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From: Lloyd Rowsell <>
Subject: 1795-1865...PART III of V......1865 Lecture by Rev. M. [MARTIN] BLACKMORE, at Bay ROBERTS
Date: Thu, 3 Feb 2005 17:05:11 -0800 (PST)
Copied from the March 6, 1943 issue of The Bay ROBERTS Guardian,
page two:
A lecture on the History of Bay ROBERTS, Conception Bay,
Newfoundland, delivered by Rev. M. [MARTIN] BLACKMORE, at Bay
ROBERTS, aforesaid, on January 24, A.D. 1865:
Continued from last week---
In the year 1810 the late Robert PACK settled here, and
commenced business on the premises belonging to and adjoining Mr.
PERCHARD's property, and to him belongs the honor of being the
first permanent merchant of Bay ROBERTS, all who had preceded him
in trade having been summer suppliers only. In 1812, two years
later, this enterprising man secured the land on which the future
merchant's establishment was to be built, buying of a man named
RUSSELL for 10.00.0 [pounds] the site on which has since been
erected a dwelling house and stores, and was valued at 3000.00.0
In 1814 these buildings were commenced. In the following years
1815-1816, Mr. PACK was joined first by Mr. FRYER, and then by Mr.
GOSSE. The firm assuming the name by which it was long
known--PACK, GOSSE & FRYER. At this time Mr. PACK left Bay
ROBERTS to live in Carbonear, and the business here was henceforth
conducted by an agent until the death of the founders, when it
passed into the hands of his son-in-law, W. S. GREEN, who became
its sole proprietor.
In 1812 another mercantile establishment was opened down the
harbour by John FERGUS from St. John's. The owner of this
establishment continued for many years to do a thriving business,
benefitting himself and others. Unfortunately he took up with
dissipated habits, his business was neglected and soon went to
decay. After Mr. FERGUS' death, Mr. McLENNON in 1836 took the
premises, but the trade was gone, and now we may see the
melancholy remains of the premises and store a ruin and a warning
of the sad effect of strong drink.
While on this topic I must not omit to mention another
establishment which began at an early date, though not many years
after the two mentioned. The mercantile firm of CORMACK & Co. in
MERCER's cove is still in existance, the building, stores and
dwelling in connection with the firm having long been an ornament
to the lower part of the Harbour, while the business done by this
HOUSE has given employment and support to many of its inhabitants,
being of material assistance to them, while it has at the same
time brought wealth and influence to its energetic proprietors.
Before proceeding further we shall now take a look backward and
contemplate a few of the disadvantages under which the earlier
settlers in Bay ROBERTS laboured and by contrasting their
difficulties with our own more favoured conditions, may see how
much cause we have for thankfulness. We have already noticed
the want of roads, and may fancy the inconvenience of travelling,
more especially after darkness, along the water's edge or through
swamps and stones, yet this, as we have seen, was the state of
things forty years ago in Bay ROBERTS.
For justice the inhabitants had to resort (and that by water)
to Harbour Grace, where a court was occasionally held. There
was, indeed, some little power for settling trifling disputes
entrusted to three of the oldest and most respected inhabitants,
and for the summary punishment of minor offences were stocks set
up, one pair where the EVANS' now reside, and another near Mr.
Charles MERCER's premises. These were in existance 38 years ago,
and were then removed being rotten, no others being afterwards put
up in their places.
For the rites and consolations of religion, for the purpose of
getting married, and for baptism of their children and in order to
partake of the Holy Communion, the earlier settlers were also
obliged to travel to Harbour Grace, and that by the same uncertain
route, Easter, moreover, being generally the time of the year at
which the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper was administered. They
were, indeed, occasionally favoured by the visit of the clergyman
from Harbour Grace when Divine Service was held in one or other of
the principal planters houses.
The Rev. James BALFOUR, who was Incumbent or Rector of Harbour
Grace from 1776 to 1795, is still remembered as occasionally
holding service in FRENCH's Cove in the house of Mr. John LOOMY,
FRENCH's grand-child, and also by the planters themselves to
preserve the memory of the Sabbath and to occupy some of its
sacred hours by assemblance at least of public worship.
About the beginning of the present century Mr. William BADCOCK,
grandfather of the present Nathaniel BADCOCK, used to hold service
in his own house, and in those times of necessity to marry and
christen. Service was also held in a house in MERCER's Cove by
an old Jerseyman, BALDWIN, but these services were unauthorised
and doubtless very irregular at this period. Also, at the
beginning of the present century, I find the Harbour received
occasional visits from preachers of the WESLEYan connection, who
held their services in the above-mentioned house in MERCER's Cove.
But these visits must have been rare, as in the year 1796,
according to the minutes of the WESLEYan Missionary in the Island,
they had but 200 members; and later still, down to the year 1812
there were only four.
And here I must say something of the house in MERCER's Cove,
where we have already noted religious services were occasionally
held, as it ultimately became the first building in this
settlement expressly set apart for public worship, originally the
dwelling house of John MERCER, grandfather of the present Mr.
Robert MERCER, Sr., and opened by him as a place where the
neighbours might assemble on the Sunday and join in prayers of the
Church, and listen to the reading of a sermon or religious book by
one from among their members who possessed sufficient ability so
to do. It was afterwards left by him "by will" for the use of
any minister or preacher that should visit the settlement to hold
DIVINE Service in. Thus set apart it was shortly fitted with
seats, the lofting taken out a gallery run across. Here old Mr.
BALDWIN read prayers and here Mr. G. WILLIAMS, a Cathechist and
Lay READER of the Church of England 53 years ago, ministered and
continued to hold service on the Sabbath until the Church was
built, when the house, being delapidated, was taken down.
It will now be our pleasing task to note the dawn and gradual
unfolding of a brighter and better state of things; and while so
doing, we trust at the same time to accomplish the end we first
had in view, namely, to give a tabular statement, with the dates
affixed, of the progress and enlargement at various times of the
Church of ENGLAND in Bay ROBERTS, together with names, time of
appointment and removal of the several clergymen who had in
succession laboured in this place.
In the year 1795 the Rev. W. BALFOUR was succeeded as Incumbent
of the Church at Harbour Grace by Mr. JENNER. Mr. JENNER, in
1802 was succeeded by Mr. ANSPACH. In 1813 he was succeeded by
Rev. CARRINGTON. Mr. CARRINGTON in 1820 was succeeded by Mr.
BURT, who being of an active turn of mind and anxious to supply as
far as possible the spiritual wants of the more remote settlements
in his extensive Mission, which included the whole of Conception
Bay, paid frequent visits to Bay ROBERTS. At his suggestion, and
through his exertions, aided by the praiseworthy efforts of Mr.
WILLIAMS, the Cathechist, Mr. Jesse HOOPER and a few other leading
men in the Harbour, in the year 1824 the first Church in the
settlement was commenced, and the frame was erected, on the rising
ground in the front of MERCER's Cove. The original dimensions of
this building were but small, being only 40 feet by 28, with a
tower and gallery at the western end. In the following year
1825 it was covered and shingled.
In 1827 two years later, the carpenters were still at work on
the tower, when a strange vessel was seen entering the harbour,
which proved, as will presently be seen, the harbinger of future
good to the members of the Church of England in Bay ROBERTS.
Right Rev. Dr. INGLIS, the third Bishop of the Church of England
in British North America and the first who had ever visited
Newfoundland, together with Arch-Deacon WIX of St. John's, and
another clergyman missionary to relieve Mr. BURT of half of his
extensive and labourious charge, came in a vessel belonging to the
Governor, Sir THOMAS CHOCHRANE. BISHOP INGLIS arrived in St.
John's in June, 1827. The first act was to consecrate the
Church of England there, and then he proceeded northward and
southward, visiting Conception Bay. In the tour he consecrated
18 churches and 20 burial grounds, and confirmed 2,365 persons.
Previous to this visitation no church or burial ground had ever
been consecrated in the Island, nor had the Rite of Confirmation
ever been administered.
As soon as the BISHOP's arrival and his business in Bay ROBERTS
was known, a flag was hoisted on the tower of the new church, and
the inhabitants assembled to witness the consecration of the
building as a place of public worship, according to the rites and
ceremonies of the Church of England, and also the land for the
burial ground, this latter having been in use for this purpose
many years before the name of St. MATTHEW's was given to the newly
consecrated church. The Rev. Charles BLACKMAN was at the same
time appointed by tthe BISHOP to minister in it. The residence
of this gentleman was however, fixed in Port-de-Grave, which place
he also served in conjuction with Bare Need, Bay ROBERTS, SALMON
Cove and Brigus. The following year, the new Church of St.
MATTHEW's was finished.
(To be continued.)
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