Silk Sails

by Calvin Evans

Ursula bought the 13-ton vessel the same year it was built at Curling; it had a vertical reciprocating internal combustion engine. The ship was broken up at Flower’s Cove in 1947.

  Martha Carter, Channel, Widow, 1915-16, Good Ship Jubilee

  It is difficult to figure out the history of the Good Ship Jubilee. William Carter, master mariner of Channel, had the 59-ton vessel built for him at Channel by George Scott in 1897. Sometime after that he appears to have sold it to Philip T. Clement and held a mortgage on the ship. Martha may, in fact, have been the mortgagee. When William Carter died, perhaps in 1914 or early 1915, Clement sold the ship to Martha on May 22, 1915, perhaps in settlement of the mortgage. On that date Martha is referred to as the “Administratrix for the estate of William Carter, late of Channel, mariner, deceased.” On June 21, 1916, Martha sold the ship to Theodore Keeping, mariner of Channel.

  Catherine Reddy, Marystown, Widow, 1915-18, Woodrow Wilson

  When Hugh Reddy, merchant of Marystown, died on April 6, 1915, his will of May 9, 1912, appointed Catherine as executrix. Catherine was a nurse from England and had a long career in nursing before she married Hugh. She sold the ship on September 21, 1918.

  Susannah R. Baggs, Curling, Widow, 1918-19, Brunswick

  James H. Baggs, General Merchant at Curling, bought this ship in 1917 and died intestate on February 24, 1918. Letters of Administration were granted to Susannah Baggs and William Roberts. Roberts was a physician at St. John’s. They sold the ship on March 28, 1919, to the St. George’s Steamship Co. Ltd.

  Catherine Wade, Conception Harbour, Married, 1919-44, James P. Wade

  Catherine’s husband was probably James P. Wade, merchant, from whom she bought the ship on May 29, 1919. If Catherine still owned the ship when it was broken up on the Labrador in 1944, she would have been the owner for 25 years!

  Mary C. Kennedy, Carbonear, Married, 1921-, Coronation

  Mary bought the 40-ton vessel on June 14, 1921, under Mortgage A from A. E. Hickman Co. Ltd. No further transactions were found.

  Eleanor Roberts, Twillingate, Married, 1921-22, Latona

  1923-27, S t. Helena

  Eleanor bought the Latona on August 18, 1921, from John T. Moulton, merchant of Burgeo, and sold it on March 22, 1922, to Edward Roberts, merchant of St. John’s. She bought the 36-ton St. Helena on May 25, 1923, and sold it on January 15, 1927, to Henry William Rideout, contractor of Twillingate.

  Agnes Davis, Fox Harbour, Widow, 1922, Clematis

  Agnes bought the 27-ton vessel on March 24, 1922, from William C. Job, merchant of St. John’s, and sold it on April 24, 1922, to a fisherman at Petit Forte, having had it for one month only.

  Jessie Beatrice Bragg, St. John’s, Married, 1922-3, Earl Grey

  Jessie bought the ship on January 3, 1922, from Marmaduke G. Winter, merchant of St. John’s, and he held a mortgage for $5,000, which was discharged on June 26, 1923. Jessie sold the ship the very next day to a mariner from Coachman’s Cove.

  Anne A. Barry, Curling, Married, 1922-27, Philomena

  David Barry of Bay of Islands built the 50-ton Philomena and installed a compound condensing engine with a Scotch boiler made by the Portland Engine & Co. Ltd. It was registered in Anne Barry’s name. The vessel was totally lost at Caribou Brook, Cape St. George, August 26, 1927.

  Margaret Davis, Argentia, Married, 1923-, P. & W. Davis

  Margaret was the first owner of the 28-ton ship. A new certificate was issued for the ship on May 18, 1923, because the original one had been lost. An attempt was made in July 1952 to trace the vessel and on August 8, 1955, it was restored to the registry. The certificate was canceled on March 28, 1967, due to a report from a Customs and Excise officer that the “vessel drifted ashore at Harbour Breton during a storm a few years ago and considered unfit for further service.” It is impossible to tell from the record how long Margaret held the ship, but it seems remarkable that the ship may have lasted for almost 40 years.

  Rebecca Chetwynd, Port aux Basques, Widow, 1924, Luxor

  John P. Chetwynd, merchant at Port aux Basques, had owned this ship since 1917. When he died on February 5, 1924, his will of November 6, 1912, appointed Douglas J. Chetwynd and Rebecca Chetwynd as executors. Douglas was a clerk, perhaps the son of John and Rebecca. After probate was granted, they sold the ship on November 8, 1924, to Francis Pike, merchant at Port aux Basques.

  Mary Ann Bennett, Port au Bras, Burin, Widow, 1924-25, James U. Thomas

  1928,Harvey & Maud

  Samuel Bennett, merchant of Port au Bras, bought the James U. Thomas in 1921. He died intestate on October 28, 1924. He may have been the “Old Sam” Bennett who was drowned in the St. John’s Narrows when he was knocked overboard by the swinging main-boom. Letters of Administration were granted to Mary Ann and she sold the vessel on February 18, 1925, to A. E. Hickman & Co., merchants of St. John’s.

  George Bennett, mariner of Port au Bras, bought the Harvey & Maud (it had previously been named the Lilian Walsh) on June 15, 1922. On March 15, 1928, he sold the vessel to Mary Ann Bennett and just one week later, on March 22, Mary Ann sold it to John Warren, merchant at Gaultois.

  Mary E. Bailey, St. John’s, Married, 1924-29, George Wheatley

  Mary became the fifth owner of this 65-ton ship which had been built by Jabez Manuel of Exploits in 1906. She bought it on April 8, 1924, from John T. Currie of Britannia and sold it on June 25, 1929, to A. H. Murray & Co. of St. John’s.

  Minnie Ellis, St. John’s, Spinster, 1926, Admiral Drake

  Minnie Ellis and Samuel Ryan, accountant, were appointed executors for the estate of William J. Ellis when he died on April 19, 1926. The ship, which he had bought in August 1925, was only a small part of his estate which was valued at $140,000. Ellis was born in 1857, had apprenticed as a stonemason with his father, and at the time of his death had an unmarried sister, Minnie, and three nieces living with him in St. John’s, and a widowed sister, Mrs. McManus, living with him in a house he owned in Brooklyn, New York. He had been spending the winter in California and died on his way back to St. John’s. Minnie Ellis and Samuel Ryan, as executors, sold the Admiral Drake on August 9, 1926, to A. S. Rendell & Co., merchants of St. John’s.

  Hannah Boyce, Jersey Harbour, Widow,1926-7, Jean Dorothy

  Daniel Boyce, merchant and also Hannah’s husband, died in 1926. Hannah sold the Jean Dorothy to D. Boyce & Sons Ltd., undoubtedly her sons, on May 15, 1927. See Hannah also in the “Joint Owner” list.

  Sarah Ann Mitchell, Marystown, Married, 1926-28, Mary Mitchell

  After having had the vessel for nine years, Edward Mitchell, fisherman of Marystown, sold it to Sarah Ann. After holding it for two years she sold the ship to a fisherman at Trepassy.

  Laura Greening, St. John’s, Spinster, 1928, Lizzie E. B.

  1928, Lewisport

  1928, Vigilant

  Joseph Morris Butler, storekeeper of St. John’s, owned all three ships and died on January 11, 1928. His will, dated January 8, 1928, appointed Laura Greening as executrix. Laura acted with despatch and sold the Lizzie E. B. on April 4, 1928, to William Hiscock, fisherman of Flat Islands, Bonavista Bay, the Lewisport on April 24, 1928, to A. H. Murray & Co. Ltd., and the Vigilant on June 27, 1928, to Gavrock Brown of Fair Islands.

  Emma Parsons, Port Union, Widow, 1929, Humber Deal

  Ernest Parsons, fisherman of Port Union, bought this ship in 1924 and died intestate on April 24, 1929. Letters of Administration were granted to Emma Parsons on June 11, 1929, and she sold the ship one day later on June 12, 1929, to Joseph Parsons, planter of Newtown.

  Zealah Snow, Bay Roberts, Widow, 1929-32, Reliance

  Zealah inherited this ship when her husband, Edward Snow, died on January 6, 1929. The 48-ton vessel had been built in 1903 at Northern Arm by Robert Evans, my great uncle. Zealah sold the ship on March 22, 1932, to a fisherman at Fortune. This vessel was lost “somewhere on the Newfoundland coast” in 1936, thus lasting for a remarkable 33 years.

  Alice M. Currie, Britannia, Widow,
1930, Clarence B.

  Alice inherited this ship when her husband, John T. Currie, died in 1930. She sold the ship after only 26 days, but she held on to her husband’s other four ships, one of which was named the Alice, and continued his business for another 10 years. Currie was “the big businessman for Smith Sound”; he did coasting work as well and fishing on the Labrador. Alice was a Laite from Petley; her parents were Deborah and Uriah. Reuben Vardy became Alice’s bookkeeper after John’s death. Alice’s brothers – Charles, Willis and Absalom – skippered her ships. Another brother, Rev. Hugh Laite, was a Japanese prisoner-of-war for 44 months. Alice had five sisters, including two sets of twin sisters. She and John had one son, Ralph. When Alice died in 1940 the Currie business folded. Alice Jerrett of Brigus owned the Clarence B. for a short period in 1935.

  Mary Ellen Carter, St. John’s, Widow, 1930-38, Frank H. Adams

  Albert Haynes, master mariner of Catalina, was the owner of this ship. Thomas H. Carter, ship’s broker of St. John’s, was the mortgagee for Albert for $9,500 with interest at 6% from March 11, 1920. When Thomas Carter died on June 20, 1930, his will appointed Mary Ellen as executrix and she took over the mortgage. She discharged the mortgage after eight years on April 16, 1938.

  Hannah Parsons, Clattice Harbour, Married, 1931-, M, Catherine P. Follett

  The builder, Peter Follett of Clattice Harbour, sold the 12-ton vessel to Hannah on March 12, 1931. She took a mortgage with James Baird Ltd., merchant of St. John’s. No other transactions on this vessel could be found.

  Sarah Pittman, Merasheen, Married, 1931-33,Jenetta Pittman

  The 19-ton vessel was built in Harbour Buffett by Benjamin Foote in 1888. Patrick Pittman, fisherman of Merasheen, rebuilt the ship in 1931 and sold it to Sarah on December 19, 1931. Sarah died without a will on October 14, 1933, and Letters of Administration were granted to Patrick. He sold it in 1938 to Thomas Stanley Keats, merchant at Argentia. The vessel was then 50 years old!

  Araminta Frances Collishaw, St. John’s, Widow, 1931, Julia R. Blackwood

  1931, Swile

  1931, Young Hood

  1931-49, Stella Hynes

  1931, L. M. May

  1931, F. P. Union

  1931, Gertrude

  Araminta’s husband, Ellison Collishaw, a merchant in both Halifax and St. John’s, died on June 22, 1931. His will of October 21, 1930, appointed Araminta and the Royal Trust Co. as executors. They sold all ships within one year to the Fisherman’s Protective Union Trading Co. at Port Union, except the Stella Hynes which Araminta held on to for 18 more years and then sold to the F. P. U.

  Blanche Louisa Newman, Harbour Le Cou, Married, 1932-34, Agnes R.

  Blanche Louise bought the ship from Thomas Rose, merchant at Harbour Le Cou, on May 6, 1932. She sold it on February 10, 1934, to Simeon Butt and subsequently it became the property of Violet Blanche Butt, also of Harbour Le Cou.

  Emma Frances Samson, Flat Islands, B.B., Widow, 1933-34, Lloyd Elsworth

  Lewis Samson, fisherman of Flat Islands, bought this ship in November 1922 and died without a will on May 23, 1933. Letters of Administration were granted to Emma Frances and she sold the ship on November 5, 1934, to Samuel M. J. Barbour and Leslie M. Barbour, fishermen of Newtown. Whether the ship was used for the two fishing seasons after Lewis’ death is not known.

  Mary J. Parrott, St. Bernard’s, Married, 1933-38, M, Mary R. Parsons

  Mary’s mortgage with Sir Marmaduke Winter was discharged through the Eastern Trust Co. in 1938 (Sir Marmaduke died in 1936) and she continued to hold the ship even after 1938, but it cannot be determined for how long.

  May B. Pike, Port aux Basques, Married, 1934-36, Hi Sea Bird

  E. Pike Ltd. (Emanuel?) had a store and ship business, and Mary was very much involved in running the business. The 9-ton motor screw vessel was lost at Port aux Basques in 1936.

  Margaret Brenton, Burin, Married, 1934-43, Margaret Brenton

  Margaret was a World War I bride from Scotland and her husband John was a sea-going captain. Margaret named the 23-ton ship after herself when it was built by John W. Kendall, lumber merchant at Morrisville in 1934. Margaret had the ship altered and an auxiliary motor screw installed in 1940, giving the ship a four knots speed. In 1943 she sold the ship to Thos. Garland Ltd. of Gaultois.

  Emily Young, Twillingate, Married, 1934-43, Edward and Sons

  Emily bought the 13-ton sailing vessel when it was built by Elisha Wheeler at Virgin Arm. She sold the ship on April 14, 1943, to two merchant brothers at Twillingate.

  Alice Jerrett, Brigus, Widow, 1935, Clarence B.

  Alice M. Currie of Britannia had owned this ship briefly in 1930. Alice Jerrett inherited the ship when her husband, Charles A. Jerrett, merchant of Brigus, died on April 7, 1935. Alice and her fellow executor, Ernest Victor Jerrett, merchant of Brigus, sold the ship on June 13, 1935, to George Churchill Jerrett, merchant of Brigus, thus keeping the ship in the family.

  Marion Owen Porter, Flower’s Cove, Married, 1935-, White Gull

  This small 10-ton vessel was built by George Dalton at Little Catalina and fitted with an auxiliary motor screw; the vessel was lost at Woods Island, Bay of Islands, date unknown

  Ella Perpetua Lewis, St. John’s, Married, 1935-,Theresa M. Gray

  This ship was built at Port Clyde, Nova Scotia, in 1902 and transferred to the St. John’s Registry in 1911. On September 6, 1935, when the ship was already 33 years old, Ella bought it from Baine Johnston & Co. Ltd. No further transactions could be found.

  Emily Clarke, Harbour Le Cou, Married, 1935-48, Blanche Clarke

  Emily Billard was married to David Clarke, fisherman. Emily bought the 19-ton ship in 1935 and had a motor installed and the ship registered de novo in 1936. She sold the ship in 1948 and it was transferred to Sydney, Nova Scotia.

  Caroline Hannam, Rose Blanche, Married, 1936-53, Wilehema

  Caroline Hatcher was married to William Hannam. Caroline bought the 15-ton ship, which was built by Josiah Farrell of North Bay, LaPoile, in 1935. In 1936 she had a motor installed and registered the ship de novo. After 18 years of ownership, in 1953, she sold the ship to Charles Hannam, fisherman, and Mary Elizabeth Hannam, married woman of Rose Blanche. See Mary Elizabeth Hannam in the “Joint Owner” list.

  Elsie May Blackwood, Safe Harbour, Married, 1936-37, A. H. Whitman

  1940-47, Tessie Aubery

  On June 10, 1937, the A. H. Whitman ran on a rock off Flagstaff Run 11 miles from Hopedale, Labrador. She was pulled off with the aid of motor boats and towed near the shore but was leaking so badly that she was abandoned and subsequently sold by the Wreck Commission as a constructive total loss. She was eventually restored to the registry under a new owner.

  Elsie May’s second vessel, the Tessie Aubery was totally lost at Split Point entrance to Baccalieu Tickle on July 19, 1947. The vessel had been fitted with an auxiliary motor screw. See Elsie May Blackwood in the “Joint Owner” list for two more ships.

  Fanny Isabel Ryan Fiander, Trinity, Married, 1937-38, M, Gertrude Jean

  This was a crude oil screw previously registered in 1932 in Bridgetown, Barbados. It had been built in 1930 by Marie Amy Deveau at the Meteghan Shipbuilding Co. in Nova Scotia. Fanny bought the vessel in 1937 and took a mortgage for $2,000 at 3% interest with John Ryan, police officer retired, possibly her brother. Her mortgage was discharged on March 31, 1938, and on April 14 she sold the vessel to Edmund Vardy, mariner of Hickman’s Harbour, and Edmund’s mortgagee was Lillian Vardy at the amount of $4,000.

  Ellen Kenny, Fermeuse, Widow, 1937-49, M. A. Kenny

  Walter Kenny (of Andrew), fisherman of Fermeuse, had owned this ship since 1930. In 1936 he paid off his 1932 mortgage with Walter S. Monroe, merchant of St. John’s, and died on February 7, 1937. His will of January 26, 1937, appointed Ellen and John Joseph Kenny, fisherman, executors. Probate was granted in August 1939 but they must have continued in the fishery for a total of 12 years and sold the ship in April 1949 to two fishermen of Change
Islands.

  Mary Burke Norris, St. John’s, Widow, 1938-39, Granite

  This 120-ton vessel was built at Lunenberg, Nova Scotia, in 1913. Its foreign name was Poseidon. The fourth owner, Ambrose F. Norris, master mariner of St. John’s, died intestate on July 5, 1938. Letters of Administration were granted to Mary and she sold the vessel on April 5, 1939, to John Hann Blackmore, mariner of Port Union.

  Mary Canning, Presque, Widow, 1938-42, A. B. Flynn

  Mary inherited this ship through her husband Peter Canning’s will when he died on January 5, 1938. Peter had been a merchant at Presque. It is likely that Mary carried on the business; she sold the ship to another merchant on August 17, 1942.

  Mary Maloney, Sweet Bay, Widow, 1939-44, M. G. Butt

  Mary inherited the 36-ton ship when Stephen Maloney, fisherman of Sweet Bay, died without a will on November 6, 1939. She must have carried on the fishery for more than four years and sold the ship on May 30, 1944, to Earle Sons & Co. Ltd. at Fogo.

  Susie Rebekah Peckford, Change Islands, Spinster, 1941-42, Lester N. Peckford

  Charles William Peckford, fisherman, bought this 33-ton ship in June 1938 and when he died on May 15, 1941, he left his entire estate, including the ship, to his niece Susie who was his housekeeper and care-giver in his last years. On May 2, 1942, Susie sold the ship to Sidney Macdonald Peckford, fisherman. Susie later married Max Scammel and they had a son Eddie.

  May Fowlow, Trinity East, Spinster, 1942-43, Millicent & Joan Fowlow

  This 71-ton ship had been built in 1906 at Lawrenceton by George Manuel and rebuilt in 1930 by Edmund Frampton at Smith Sound, Trinity Bay. It had originally been named the St. Clair. Albert Fowlow, mariner of Trinity, registered the vessel de novo in June 1930. He died without a will on October 2, 1942. Letters of Administration were granted to May Fowlow, undoubtedly Albert’s sister, and she sold the ship on January 14, 1943.

  Cecilia Flynn, Bar Haven, Married, 1942-58, Mary & Stanislaus

  This 15-ton schooner had an auxiliary motor screw. The vessel was condemned in June 1958 as being unfit for further service.

  Lucy Embree Button, New Melbourne, Widow, 1941-43, Grilse