Heritage Update for August - Heritage at work in communities across the province

In this month's Heritage Update: heritage restoration is underway on both the Our Lady of Mercy Roman Catholic Church restoration on the Port au Port peninsula, and Sacred Heart Church, Open Hall; a feature on exterior bell towers or campaniles; a Craft at Risk and Heritage Skills Training Program Update; Heritage NL staff go in search of women's stories related to Registered Heritage Structures; a new plaque for Winter Home in Clarke's Beach; we dive into the history of the Avondale Railway Station; and some news from the ongoing restoration of the Fowler House in Brigus. People have been busy!

Download the pdf here

Contributions from:

Jarvis, Dale Gilbert
Barrett, Terra M.
O'Brien, Andrea
Lanphear, Juliet
Barker, Anne
Tuck, Emlyn
Burfitt, Stephen

Heart's Content Cable Staff Houses #1 and #2: Got any stories?

 

Heart's Content Cable Staff Houses #1 and #2 (Heritage NL, 2017)

Heritage NL is looking for information about Cable Staff House #1 and #2 in Heart's Content! This building is a duplex and housed many people since being built in 1882, so there's lots of history there! If you have any stories or know anyone who used to live in the houses don't hesitate to let us know! We'd love to learn more about the history of the buildings and the people who came through their doors!

If you have any information you can email research@heritagenl.ca or take part in our survey, at the link below:

https://forms.gle/HQ1TiEAAXuEogGPv6

To learn more about the Cable Staff Houses check out the following links to our website!

Cable Staff House #1: https://heritagenl.ca/heritage-property/cable-staff-house-1-registered-heritage-structure/

Cable Staff House #2: https://heritagenl.ca/heritage-property/cable-staff-house-2-registered-heritage-structure/

Temporary Plaque Presented to the Pouch Cove Clifton Lodge SUF #46

 

Pouch Cove Clifton Lodge SUF #46

Today Heritage NL presented a new temporary plaque to the Pouch Cove Clifton Lodge Society of United Fishermen #46 to display during the building's restorations. 

Heritage NL's Historic Plaque Intern presenting the plaque
 to the Pouch Cove Heritage Society Chair Susanne Whiteway

The sign also includes a brief history of the building which reads: "Built 1924-26, this building was constructed to replace the original Clifton Lodge founded in 1900, named for James A. Clift, the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge in St. John’s. Clifton Lodge was used as a community space, hosting Society of United Fishermen meetings, Women’s Sewing Circle events, concerts, and wedding receptions, and was briefly a classroom".

Learn more about the Clifton Lodge SUF #46 on our website: https://heritagenl.ca/heritage-property/clifton-lodge-suf-46-registered-heritage-structure/

For more information on the history of the Lodge and possible future uses check out the Adaptive Reuse Report compiled by Heritage NL: https://heritagenl.ca/pouch-cove-suf-hall/

Heritage at Work on the Port au Port

AGUATHUNA NL - A historic Port au Port Peninsula church will soon start much-needed repair work with assistance from Heritage NL.

Our Lady of Mercy Roman Catholic Church is an imposing Renaissance Revival church prominently situated on the isthmus dividing St. George’s and Port au Port Bays. Apart from being one of the largest, it is also one of the finest Newfoundland churches and was designed by one of the province’s noted architects William F. Butler. It was designated a Registered Heritage Structure by Heritage NL in 1997. 

Built between 1914 and 1925, the all-wood building is being restored by the not-for-profit Our Lady of Mercy Complex Committee. The 2023 recipient of a $20,000 Revitalization Grant from Heritage NL, the Committee will focus the first phase of their repairs on the church’s eaves and historic trim work. 

“This funding will assist us to begin an overall plan to restore the exterior of the heritage church,” says Vanessa Glasgow, Chairperson of the Our Lady of Mercy Complex Committee.  “It means we can address one of the priority issues from the completed conditional assessment.”

“The original pine carved eavestrough has been in place for almost a century and has deteriorated the eaves,” Glasgow adds. “This restoration project will restore the integrity of the eaves, reducing heat loss, and addressing any deterioration.”

Heritage NL was established in 1984 to stimulate an understanding of and an appreciation for the historic places and living heritage of the province. In addition to its designation and granting programs, Heritage NL also has an educational role and coordinates events, publications and other projects designed to promote the value of Newfoundland and Labrador heritage. 

###

Learn more about the building here:

https://heritagenl.ca/heritage-property/our-lady-of-mercy-roman-catholic-church-registered-heritage-structure

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.