Beautiful Bell Island is steeped in history. Bell Island is often ascribed to as
Wabana, "where the sun first shines."
OUR ISLAND HERITAGE
They came here from their Isle of Green
To this new land they had never seen
Where Erins' sons would be secure and free
And earn their living from the sea.
Still others from old England's shores
Opportunity had opened wide its' doors
To Build a house, raise a family
And earn their living from the sea.
They came from Scotland's moors and dales
and from the dark coal fields of Wales
A few from France and from Jersey's Isle
To earn their living from the soil.
Though former enemies they soon became friends
For on each other they must depend
They lived together in harmony
And earned their living from the sea.
Their bodies rest long beneath the sod
Their souls we trust have gone to God
An heritage proud they left for you and me
For they earned their living from the soil and sea.
Following are excerpts taken from The Beautiful Isles" by John W. Hammond
It would appear that many people settled on Bell Island during the early days
of colonization. Some names have been recorded and there is no doubt that
many settlers who lived here for periods of time left without any permanent
record of their stay.
It is said that Sir John Guy anchored off the north side of the island in 1610.
Bell Island listed as a fishing station is
listed below.
YEAR |
WHERE FROM |
SHIPS |
MEN |
BOATS |
| 1675 | Dartmouth | 1 | 50 | 10 |
| 1676 | Dartmouth | 1 | 45 | 9 |
| 1677 | Dartmouth | 1 | 62 | 12 |
| 1681 | Dartmouth | 2 | 130 | 26 |
1706
GREAT BELL ISLE 1706 | ||||||
Names |
Wife |
Children |
Servants |
Kept Boats |
Sciffs |
Fish Taken |
| John Fancy | 1 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 600 |
| Honary Thistle | 1 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 350 |
| Wilb McThakan | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 340 |
| Thomas Wooder | 0 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 580 |
| Sam Hammon | 0 | 0 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 700 |
| Will Pearrey | 0 | 0 | 16 | 2 | 1 | 900 |
| Thomas Burt | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 200 |
| Robert Cook | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 350 |
| Total 8 | 5 | 13 | 59 | 8 | 5 | 4020 |
|
A special thank you to Owen Kelly for providing this information | ||||||
1814
State and Condition of Belle Isle, September 1814 Colonial Records - Vol. 25 | ||||
NO. |
OCCUPIED |
ACRES CULTIVATED |
ACRES ENCLOSED |
REMARKS |
| 1 | John, James & William Pitts | 12 | 12 | These men are natives and carry on the fishery in Lance Cove at the west end of the Island |
| 2 | Edward Cooper | 15 | 15 | This man is a native, and has his fishery in Lance Cove |
| 3 | George Reece | 7 | 7 | This man is a native, and has his fishery in Lance Cove |
| 4 | Hiscock and Kennedy | 4 | 4 | This man is a native, and has his fishery in Lance Cove |
| 5 | William Kent | 4 | 4 | This man is a native, and has his fishery in Lance Cove |
| 6 | Thomas Lahey | 8 | 6 | This man has no fishery, and resided with his family at a part called Scrape |
| 7 | James Sweeney | 2 | 40 or 50 | This man is not employed in the fishery, and has no family |
| 8 | Edward Harragan | 3 | 4 | This man fishes on the shores, and has a large family |
| 9 | Owen Kelly | 1 | 10 or 12 | This man fishes on the shores, and has no family |
| 10 | John Claharty | 1 | 1 | This man fishes on the shores and has no family |
| 11 | Michael Power | 3 | 3 | This man is aged and infirm and unfit for the fishery |
| 12 | Mary Power | 2 | 2 | This woman is a widow, and has no concern with the fishery |
| 13 | Hester Kelly | 4 | 6 | This woman is a widow, with children - no fishery |
| 14 | John Foreham | 2 | 3 | This man is old and infirm, and is unconnected with the fishery |
| 15 | Henry Normer | 3 | 3 | This man is a native, with a family and has a fishery |
| 16 | Robert Normer | 3 | 3 | This man is a native, with a family and has a fishery |
| 17 | James Kent | 3 | 4 | This man is a native, and has a fishery but no family |
| 18 | James King | 3 | 5 | This man has a family and fishery |
| 19 | James Oats | 4 | 5 | This man is a native, and has a family and fishery |
| 20 | Martin Dwyer | 6 | 6 | This man has a family and fishery, and is a peace officer |
| 21 | Benjamin Squire and Sylvester Tapp | 6 | 6 | These men are natives, with families and fishery |
| 22 | Henry White and Martin Fardy | 5 | 5 | These men have families and fishery |
| 23 | Oliver Welsh | 2 | 2 | This man has a family and fishery |
| 24 | William Ryan | 1 | 1 | This man fishes on the shores, and has a family |
| 25 | William Stevens | 3 | 3 | This man is a servant, with a family |
| 26 | Peter Fitzgerald | 7 | 7 | This man has a family and fishery, and rents' five acres of the land he occupies from James Kehoe |
| 27 | Patrick Boland | 2 | 2 | This man is aged and infirm, and has not fishery |
| 28 | Patrick Mahaney | 1 | 5 | This man is a fisherman, and has no family |
| 29 | Peter Jackman | 10 | 10 | This man keeps a fishery, and has a family |
| 30 |
James White | 4 | 4 | These men have families and are fisherman |
| 31 | Thomas Searle | 3 | 3 | This man has a fishery and a family |
| 32 | Thomas Phelan and John Dwyer | 4 | 4 | These men are fishermen without families and rent their farm from Richard Haynes for 12 pounds |
| 33 | Richard Squire | 3 | 3 | This man lives in Quidi Vidi, and has a fishery and family |
| 34 | Patrick Bowden | 60 | 60 | This man, who has a wife, has no fishery, rents his farm to Col. Skinner for 25 pounds. The Colonel purchased one at the Sheriff's sale and the other half from James Keefe, who bought it from Robert Brine, who purchased the whole in lots from different people who originally cleared the land |
| 35 | Richard Tobin | 1 | 100 | This man is absent fishing, and has his projected estate at the east end of the island |
| 36 | Richard Tobin | 10 | 10 | This man, before described, who rents these 10 acres |
| 37 | Roger Kehoe | 2 | 2 | This man has a family and fishery |
| 38 | Gregory Norman | 1 | 1 | This man has a family and fishery in Portugal Cove, and is a native |
| 39 | James Kavanagh | 1� | 1� | This man has a family, and fishes on the shores |
|
NB: The quantity of land set down in the above report is by Computation. Signed, J. Bland, Sheriff | ||||
Memorandums from government records for November 21, 1814 are as follows:
William Kennedy of Lance Cove in the island of Belle Isle in Conception Bay, having applied to me for permission to erect a fishing room in an unoccupied space of ground in Scrape Cove in said island. Permission was granted. Signed - Governor R.G. Keats.
To: Martin Dwyer, Head Constable of Belle Isle - Memorandum regarding Martin Dwyer's application to erect a fishing room on the unoccupied space of ground at the western extremity of the Beach. Permission granted.
1816 - There was a reference to George Hiscock and William Kennedy of Lance Cove as being fishing partners.
Royal Gazette - November 11, 1822
John Murphy's packet boat, plying between Portugal Cove and the north side of Conception Bay, lost this day with Skipper Murphy, Martin Casey, and several other passengers and crew.
Thomas Rees
In the possession of Mr. Thomas Rees is a beautifully carved powder horn which reads:
"John Stone
Big Bell Isle
Conception Bay, Newfoundlande
February 3, 1824"
1832
November 1832 Belle Isle Petition to Sir Thomas John Cockrane, protesting the changing of electorial district of St. John's to the district of Conception Bay | ||
| John Dwyer | James Kelly | Edward Kennedy |
| Andrew Murphy | John Fitzpatrick | Terrence Kennedy |
| John Jackman | Dennis Dwyer | William Kennedy |
| James Jackman | James Cosh | John Kent |
| Richard Manning | Thomas Whalen | Peter Kent |
| John Morris | Charles Whalen | William Kent |
| Solomon Normore | Matthew Kelly | William Stoyles |
| Edward Normore | William Pitts | Michael Hammond |
| Peter Jackman | James Cooper | George Rees |
| Henry Normore | Edward Cooper | John Rees |
| Stephen Long | William Clemens | James Pitts |
| John Long | George Hiscock | James Oatta |
|
Henry Bickford | ||
| Provincial Archives G/N2/2 - Transcribed by Vi Smith May 2000 | ||
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