Newfoundland's Grand Banks Message Board

Hello,

I have come across several entries of people travelling between NFLD and St Pierre in the late 1800's to early 1900's. Can anyone advise as to why there would be so much travel between the two points ? As well I am finding children being born of parents from Newfoundland in St Pierre and Miquelon however am unable to find any resource where these births would be registered. Does anyone have any idea of whom can be contacted for vital statistics for St Pierre & Miquelon.

Thanks in advance for any leads.

Peggy

Peggy I think a lot of the travel between the two points may have been to do with two things. One, the installation of the turbine and two would be the employment of telegraphers on the island of St. Pierre-et-Miquelon. I know that my Brigus born great grand father relocated there for his position as a telegrapher. You may want to check out this link, http://petit-colombier.forums-free.com. I have had success finding out more information on both of my Walsh and Gardner lines. Alot of the page is in French so it helps if you understand the language. I read French better than I write it and have posted my queries in English and have been rewarded with a great deal of information that I was missing. I do know that there was a fire that destroyed many of the church records in St. Pierre-et-Miquelon and I too have had no luck finding a resource. Hopefully somebody out here can help us.

It wasn't until I saw this post that it came back to mind that my Great Grandparents McCarthy & family spent a number of years in St Pierre et Miquelon. Wish I had seen it a bit earlier, prior to entering my "Introduction".

Haven't a clue why my G-Grand would have relocated there; perhaps involved with the Turbine installation. Add it to the list of family mysteries.

Don't know how many years they were there, but believe it was the birthplace of one of the daughters. I do know my Grandma spoke - and more to the point, read - only French when the family made their permanent move to North Sydney, Cape Breton. With no regard for her age, just that she had no English, the school slotted her into a much lower grade level ... with the obvious result that the teasing of an older girl being so "dumb/stupid" became just too much to bear and she left without completing. Happened over a century ago, but it's still sad to know.

Thanks for the reminder , and the forewarning about the hardship of finding records, *and* the link for possible information!

Cheers
J

I recommend that you read "Unto The Sea, A History of Grand Bank" by Garfield Fizzard, printed and bound by Dicks & Co., St. John's, copyright 1987. This book will provide a brief history of the east and south coasts of Nfld., and the French English settlers who inhabited the areas in the 1600/1700's that ended with the capture of Quebec in 1759. At that time, St. Pierre (St. Peters) was a summer station for English fishermen, and the earlier French settlers of Grand Banc had departed (as a result of an earlier treaty that required the French settlers in Nfld. to leave or take an oath of allegence to the British Queen). The treaty that followed 1759 between the English & French ceded St. Pierre et al to France, and the English who lived there moved to the vacated Grand Bank. An interesting turn of events. Cheers, Carl.

The Anglican Church in Grand Bank used to have a Register containing baptisms of St. Pierre residents who were Anglican (and possibly other non-French or non-Cathothic families). There was a small English speaking community in the town, possibly working with the Marconi (wireless) station, as well as other employment. I believe an itinerant clergyman would visit the island on occasion to minister to the non-French residents. I am not sure if the Register is still held in Grand Bank or if it has been transferred elsewhere.