Brig Bay

Brig Bay

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Location of Brig Bay in Newfoundland and Labrador

Brig Bay is a settlement in Newfoundland and Labrador.

History:

Brig Bay was first mapped by Captain James Cook in September of 1764. In his log, Cook refers to Brig Bay as Old Ferrole, the historical name for Brig Bay. http://pages.quicksilver.net.nz/jcr/newf1764sep Jacques Cartier mentions the hills behind Brig Bay in his log of 1534. He referred to the two dominant hills lying to the south west of the bay as the granges (barns in English). http://www.amazon.com/European-Discovery-America-Northern-D/dp/0195013778 These hills are known as "Doctor's Hills" today. http://www.nndb.com/people/639/000094357/ Cook's log indicates European fishermen were using the small bay at the time of his mapping. Cook does not specify whether they were French or Basque. The fishermen were likely French as a French owned lobster cannery was still operating at Brig Bay in the latter part of the 19th century. The cannery was last operated by Louis Gar(r)eau, a native of St. Malo, France. http://faculty.marianopolis.edu/c.belanger/NFLDHistory/FrenchOccupationandFrenchShoreofNewfoundland.htm The Bay was shared by the French and English/Newfoundland fishermen years after the Treaty of Paris and until the turn of the 20th century.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Paris_(1783) The Newfoundland fishermen originated from the East coast of Newfoundland, some via the Bay of Islands (Wells) on the West coast. Surnames of some of the earlier settlers were Jackman, Wells, Sheppard, Allingham, Hoddinott, Spingle, Lawless, and Samson. http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cannf/npstbn_1921cens_brigbay.htm Other families soon followed, including Cunard, and Payne, by 1945 the population had nearly doubled. http://ngb.chebucto.org/C1945/45-brig-bay-stb.shtml Etheridge, Rogers and Brown came later.

The fishery http://www.heritage.nf.ca/society/19th_cod.html was the mainstay industry of Brig Bay until the logging industry ramped up in the late 1920s and both logging and fishing were the major sources of employment until the 1970s. http://www.heritage.nf.ca/society/loggers.html Another significant employer thru the 1950s/1960s-was a fishery co-operative, the Brig Bay CO-OP. The CO-OP acted an agent for seal skins and salted dried cod and also operated a general store. http://www.aminainc.org/fishery.html A trucking firm (Coastal Trucking) also employed several people from the 1960s- 1990s. This later became Hoddinott's Sales and Service.

Population:

In the early part of the 20th century the population of Brig Bay averaged fewer than 50. Peak population occurred in the 1970s when the population reached nearly 250. The logging industry slowly died out and the Canadian Cod Moratorium put an end to the fishing industry in the early 90s. The European ban on seal skins put an end to that industry. Since the 1970s the population has slowly out- migrated to other destinations in Newfoundland and the mainland of Canada. Today the population is not much more than it was in the early 20th century.

Religion:

The primary religion in Brig Bay is Anglican. There are a few people of Pentecostal and Catholic faith. The Anglican church, The Church of the Advent, in Plum Point is shared by the Anglican population in the vicinity.

Education:

Brig Bay's first school was a one room schoolhouse, St. Matthews, built by Frederick Hoddinott, a fine carpenter and one of Brig Bay's earliest permanent residents. http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=rossbus&id=I16529 After the town outgrew the schoolhouse it was acquired by Frederick's grandson and moved to the south east side of the bay for use as a small movie theatre and replaced by a larger school that now serves as a community center. Fred was brother-in-law to Kenneth Sheppard, another early resident of Brig Bay. http://www.tidespoint.com/books/sheppards.shtml Teachers for St. Matthews were normally recruited from eastern Newfoundland and often married within the community and remained there. Some early teachers were Hatcher and Hounsell and later Warren, Rogers, Ludlow and Green.

Medicine:

Brig Bay has never had a hospital or a medical clinic. Medical services were provided by the Grenfell Mission headquartered in St. Anthony. http://www.heritage.nf.ca/society/grenfellmission.html Before the 1970s, Grenfell nurses would routinely visit the community once or twice a year to provide a rudimentary medical service to the inhabitants. Well known nurses were Miss Ross and Miss Foukes, both British. They were highly trained and skilled and were greatly appreciated.

Music:

Brig Bay natives generally enjoyed traditional Newfoundland music through the years until the 60s when modern pop culture took over. Traditionalists still enjoy "Newfie" music which derived from English sea shanties, french accordion music and who knows what. Check it out .http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHMyeaG2FVw