windows, some of which are 2/2 while others are larger and multi-paned. The house also has several dormer windows, which were restored in 2018. 

The Cable Staff Houses received the Newfoundland Historic Trust's Southcott Award for Restoration in 1999.

You can learn more about the Cable Staff Houses at the links below:

https://heritagenl.ca/heritage-property/cable-staff-house-1-registered-heritage-structure/

https://heritagenl.ca/heritage-property/cable-staff-house-2-registered-heritage-structure/

https://www.gov.nl.ca/releases/2023/tcar/0228n02/

Commemorations Ceremony and Book Launch: The Lebanese Business Community - April 4th, 2023

For immediate release

St. John’s, NL
March 27, 2023

Join Heritage NL at The Lantern, 35 Barnes Road, St. John’s on Tuesday, April 4th at 7:00 pm, as we celebrate the newest addition to our Provincial Historic Commemorations Program – The Establishment of the Lebanese Business Community in Newfoundland.

Newfoundland and Labrador is home to a diversity of cultures and ethnicities, but little attention has been given to how non-European identities have contributed to our province. “Beginning with their arrival in the late 19th century, Lebanese immigrants established a successful business community here. This Provincial Commemoration recognizes the efforts of these Lebanese-Newfoundlanders to build businesses and establish a unique sense of place,” says Heritage NL’s chair, Dr. Lisa Daly.

In addition to the Provincial Historic Commemoration, Heritage NL also announces the launch of The Establishment of the Lebanese Business Community in Newfoundland. This book features chapters on well-known Lebanese business owners, discusses the early arrival of Lebanese immigrant families in Corner Brook, and maps the Lebanese business community of St. John’s from 1898-1936. Several transcripts of oral history interviews are included and the book features over 150 photos of early Lebanese businesses and families.

The event is free and tickets can be found on EventBrite at https://www.eventbrite.ca/o/heritage-nl-11970018677.

Heritage NL is a provincial crown agency with a mandate to stimulate an understanding of and an appreciation for the architectural heritage and intangible cultural heritage of Newfoundland and Labrador.

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For Further Information Contact:

Andrea O’Brien
andrea@heritagenl.ca
1-888-739-1892 ext 4