The ruins of St. John’s watered with tears: The Great Fire

ARCHIVAL MOMENT

June 9, 1846

St. John’s previous to the fire of June 9, 1846

The origin of the fire, which broke out on  June 9, 1846, in St. John’s, has generally been attributed to the carelessness of a cabinet maker who lived on George Street.

By 7:00 p.m., when the fire had finally run its course, over 2,000 buildings had been burned and about 12,000 people, or 57 per cent of the town’s total population, left homeless. The total amount of property loss was estimated at £888,356.   Altogether, there were three casualties: one soldier died as a result of the demolition ordered on Water Street; one citizen collapsed while attempting to carry his possessions to safety; and one prisoner died in his cell when the gaol burnt. A few days after, two labourers clearing away ruins were killed by a falling wall.

Homeless Seek Shelter

On June 10, 1846 many of the 12,000 refugees from the fire could be found in make shift tents in this neighborhood (Fort Townshend) now the site of The Rooms. Others found shelter on the grounds of the new R.C. Cathedral (now Basilica) that was under construction, others in the area now called Bannerman Park on Military Road.

One of the Presentation Sisters  who stood witness as her convent and school (located on Long’s Hill)  burnt wrote:

“the ruins of our convent  (and St. John’s) were well watered with their tears.”

In the days following the fire the traditional resilience of Newfoundlanders  was well displayed. One of those present described the scene:

“The very next morning some of the citizens were at work excavating among the ruins of their dwellings  and preparing to erect temporary sheds, thousands were ruined, but everyone there was hopeful, determined that St. John’s would rise again …”

Recommended Archival Collection: What do we have in the ‘Rooms Archives’ on this subject? Type  Fire   in the search bar here: http://gencat1.eloquent-systems.com/webcat/request/DoMenuRequest?SystemName=The+Rooms+Public&UserName=wa+public&Password=&TemplateProcessID=6000_3355&bCachable=1&MenuName=The+Rooms+Archives

Recommended Reading: The Great St. John’s Fire of 1846 by Melvin Baker (c)1983 Originally published in the Newfoundland Quarterly, vol. LXXIX, no. 1 (Summer 1983) http://www.ucs.mun.ca/~melbaker/1846fire.htm

Recommended Archival Collection at the Provincial Archives in the Rooms:  MG 50.2:  Map of St. John’s, Newfoundland, showing all the buildings erected since the fire of the 9th of June 1846 from actual survey (MG 50.2)

 

Fly over your home town from The Rooms.

Photo Credit: The Rooms; St. John’s Harbour, Aerial view VA 15b 24.3

Lee Wulff (1905-1991) was a well-known sports fisherman and hunter, conservationist, author, photographer and film producer. He initially visited Newfoundland in 1935 on a fishing expedition as a guest of the Commission of Government of Newfoundland. The government was inviting photographers  to visit Newfoundland and Labrador in the 1930’s with the goal of boosting  tourism. Wulff  an avid fisherman promoted salmon and blue fin tuna fishing, establishing two world records. He also ran fishing camps on the Great Northern Peninsula.

Over the next three decades, Wulff served as a consultant on sports fishing, hunting and tourist resources in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Wulff introduced several innovative techniques for sports fishermen, which received international recognition. These included the short wading vests worn by fly fishermen and hair-wing dry flies for the salmon fishery.

Wulff favored the designation of salmon as game fish, and promoted the conservation of Newfoundland and Labrador’s sports fisheries by utilizing the “catch and release” method. He also established angling schools in conjunction with his wife Joan Wulff.

Wulff made twenty films about fishing and hunting in Newfoundland. His articles and photography were published in numerous magazines including Maclean’s, Outdoor Magazine, Field and Stream, American Sportsman, Atlantic Salmon Journal, and the Atlantic Advocate. His autobiography, Bush Pilot Angler: A Memoir was published in 2000.

The Rooms is now making available on line  GN 186   a series of 741 aerial views of Newfoundland and Labrador communities photographed by Wulff. The community photographs were taken by Wulff in the 1940’s from his own plane; the photographs are arranged alphabetically.

Find an aerial view of your community here:

http://gencat.eloquent-systems.com/therooms_permalink.html?key=32152

Was that a hoar frost last night?

Archival Moment

Was that a hoar frost last night? Enough to “barber” a person !

June 6, 1890

1 Bonaventure Avenue, St. John's (The Observatory) was equipped as a weather Observatory

1 Bonaventure Avenue, St. John’s (The Observatory) was equipped as a weather Observatory

Many Newfoundland weather sayings are the traditional weather sayings of the British Isles and Ireland from which much of ancestral folk heritage arises. Newfoundland weather is unpredictable and changes quickly. Therefore, many weather sayings are locally based, derived from years of weather observations from the land and the sea.

One such expression is “hoar frost in autumn is a sign of south wind and rain.”

There was a time when meteorologists reported without any blush such descriptions as:

“At four o’clock this morning the hoar frost stood thick as snow on the roof.”  

It “hoar frost” is not a phrase that is often used by our weathermen today but it is a meteorological phenomenon that technically means “a white coating of ice crystals formed by sublimation of atmospheric water vapor on a surface. Also called white frost.

In Newfoundland and Labrador it is also known as “barber frost.”  The Evening Telegram reported on May 10, 1881   that “the temperature fell to seven degrees below zero’ and the cold was aggravated by piercing winds and the dense hoar frost, or “barber” as the seamen aptly term it. Seeing it cuts them like a razor. “

On June 6, 1890 the local “The official meteorological report stated that there were ten degrees of frost last night. At four o’clock this morning the hoar frost stood thick as snow on the roof.”

The name hoar comes from an Old English adjective that means “showing signs of old age”; in this context it refers to the frost that makes trees and bushes look like white hair.

A little known fact is that in the shadow of The Rooms at 1 Bonaventure Avenue is the building known locally as “The Observatory”, it was originally owned by John Delaney, (1811-1883). His interest in meteorology led to the development of a local meteorological service under the aegis of the Meteorological Service of Canada. A regular informant of the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, he was made a Fellow of the Royal Meteorological Society in 1873.

1 Bonaventure Avenue was equipped with an Observatory when it was constructed. It was a two-storey structure attached to the rear addition but has since been demolished. It was from this structure, and the attached house that Delaney studied meteorology as a Fellow of the Royal Meteorological Society.

Was that a hoar frost last night? Will this be a summer of “south wind and rain” ? Your weatherman knows the answer. Give him a call.

Archival Collection: At the Rooms an excellent source for studying weather are the Telegraph Office News Ledgers (GN 18) and the Reports of Light house Keepers about the province. Series consists of photocopied reproductions of handwritten news books kept by staff of the Department of Posts and Telegraphs reporting daily on local and international events, viewed as of interest to the local audience. Subjects included are sealing reports, shipwrecks, local disasters and aviation reports. The daily news reports also included a brief synopsis of the local weather.

Sacred Newfoundland Ground in France

ARCHIVAL MOMENT

June 7, 1925

Photo Credit: NA 3106; Opening of the Newfoundland Memorial Park, Beaumont Hamel, France

Of the five memorials established in France and Belgium in memory of major actions fought by the  Newfoundland Regiment, the largest is the thirty hectare site at Beaumont-Hamel, nine kilometres north of the town of Albert. This site commemorates all Newfoundlanders who fought in the Great War, particularly those who have no known grave. The site was officially opened by Field Marshal Earl Haig on June 7, 1925.

Shortly after the Great War, the Government of Newfoundland purchased the ground over which the 1st Newfoundland Regiment made its heroic advance on July 1.

Much of the credit for  this and the other memorials is due to (Reverend) Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Nangle, a Roman Catholic priest from St. John’s who as Director of Graves Registration and Enquiry and Newfoundland’s representative on the Imperial War Graves Commission, negotiated with some 250 French landowners for the purchase of the site. He (Father Nangle) had a leading part in planning and supervising the erection, at each of the five Newfoundland Memorials sites in Europe, of a statue of the noble caribou, the emblem of the Regiment, standing facing the former foe with head thrown high in defiance.

The landscape architect, who designed the sites and supervised their construction, was Mr. R.H.K. Cochius, a native of Holland living in St. John’s, Newfoundland. The caribous were the work of the English sculptor, Basil Gotto. He also executed the statue of the “Fighting Newfoundlander,” which Sir Edward Bowring gifted to the people of St. John’s.

Recommended Reading:  Soldier Priest: In the Killing Fields of Europe Padre Thomas Nangle Chaplain to the Newfoundland Regiment WWI by Gary Browne and Darrin McGrath.

Recommended Archival Collection: What do we have in the ‘Rooms Archives’ on this subject? Type  Beaumont  Hamel  in the search bar here: http://gencat1.eloquent-systems.com/webcat/request/DoMenuRequest?SystemName=The+Rooms+Public&UserName=wa+public&Password=&TemplateProcessID=6000_3355&bCachable=1&MenuName=The+Rooms+Archives

Recommended Exhibit: Beaumont Hamel and The Trail the Caribou. The First World War had a profound impact on Newfoundland and Labrador. It involved thousands of our people in world-changing events overseas and dramatically altered life at home. Our “Great War” happened in the trenches and on the ocean, in the legislature and in the shops, by firesides and bedsides. This exhibition shares the thoughts, hopes, fears, and sacrifices of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians who experienced those tumultuous years – through their treasured mementoes, their writings and their memories.

 

 

Not a trick: The Rooms hosting classic 120s game nights

Photo Credit: The Rooms VA 87-62.6; Playing cards

Not a trick: The Rooms hosting classic 120s game nights

Game dates back to 16th Century Europe, with rich history in N.L.

Read More:  http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/120s-the-rooms-joy-barfoot-1.4135007

 

Date: May 31 & June 28
Time: 7:00pm – 9:00pm
Cost:  Included with price of admission, pre-registration recommended  Have you always wanted to learn how to play 120’s but have never had the chance?  Join our enthusiastic volunteer instructors as they share their love of this iconic card game.

Offered on the last Wednesday of the month in May and June. Spaces are limited and pre registration is recommended for each session. To register, please contact Visitor Services at 757-8090.

 

The town clock in St. John’s

ARCHIVAL MOMENT

June 1, 1859

Basilica 1841On June 1, 1859 the talk in St. John’s was all about the installation of a ‘Town Clock’ and ‘Sundial’.   The “town clock” was being installed in the East Tower of the Basilica Cathedral and the “sundial” in the West Tower.   For the residents of St. John’s the installation was significant. The “town clock” was a symbol of self confidence, a symbol of permanence.

In 1859 a town clock was considered one of the principal characteristics of a town. Could you really have the status of a town without a town clock?

In St. John’s, a comparable installation in modern times would have been the installation of the first escalator in the Old Woolworth’s Building.  This new contraption signaled that St. John’s was taking on the trappings of a modern city!!

The “Town Clock” that was being installed was manufactured by Borrel of Paris, and boasted a dial in enameled lava. In the tradition of the town clocks of the day, it was not a clock to be “watched” but rather designed to be “listened” too.  Residents of the town would listen and on the hour and half-hour, as the new clock struck the great bell (the Bourdon) it would sound out.  There are reports that when the clock struck it could be heard for miles around even as far away as Torbay.   (The word “clock” comes from the same root as glocke, the German word for bell.)

In the “west tower” the sundial was being installed primarily for aesthetic balance. The sundial is the most ancient instrument for measuring time. Before the invention of mechanical clocks mounted on towers, “sun clocks” were the only instruments used to indicate the public time.

In 1954, the mechanical works of the clock were converted to an electrical system, and a new dial was installed.  The ‘sundial was removed.

In 2009 two new clocks were installed in the towers of the Basilica replacing the original clock and sundial.

Recommended Archival Collection: What do we have in the ‘Rooms Archives’ on this subject? Type  “Basilica”  in the search bar here: http://gencat1.eloquent-systems.com/webcat/request/DoMenuRequest?SystemName=The+Rooms+Public&UserName=wa+public&Password=&TemplateProcessID=6000_3355&bCachable=1&MenuName=The+Rooms+Archives

Recommended Website: Take a virtual tour of the Basilica. http://www.thebasilica.ca/index.cfm?load=page&page=186

 

 

 

The Effects of Bad Rum

Archival Moment

May 12, 1879

Making swish, drink it in moderation!

Making swish, drink it in moderation!

We have all had the occasion when we might have imbibed a little too much alcohol. But none so much as was drunk on one of the wharves in St. John’s on a Saturday afternoon in May of 1879.

One man got so drunk or ‘spiritualized’  that one of the reporters with the St. John’s newspaper the ‘Evening Telegram’ felt compelled to write about it.

The newspaper reported:

“The effects of bad rum were practically illustrated at the South Side of St. John’s, on Saturday. Several casks that once contained the precious beverage were rolled together on one of the wharves for the purpose of being filled with oil, when the idea suggested itself to the employees that free drinks could be obtained for all round by simply rinsing some of them out.

The men who were gathered poured a quantity of water from one cask to another until the proof satisfied those immediately interested and then all present were permitted to freely test the quality.

As a matter of course, a general misunderstanding arose, and a scene of indescribable confusion followed.

One stalwart seaman, belonging to the Dot ( a fishing vessel) of Prince Edward Island, who imbibed rather too freely, became so spiritualized that he thought that he could walk on water to the other side of the harbor.

Divesting himself of the greater part of his clothing, he stepped off the wharf; but unfortunately his faith was weaker than the rum and, like Peter of old, he began to sink.

After considerable time had elapsed, during which work was suspended all round, some parties pushed off a boat and the infatuated man was rescued and placed on terra firma, wiser than before he tried the experiment.”

The newspaper reporter was describing an old practice, the men were engaged in making swish or liquor produced by pouring water into a recently emptied rum barrel.

In Newfoundland there has always been those with a passion for making ‘swish’ and did not take kindly to interference.

On May 2, 1973 the St. John’s Daily News posted a poem  that was critical of  John Crosbie, Minister of Finance  and  liquor taxes that were being considered  by the government of the day.

Hon. John Crosbie

Swish will cost ten dollars

Inflation isn’t bad enough
But Johnny Crosbie makes it tough
He’s putting up the drop of stuff
Swish will cost ten dollars

Into the barrels from the store
So much hot water you would pour
A three buck deal but now it’s more
Swish will cost ten dollars

Liquor soaked into the wood
Drawn out by water as it should
A swishy product make’s that’s good
Swish will cost ten dollars.

If Crosbie likes to spread his name
Quite sad will be his claim to fame
The jacked up price on him we’ll blame
Swish will cost ten dollars.

Making moonshine on one’s own
Will Mr. Crosbie now condone
Why not, the way that things are goin’
Swish will cost ten dollars

Archival Collection at The Rooms:  Temperance societies in Newfoundland had been advocating for prohibition dating back to the 1860’s. In 1915 the Government of Newfoundland held a referendum proposing prohibition. Prohibition, which came into effect  (1917 –1925), prohibited everyone except doctors from buying, selling or possessing liquors containing more than two percent alcohol.   Explore GN 2/5 271-G. Office of the Colonial Secretary. Correspondence and report of the Commission of Enquiry into the administration of the Prohibition Act and appointment of the Liquor Controller 1920-1925.

 

“The Art of Gerald Squires: Materials and Sources”

Stan Dragland, literary critic, editor, novelist, and poet will present the annual Newfoundland Historical Society (NHS) George Story Lecture.

The lecture takes its name from George Morley Story (1927-1994), past president of the NHS  and winner of the NHS’s Heritage Award for 1982-1983. Dr. Story joined Memorial University’s Department of English Language and Literature in 1954, where he established an international reputation as a lexicographer and Renaissance scholar, and pioneered the study of Newfoundland history, culture, language and literature.

Dragland in his presentation will discuss the celebrated Newfoundland painter, Gerald Squires. His presentation is based on his research for the long essay in a new book on Squires timed to appear alongside Squires’ 2017 retrospective—opening at The Rooms, May 12th. 

The lecture promises to explore the many sources now available—not only the pictures and sculptures, the criticism and interviews, but also the wealth of archival material preserved by Gail Squires and held in Holyrood.

Especially important are Squires’ own eloquent writings, many of them never published, some of them chosen to grace the lecture. Dragland explores the painter’s passionate grasp of archetypal impulses—heaven and hell contending in his personal cosmology—and tries to suggest how such tensions are embodied in his pictures. An important sub-theme is Squires’ deep-seated ecological consciousness, more relevant and valuable than ever in the context of accelerating threats to the biosphere.

Lecture and illustrations will present Squires as he is well-known and well-loved, but also with dimensions that are not common knowledge. The viewer/listener may also expect to see and hear about some surprising images that came to light after Squires’ death.

Location: Hampton Hall, Marine Institute

Date: Thursday, April 27, 2017     Time: 8pm

Parking: Free parking is available in front and to the west of the building.

Please circulate  to family, friends and colleagues.

For more information:

Tel:(709)722-3191      E-mail: nlhistory@gmail.com

http://www.nlhistory.ca/

Recommended Exhibit: Gerald Squires: Spirit Visible from  May 13 – September 4, 2017  at The Rooms.

Excursion around the Bay

Archival Moment

April 23, 1889

Excursion around the Bay

Advertising for the ' Excursion Season'

Advertising for the ‘
Excursion Season’

There was a long established tradition in St. John’s, known locally as ‘the excursion’ that saw hundreds of the citizens of the town make reservations in late April on one of the costal boats or on the train for “an excursion around the bay.”

The first of the excursions began on the May 24th weekend as part of the Empire Day celebrations. Excursions continued well into August.

Typically the excursions were arranged by one of the many societies, associations or church groups for their members. It was for many the social event of the year. A typical ‘excursion’ included an early morning departure by coastal boat or train, arrival in the host community for a breakfast prepared by the local women, a picnic lunch, a walk about in the town, and an opportunity to hike or trout. In some communities a sports day would be, some of the ‘sports’ included horse races, foot, hurdle and sack and wheelbarrow races, shooting matches. The day would end with a comic concert or dance and supper.

The most desired destinations for an excursion were Harbour Grace, Trinity, Witless Bay, Renews and Placentia.

These junketing expeditions or excursions were also occasions for a ‘drunken spree.’

One group that enjoyed the excursions were the politicians. In April 1888 the legislature was closed to allow for an excursion to Placentia. This particular junket came under criticism because “the cost of the said entertainments was being defrayed out of the public purse.”

One critic of these excursions, referred to the excursion to Placentia as “the drunken spree in Placentia.”

Writing to the Evening Telegram (April 23, 1889) the critic wrote that the members of the government were joined by the members of the opposition, “how can such persons (the opposition) thereafter denounce such expenditure as an act of public robbery (which it is) or any other similar acts of public robbery.”

For the vast majority however it was a day of considerable fun. Perhaps your organization should plan an ‘excursion around the bay.’

The tradition was so ingrained in the hearts and minds of Newfoundlanders that the term “excursion bread” or “scursion” was coined to refer to a dry sweet biscuit, shaped like a cake of ‘hard tack’ taken by the travelers in their pockets to eat between meals.

Recommended Archival Collection: Views of Newfoundland. VA 6; VA 7 (185 photographs: b&w)  Series consists of two photograph albums which reflect the observations and travels of S. T. Brooks and wife and colleague Betty Watt Brooks in Newfoundland and Labrador between 1935 and 1938. The collection consists primarily of photographs depicting communities on the Avalon Peninsula and Conception Bay, including St. John’s, Ferryland, and Brigus. The photographs illustrated salt fish industry, outport agriculture, domestic arts and crafts, and historical curiosities.

Recommended Song: Great Big Sea: Excursion around the Bay: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0q3Pm2rFVQ

Recommended Reading: Excursions in and about Newfoundland during the years 1839 and 1840 by J.B. Jukes.

The Rooms launches First World War bilingual online exhibit

The Rooms continues its First World War commemoration with the launch of a bilingual online exhibit entitled “Beaumont-Hamel and the Trail of the Caribou: Newfoundland and Labradorians at War and at Home 1914-1949.”

 

On July 1, 2016, The Rooms marked the 100th anniversary of Beaumont-Hamel with the largest First World War commemorative efforts in Canada.

This extraordinary new online exhibit  and virtual tour enables The Rooms to reach residents throughout the province and country.

You can view the new online exhibition and virtual tour at http://theroomsgreatwarexhibit.com/

Recommended Archival Collection: Search the Archives: https://www.therooms.ca/collections-research/our-collections

Recommended Exhibit: The First World War had a profound impact on Newfoundland and Labrador. This exhibition shares the thoughts, hopes, fears, and sacrifices of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians who experienced those tumultuous years – through their treasured mementoes, their writings and their memories. – See more at: https://www.therooms.ca/exhibits/always/beaumont-hamel-and-the-trail-of-the-caribou#sthash.lv9JmCbn.dpuf

Recommended Book: Browne, Gary. Forget-Me-Not: Fallen Boy Soldiers: Royal Newfoundland Regiment World War One, St. John’s, DRC Publishing, 2010.