Publisher's Synopsis
Newfoundland and Labrador is Canada's newest Province, but was known for centuries as "Britain's Oldest Colony." Europeans established a permanent presence there following John Cabot's voyage in 1497, yet the island of Newfoundland, and the "Big Land" of Labrador, were home to Native peoples for thousands of years before this. In this work David Clarke zeroes in on the rich history of one part of this fascinating place. The former Provincial electoral district known until 2015 as "The Isles of Notre Dame," encompassed historic towns such as Twillingate, Herring Neck, Moreton's Harbour, Change Islands, Fogo and Tilting. This portion of Newfoundland's Notre Dame Bay was settled by immigrants from England's West Country, and the east of Ireland, starting in the early eighteenth century. For generations they and their descendants eked out a living from the resources of the sea. Today they continue to do so in the face of declining fish stocks and the collapse of the traditional cod fishery. In his opening chapters Dr. Clarke presents the reader with an overview history of all the Isles' modern communities, while subsequent chapters focus on specific aspects of regional history. These include, relations between the Beothuk and European settlers, the Twillingate Sun newspaper, local health care, communications, early trade unionism, the World Wars, and a number of local personalities. Together, these comprise a one volume introduction to the history of this region suitable for locals and visitors alike.
