Mission of Belle Isle/South Shore

Mission of Belle Isle/South Shore

The journeys of Bishop Inglis continued on and on Thursday, June 14th 1827 he arrived in Lance Cove, “...where there are about ten Protestant families, and left the Archdeacon to baptize several children and follow us in the ship.”He considers Bell Isle is considered a very fertile part of Newfoundland and is awestruck by the “...the magnificence of the cliff scenery, which is on a very grand scale...”

Rev Martine also served the Mission of Belle Isle/South Shore as well, a trip across Conception Bay. Bishop Spencer visits here during the year 1841.

Broad Cove/South Shore/Belle Isle

A combined population of 1400, 940 of which are members of the church. There is a church in Broad Cove which can hold 400. There is a church in contemplation at Belle Isle.

In the year 1842 Bishop Spencer comes back to the Mission of the South Shore, Rev Boone is now the Missionary looking after the widely spread settlements.

Broad Cove

A population of 220, 150 of which are church members. There is a church which can hold 150 and there are 10 communicants.

South Shore

A population of 1234, 750 of which are members of the church. There is a church which can hold 350 people and there are 5 communicants.

Belle Isle

A population of 400, 130 of which are church members. There are 5 communicants. All confirmations for this Mission were done in Portugal Cove.

The church at Broad Cove was commenced in 1841 and that of Belle Isle in 1842. They are not yet fit for divine service but it is hoped that they will be completed in the spring of next year.

The church at the South Shore is situated at Foxtrap, a critical location to a large population, but the people are very poor and their church is yet in an unfinished state. All these churches have been visited by the Societies at the instance of the Bishop the Parsonage to be created by the people with the aid of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel.

The Rev Benjamin Fleet was in the Mission of South Shore Conception Bay and submitted his report to the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel on November 8th, 1845 No missionary settled on the shore before 1842, though it was visited occasionally for years by clergy from St. John’s. The present Clergyman took over the Mission in September 1845.

There is no Parsonage or Glebe in the Mission.

The extent of the Mission is a line of beach extending a distance from 8 - 10 miles.

The Gross population of the Mission is 804. The number of church of England members are 594. The average number of congregation from 200 - 220, and there are 186 communicants.

The population of the Mission when the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel first maintained a clergy in this area was probably about 500.

There has been an increase in the population of about 250 since the first missionaries visited from St. John’s and 50 since the residence of the present missionary.

The inhabitants are all fishermen of the lowest class, they erect temporary huts, stages and flakes on the beaches in the summer season to prosecute the fishery. In the winters they remove to the woods, though they are still close enough to attend services.

The Mission is increasing in population, though not in prosperity. In fact, greater poverty now exists than formally owing to the increase in families and the oft repeated failures of the fishery.

No direct answer can be given to the question the amount of trade and taxes for this are, as the fishery here is covered on a limited scale and the catch of each fishermen is carried to St. John’s and bartered for goods and provisions, there be no resident merchants on the shore.

The nearest market town is St. John’s, 14 miles distant.

There is one unfinished church, 42 by 18, now too small for the usual congregation. There are two full services each Sunday and two full services every Saints day. A settlement separated from this shore by water, Belle Isle and Lance Cove is also visited during the summer months when the missionary can procure passage on the fishing boats.

The church, in the Mission, though unfinished, was commenced by the settlement several years back. The people never received any assistance from any sources whatever towards its erection or its completion.

In regard to support from the Mission to the support of the clergyman, he received a gratuity of £5.15.

A General collection raised £12.10 used for flooring the church/ceiling, the collections are usually commenced for the upkeep and repairs of the Church.

The general distress of the people has prevented an attempt being made on behalf of local charities. The local people being hardly able to procure the necessities of life.

The missionary being forced to reside in a very cold and in different room, being only a loft where hay was formally kept, due to poverty of the Mission.

There are two church wardens this year, none before common. They are fishermen elected by the people and in no way connected with the missionary.

There are two daily schools, one in a small settlement in the extremity of the mission called “Topsail” supported by the local legislature. Another higher up the shore supported by the Newfoundland School Society. The average daily attendance being 25 - 30.

There are no school rooms in the mission, the former of these being kept in a meeting room, and the latter being kept in a part of a fisherman’s store. Topsail schoolmaster paid for by the Board of Education and the Newfoundland School Society supports the other. For parents whose children are in the latter school gave an occasional dollar towards the funds of the school society