Early Newfoundland Settlement
Four hundred years ago a trip across the Atlantic ocean
was often a one way affair. Early settlers underwent a harsh ordeal, they
lived in a lawless land, they had to build new lives with virtually nothing
except the most basic of utensils. Settlers had to cope with the
harsh Newfoundland climate, they had to develop a pattern of trade
and barter, they had to cope with pirates and brigands. However,
despite all odds, some of them did succeed.
From very early times Spain had fishing stations in Newfoundland. There
were Basque fishing stations in the Labrador Straights pre-dating the earliest
French and English settlements. However, as whales were depleted all of
these stations were abandoned. Subsequently, Iberians pursued a "Green"
cod fishery.
Place names such as "Port aux Basque", "Placentia",
"Trepassey" and "Miquelin" all have Basque origins. In the
late sixteenth century Spanish domination of the oceans gave way to English
paramouncy and the Iberians never recovered their earlier control of Newfoundland
and its waters.
In 1578, Sir Humphrey Gilbert was granted a patent
to establish an English colony in North America. On August 5, 1583 Gilbert
claimed Newfoundland as a colony of England.
In 1610 John
Guy was appointed Governor of Newfoundland. He founded a settlement
at Cupid's, Conception Bay. However, there were
already settlers in the region. Most notably, Sheila
Ne Geira and her husband Gilbert Pike
and the "Pirate Admiral" Peter
Easton . In addition, a family named Dawe was settled at Hibb's
Cove (formerly Hibb's Hole). They are reputed to have maintained a Fish
Plantation in Conception Bay as early as 1595.
In 1618 William Vaughan established a colony at Renews, Newfoundland.
It was comprised of Gaelic speaking Welsh settlers and named the Colony
of Cambriola. Renews was abandoned in 1619.
In 1621 Sir George Calvert, First Baron of Baltimore, founded The
Colony of Avalon, a short distance from the Colony of Cambriola.
 |
In 1628 Lord Baltimore
seized French vessels at
Trepassey in retaliation for
French attacks on English
settlements and vessels. |
France had pursued a fishery in the Gulf of St. Lawerance and on
the Grand Banks since early in the seventeenth century. Fishing stations
were established on St. Pierre and the North Coast of Newfoundland.
However, none of them endured.
It was not until 1662 that France established Plaisance
as a permanent settlement and the French capital of Terre-Neuve.
"King William's War" and "Queen Anne's War" both devestated
English interests in Newfoundland. The already small and underdeveloped
English colonies ans settlements suffered grevious set backs during this
pariod.
In 1713 the French withdrew from Newfoundland and established Louisberg,
Cape Breton as their new maritime capital. |
