photo courtesy Lauralee Ledrew, Cormack |
https://dai.mun.ca/digital/ich_wn/
photo courtesy Lauralee Ledrew, Cormack |
Do you produce, have, use, or love wool?
Memorial folklore students are looking for wool enthusiasts in Newfoundland and Labrador to interview, photograph, or maybe visit, with the aim of developing a series of student papers and podcasts about the wool industry.
Heritage NL is working with the students of Folk6400, a Graduate Seminar in Material Culture at Memorial University, to study the linkages between local raw wool and the crafting of products from that material. Are you a sheep farmer with underutilized wool? Are you a felter looking for a source of wool for your next project? Are you a new or experienced entrepreneur who has thoughts or questions about making or marketing wool-based craft in NL? If yes, our students want to talk to you!
CBC NL's Jessica Singer has published an article on the designation of the Indian Cove School, highlighting several former students' memories of the building.
Indian Cove School |
You can read the full article here: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/indian-cove-school-labrador-1.7102073
Three historic properties in Burin, Indian Cove, and Heart’s Content have been awarded a heritage designation by Heritage NL. The designations include a one-room school, Anglo-American Telegraph Company housing, and a family home.
The Indian Cove One Room School, constructed around 1940, provided a space for education for Indigenous and settler children until the community was resettled to nearby Mary’s Harbour in the late 1950s. Located by the waterfront in the center of the fishing village of Indian Cove, this one-story school building has remained primarily unchanged since construction. The school includes several pieces of original furniture, including wooden pews, chairs and desks, and a slate chalkboard. In recent years, the Indian Cove One Room School has become a community space again, hosting weddings and celebrations of life, and is located along a Battle Harbour Trust walking trail. Learn more from our website: https://heritagenl.ca/heritage-property/indian-cove-school-registered-heritage-structure/
The Cable Superintendent’s House is located on Parish Hall Hill in the Heart’s Content designated Heritage District. Constructed between 1881 and 1883 as housing for the Anglo-American Telegraph Company Superintendents, the house was designed by J.T. Southcott in the Second Empire style with a mansard roof and dormer windows. The Cable Superintendent’s House is part of the transatlantic cable history of Heart’s Content, including the Heart’s Content Cable Station Provincial Historic Site, which is currently being considered for UNESCO World Heritage Status. Learn more here: https://heritagenl.ca/heritage-property/cable-superintendents-house-registered-heritage-structure/
The Ross Property in Burin, also known as the “Red House,” is located off Little Burin Harbour and includes a family home, a small stage, and two outbuildings. Built circa 1888, the Ross house was constructed for George Ross and his wife, Charlotte Foote Ross, by her father, William Foote. George Ross was a blacksmith who operated a forge on the property from the mid-1890s to 1919, after which his son Charles took over following George Ross’s death. The Ross House is a 2.5-storey saltbox structure with a steep gable roof and central chimney. More information is available on our website: https://heritagenl.ca/heritage-property/ross-property-registered-heritage-structure/
“These properties reflect the varied history of the people of Newfoundland and Labrador as seen through built heritage,” says Dr. Lisa Daly, chair of Heritage NL. “Compared to the island, there are very few designated properties in Labrador, so we are pleased to designate the Indian Cove One Room School House as a built heritage that represents some of the complicated history of Indigenous and settler education in the province, and see its use as a community space. The Cable Superintendent’s House was built for Newfoundland’s role in transatlantic communications, keeping North America better connected to Europe. And the Ross Property was a blacksmith, a trade that was needed in every region to support fishing, farming, construction, and more. We are pleased to continue to work with the owners of heritage properties to continue to preserve the built heritage of Newfoundland and Labrador.”
Heritage NL was established in 1984 to preserve one of the most visible dimensions of Newfoundland and Labrador culture - its architectural heritage. Heritage NL designates buildings and other structures as Registered Heritage Structures and may provide grants for the purpose of preservation and restoration of such structures.
In the first edition of the Heritage Update for 2024:
Organizations can contact the Craft Council of Newfoundland and Labrador directly if interested in becoming sponsors.
Heritage NL will be in Deer Lake on Wednesday, January 31, 2024 from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM as part of the Harris Centre research project from Memorial, presenting on the Humber Valley Traditional Skills inventory.
If you'd like to attend, it is free, with lunch provided, but you need to register in advance
A great way to support Crafts at Risk this holiday season is to buy local! When it’s possible for you, consider heritage crafts for your next purchase or gift.
Mile-a-minute quilt by Mary Elliott of Main Brook. |
Are you interested in old pictures of Salvage and Eastport? Heritage NL is hosting an Old Picture Sharing Night on Thursday, November 23rd at the Beaches Arts and Heritage Annex in Eastport. Come see some old pictures from the Eastport Peninsula, followed by a brief presentation by the MUN Folklore department about their research in the area.
This event is free but does require attendees to pre-register. Follow the link here to pre-register: https://forms.gle/VyBZNtK1SfJn2hVP9
Organized in partnership with the
Eastport Peninsula Arts and Heritage Society
and Salvage Fishermans Museum
Do you have an old photo album of pictures from the Eastport Peninsula? Heritage NL is hosting two sharing sessions, to help preserve and share old photos for all to see. Heritage NL is looking for old photos of the community, from the 1890s to the 1990s, including anything showing old buildings, garden parties, shops that no longer exist, photos from the old festivals, or cars decorated for weddings.
“We want to see those snapshots Nan kept in the old biscuit tin in the closet,” says folklorist Dale Jarvis with Heritage NL. “Sometimes photos from the 1970s and ‘80s include buildings or structures that have changed over time, so even if they aren’t ancient photographs, they can still help us document changes to the community.”
Think of it as a show and tell for your old photos! Heritage NL staff will be on site to scan the photographs and ask questions about who or what is shown. You take home your original photos, and if you bring your own USB flash drive, you can take home a digital copy as well. The digital copies will be used in an Old Picture Show viewing event that will take place later on this November. The event will occur locally and you are all invited to attend.
So go ahead and dig out those old photos, and come out for a cup of tea and a chat with the folks from Heritage NL!
Organized in partnership with the
Eastport Peninsula Arts and Heritage Society
and Salvage Fishermans Museum
Tilting NL - Candy boilers, fence builders, and blood pudding makers are featured in a new report celebrating the traditional skills of Tilting, Fogo Island.
Starting in 2022, the Tilting Recreation and Cultural Society (TRACS) and Heritage NL, in partnership with the Community Revitalization Research Program at Queen’s University, set out to identify traditional skill holders in the area.
That research on local knowledge has been released in a colourful new online publication by Heritage NL, with photos and quotes by the participants.
"We wanted to find the ‘hidden gems’ of Tilting traditions," says Dale Jarvis, Heritage NL Executive Director. "We found storytellers, musicians, carvers, lobstermen, keepers of beer plants, and experts on local lore, who are all represented in the study."
Jarvis says the document is a starting point for future research, with many more crafters, makers, and skills-holders to be identified. The report is available on the HeritageNL.ca website.
https://heritagenl.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Tilting-Traditional-Skills-Inventory.pdf
Job Posting: Records Management Clerk
Heritage NL is seeking a Records Management Clerk, to assist Heritage NL further its goals of fostering a greater appreciation of historic places and living heritage, by digitizing organizational records and community archival and photographic collections, and making those more accessible to the general public. This will include scanning and digitization of photographic and written records, writing of archival metadata, as well as transcription of recorded oral histories.
This will be a 52 week position at $20/hr, based in St. John's. The applicant will have a background in records management and/or library and information sciences, experience in transcription, strong computer skills, and knowledge of various digital media formats. An archival background or work experience, or work with community heritage organizations, is an asset.
This position is funded through the Job Creation Partnerships (JCP) program, so applicants must meet the following eligibility requirements:
Be a resident of the province;
Canadian citizens or permanent residents legally entitled to work in Canada;
Meet the definition of EI-eligible;
Be approved by the Department under Section 25 of the Employment Insurance Act as insured participants who are active EI claimants; and
Have an employment plan that identifies that the JCP work experience being considered supports a reasonable occupational goal.
Heritage NL’s role is to safeguard and sustain the heritage of Newfoundland and Labrador 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.
Deadline to apply: Wednesday, September 20th
Send resume and cover letter to:
Dale Jarvis, Executive Director, Heritage NL
PO Box 5171
St. John's, NL
Canada A1C 5V5
She had many stories and memories of the houses, specifically house #1 as she was friends with Ann Bonfield who lived in there with her father, Mr. Bonfield, and sister Eileen. Mr. Bonfield was originally from England and came over here to work in the Cable Station. His first wife died during childbirth and his second wife died when Ann was very young. So it was just the three of them in the house, along with their housekeeper who would do the washing and cooking. Joan says she was the “grandmother type” and would stay there overnight to be able to get up early and get the girls ready for school. The Bonfield’s lived there from 1945 to the early 1950s.
It was well known in the community that people who lived in these houses previously were different, or as Joan described them, “snobbish”. They thought they were superior to the locals. No one from the community was ever allowed into the Cable Staff Houses, unless they were hired as a housekeeper for example. But Joan said Mr.Bonfield was different. She was welcomed into their home and she remembers having many meals there and spending time with Ann. Joan remembers one instance where in highschool she and Ann were to sing in a concert and Mr. Bonfield trained them. They sang ‘O Come, All Ye Faithful”. She said that they sang the song so many times she will never forget it, in both English and Latin! Mr. Bonfield was also trained as a watchmaker when he lived back in England so when he moved to Heart’s Content he would repair peoples watches and clocks, and he would never charge them. Mr. Bonfield did keep to himself, but Joan said he was always nice to the children in the community.
During the interview Joan brought out a bowl of gooseberries, which were a light green colour. She explained that they were actually from a European gooseberry tree, as the berries are green when they are ripe, rather than the regular red colour we see from the gooseberry trees here in Newfoundland. Joan said Mr. Bonfield told her brother to go up to the Cable Staff House and take the gooseberry tree. Now it resides in Joan’s yard. They are a bit bigger than Newfoundland gooseberries and were very flavourful! The tree must have come over from England when the other trees, such as the huge copper beech trees and maples, were brought over to be planted in the yard of the Cable Houses. Joan remembers the trees in the yard always being big, she would see them as she and her family walked up the hill to church.
Joan also remembers the Rendell family who lived in house #2. Mr. Rendell was originally from Heart’s Content and was able to get work in the Cable Station. His wife was from Newfoundland, so they were different from previous people who had lived in the houses. They had three children, two boys, Roland and Wallace, and a girl, Phyllis. Unfortunately, Wallace, the youngest boy, passed away two years ago and Joan said it would have been great if I could have spoken with him since he actually lived in one of the houses. But I was able to listen to a clip from the Heart’s Content Cable Conference in 2016, where Wallace Rendell and Ted Rowe discuss their memories of growing up in a cable town. Rendell discusses a lot of his memories about living in the cable staff houses. Here is a link to that discussion if you are interested!
https://collections.mun.ca/digital/collection/ich_avalon/id/6146/rec/2
A couple of years ago, when the houses were owned by Ed and Lynda Woodley, they had an open house where people from the community could go inside and see the houses. Joan remembers going in. She said they did a good job restoring the house to what she remembers, with the only differences being the bathroom downstairs and the bathroom on the landing. Joan says that many people back then didn't have a bathroom inside, and if they did they were upstairs. Originally the downstairs bathroom was a butler’s pantry and the one on the landing was a small room, which could have been a number of things like a sewing room for example. The houses are incredible and if you ever get a chance to visit I highly recommend!
The time I spent with Joan was impactful as I was able to learn about her and her childhood, but also her memories of the Cable Staff Hoses and Heart’s Content. I enjoyed learning about the people who lived in the houses and the memories that still surround them. We are always open to more stories about the Cable Staff Houses so do not hesitate to reach out to us!
If you’d like to learn more about the Heart’s Content Cable Staff Houses #1 and #2 click the link below and you’ll be directed to our field note on them!
Photo by Cameron Kilfoy/The Telegram. |
If you tuned into the St. John's Morning Show on CBC Radio One this morning you would have heard an interview done with Emlyn Tuck, our summer student Historic Buildings Researcher, where she talked about the Avondale Railway Station and the research that was conducted for it! If you missed it, no worries! Check out the link below to listen!
https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-56-st-johns-morning-show/clip/16003656-history-preservation-avondale
If you'd like to learn more about the Avondale Railway Station check out the following links to our website!
https://heritagenl.ca/heritage-property/avondale-railway-station-registered-heritage-structure/
https://heritagenl.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Avondale-Railway-Station-Fieldnote.pdf
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!
Contributions from:
Jarvis, Dale Gilbert
Barrett, Terra M.
O'Brien, Andrea
Lanphear, Juliet
Barker, Anne
Tuck, Emlyn
Burfitt, Stephen
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/
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.
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Learn more about the building here: