CAPE BROYLE

The Loss of the John and Marie* also, the Loss of John Aylward’s boat

(Author unknown - probably Jim Joe O’Brien)

*(This boat is well documented as the John & Maria but I have left the account as written)

The John and Marie was a fore topsail schooner Beaver Hat rigged that meant she had 2 yards on her foremast.  She sailed from St. John’s for Cape Broyle with almost her whole sealing crew on board.  She was going to clear from Cape Broyle for the seal Fishery.  It was on a Saturday, March 2, 1857 when she left St. John’s for Cape Broyle, a storm of easterly wind and snow came on and late the same evening the John and Marie ran ashore in Brigus.  She struck Herring Cove Point on the west shore of Brigus . When the John and Marie struck the rocks she had on board 20 men of a crew and Captain Thomas Carew of Shores Cove, Cape Broyle, when she struck the land the storm was at it’s height with blinding snow.  The 19 men of the crew managed to un-launch the punts and while Captain Thomas Carew and a young fellow, James Greene, 17 years old (of Witless Bay) went up in the rigging on the fore-mast.  Early Sunday morning on March 3, 1857 when the snow storm cleared away Mr. Thomas Battcock saw the wreck with men on the foremast and quickly raised the alarm.  Soon all the people of Brigus were out to try to rescue the men from the wreck.  It was no easy job, as the sea was rough and as Brigus gut or channel was covered with slob ice making it hard work for to row a boat.  The men of Brigus by their courage and hard work soon took the two men from the fore-mast of the John and Marie and learned from them of the tragedy of the night before.

As soon as it was possible a search was made to recover the bodies of 19 men of her crew, all the bodies were recovered near the entrance to Brigus gut.  They were all made ready for burial in Brigus, most of the men that were lost belonged to Witless Bay so the people came with horses and brought them home to be buried in their places or harbour and only a few are buried in Brigus. 

Captain Thomas Carew who was 50 years old did not go to the ice field after that time.  If the voyage had to be successful the John and Marie would be the first vessel to clear from Cape Broyle for the seal fishery.  Mr Thomas Carew lived for many years after his spending many hours in a snow storm on the mast of his vessel the John and Marie.  He helped the economy of Cape Broyle in many ways, he was a Justice of the Peace for Cape Broyle and, also, was a special Constable for many years.  He died in 1883 at the age 76 years.

The young fellow, James Greene, of Witless Bay, who also spent 18 hours on the mast of the John and Marie, spent many springs at the seal fishery.  He was master watch for many years with Captain Arthur Jackman.  He fished on the Grand Bankss - all the rugged ways of life.  He died in the early 1930s.  He was over 90 years old.

James Greene has many descendants living in Witless Bay in  the year 1972 the John and Marie must have been first named the “Hammer” or nicknamed the “Hammer”.  Mr Jim Greene as he was known when jokingly recalling his adventures would say he “spent 18 hours on the mast of the Hammer” although at that time her name was the John and Marie.

The spring of 1857 was known at the seal fishery as the frostiest spring.  Captain Thomas Carew has many descendants at Cape Broyle and other places, even St. John’s.  He was married to Ann Coryear, daughter of John and Mary Coryear.  John and Mary Coryear lived at Shore’s Cove.  They were the founders of Shore’s Cove, as Mr. Coryear was a merchant for a number years, he operated a room on land on the North side of the narrows, that land is known on the chart of Cape Broyle as Coryear’s Point.

This is a record of a tragedy of the sea at Cape Broyle when two sons and a boy lost their lives.  The men were John Aylward, son of Patrick Aylward and Joseph Grant, grandson of the first family of Grants, that came to Cape Broyle.  The boy was only 15 years old.  He was a St. John’s boy, who came to Cape Broyle for the summer fishery.  This sad event or tragedy happened in the first week of June in 1875.  The boat or “Jack” as she was named sailed out of the narrows of Cape Broyle for the first time and the boat and crew were lost.  The boat was a new one - built during the winter.  The day gave promise of being a poor one for jigging or hand line fishing.  The sky was covered with heavy clouds, the morning was windy-looking and the Arctic current was in the water making it cold like ice water.  It was a little late in the day when John Aylward and his crew came out to the fishing ground and most of the boats were going out the harbour again.  John Aylward and crew were speaking to two boat crews who were fishing on the inside  fishing ground.  Those men told John Aylward that it was a poor day as the water was cold and no fish.  John Aylward said he would go out to Bamtam fishing ground.  It is about 1 1/4 miles east by south from Cape Broyle Head.  Soon after the wind increased from the west and blew around 40 miles/hour, and all the other boats reached the harbour safely.  As the day advanced and no  sign of John Aylward the fishermen said they must have anchored aback of Brigus head or in some cove, but they never returned.  She, the boat, was lost on her first day out fishing.  She was never tried for wind.  She may have turned over in a squall of wind as there is no account of her afterwards.  This was the 6th day of June in 1875.