Partridge Hunting

It appears that like today, partridge (ptarmigan) hunting was very popular in the late 1800s.  Sir William Whiteway and his Son were hunting on the Bay de Verde peninsula - between Bay de Verde and Ochre Pit Cove in the Fall of 1891.

Sir William Whiteway - Source Wikipedia

Sir William Whiteway was born in Littlehempston, Devon, England in 1828. He was the Premier of the "Colony of Newfoundland" for three terms: 1878-1885, 1889-1894 & 1895-1897.  His political party was Conservative up to 1885, and then switched to Liberal for the rest of his political career.

So his partridge hunting trip described below would have been in his 2nd term.  The Monarch at the time was Queen Victoria.

It's reported that they shot 69 brace of partridge - 138 birds.  I'm thinking, make no wonder the birds are scarce these days!  I'm also thinking the birds were thick, or he was a very good shot!

Evening Telegram - September 23, 1891

But hold on a minute!  The reports were false.  A follow up report the next day describes much lower numbers.  Not only that, he was hunting a different area! Only 22 brace (44 birds) at Ochre Pit Cove barrens.  Birds are reported as scarce!

It goes on to describe Kettle Cove Ridge as the prime spot to get a few birds.  Kettle Cove was next to Caplin Cove, so I'm assuming the ridge would be around the Monday Pond area, which is now pasture land where cattle roam.

William Carson appeared to have good luck hunting at Kettle Cove Ridge.  But a bit of research leads me to think this had to be a different William Carson than the CN Marine ferry M/V William Carson was named after. That William Carson (the renowned Doctor and Speaker of the Newfoundland House of Assembly) died in 1843.

Evening Telegram - September 24, 1891

It appears that the heavy hunting is taking is toll by the year 1899.  As reported below, birds are scarce.  Sounds like 80 birds was the "norm" around Kettle Cove Ridge when hunting was at it's peak.  From my research, the Squarey's appear to be a family that originated in Teignmouth and Shaldon, Devon - England. They were mariners and merchants that traded with Newfoundland, who eventually settled here.

Evening Telegram - September 27, 1899

 Hope you enjoyed reading about the partridge hunting.  Keep coming back for some more interesting LIC area history tidbits.

S.

Lower Island Cove Fires

There have been many large and sometimes tragic fires through the years in the Lower Island Cove area.  

I can remember one large fire which started at the now abandoned open burn garbage dump and spread southeast towards the highway near the present Flambro Head Heritage Society Museum.  I remember riding the school bus through the thick smoke that day along the highway.  

Another forest fire started at a point on the east side of Beachy Cove pond and spread northeast across the hill towards Redlands and the Hudson's farm area.  Luckily both fires were contained before reaching any homes.  

Can any readers remember the years these fires occurred?

Here's a few write ups I came across related to fires in the Lower Island Cove area.  

Some of the items below will be disturbing to read.

George Robbins Fire

This incident happened in Lower Island Cove - August 1887.  An unthinkable tragedy. 

The letter written by Rev. Wm. Kendall paints a picture of the way of life at the time.  The kids were left home alone.  Mrs. Robbins left early morning to help her husband George salt some fish which he caught the night before in the waters around Baccalieu Island.  I find it amazing that a 6 year old would be operating the woodstove.  Kids learned these skills at a much younger age back in those days.  Unfortunately the poor state of the stove funnels caused a fire which engulfed the house and its inhabitants - which were all children.  

It appears that there was no water close by to extinguish the fire.  Most Robbins families lived on what's known today as Robbins Hill (area entering LIC from the south - Job's Cove side).  It is a fair distance uphill from Lower Island Cove pond, which would have been a great source of water.  It's safe to say that firetrucks and the like were not available in LIC in the late 1800s.  

Can anybody from the Robbins family verify where the house was located?

It was a terrible day in Lower Island Cove.

Evening Telegram, August 18,1887

Here's a thank you from George Robbins the following month.  In Newfoundland fashion, it sounds like people offered assistance and financial support, from places as far away as Lamaline.

Evening Telegram, September 29, 1887

Alexander Garland Jr. Fire

A couple articles below describe a large fire that wiped out Mr. Alexander Garland Jr.'s business in August 1916.

The damage was immense, wiping out shops, stores and the oil refinery.  1500 gallons of refined cod oil was lost.  $10,000 was an enormous amount to lose in 1916, with no insurance.

Western Star, August 23, 1916

A similar write up below from two more newspapers.  The last statement "Only the calm night saved the eastern end of the town" is interesting.  It must have been a very large blaze.

St. John's Daily Star, August 15, 1916

Evening Telegram, August 15, 1916

Edwin Turner Fire

Another serious fire described below that happened May 11, 1893.  Mr. Edwin Turner's fishing premises burnt down with great loses.  It appears an arson investigation was taking place.  It also sounds like a lot of speculation to the cause of teh  I wonder where these structures stood?

Evening Telegram, June 14, 1893

Agnes Colbert / Ronald Davis Fire - Job's Cove

It was reported just before Christmas, December 14, 1922.  

In this terrible accident, Miss Agnes Colbert of Job's Cove filled a kerosene lamp with gasoline after depleting her supply of kerosene.   

Ronald Davis lived in the house as a winter helper.  Both were burned badly when the lamp exploded, and the house was lost.  Nurse Hudson from Lower Island Cove arrived to offer assistance, along with Dr. McCean who came all the way from Witless Bay.  

I wonder if the burn victims survived after receiving such extensive burns?

Evening Telegram, December 14, 1922

Hope you enjoyed reading these old clippings.  Check back soon for more LIC area history writeups.

S.