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Stewart Alexander Davidson (1921- ), World War II veteran, teacher, university professor, sports researcher, was born in Montreal in 1921. After serving in the RCAF during World War II, he returned to Montreal where he enrolled in a Bachelor of Physical Education program at McGill University. Following graduation, Davidson taught in Montreal schools for a number of years before continuing his studies at Columbia University. He continued his teaching career after receiving his EdD from that institution and subsequently taught in the School of Physical Education (later the School of Human Kinetics) at the University of Ottawa until his retirement in 1986.

While conducting research on Canadian sports pioneers, Davidson encountered Frank Graham, who encouraged him to examine the history of sport in Newfoundland. Davidson obtained funding from the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to make a research trip to the province in the summer of 1980. With Graham's assistance he interviewed fourteen members of the Newfoundland and Labrador Sports Hall of Fame. Most of the interviews, all with men, were conducted in the Sports Archives office. The resultant paper, "An Oral History of Newfoundland Sport", was presented at the Fifth Canadian Symposium on the History of Sport and Physical Education at the University of Toronto in 1982 and published as part of the Symposium's proceedings.

Walter Edward Davidson (1839-1923), civil servant, colonial secretary, governor of Newfoundland (1913-1918), was born in Killyleagh, County Down, Ireland, on 20 Apr. 1859. He married twice. In 1882 he married the daughter of John Baber, London; they had one son. In 1907 he married Margaret Agnes Fielding; they had two daughters, Diana and Daphne. Davidson died in Sydney, Australia, on 15 Sept. 1923.

Following graduation from Christ's College, Cambridge, Davidson joined the British Foreign Service. He was appointed to Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) in 1880, where he remained for 22 years, serving in a number of administrative posts, including chair of the municipal council and mayor of Colombo. In 1902 Davidson was appointed colonial secretary of Transvaal, a northeastern region of South Africa, and, in 1904, governor of Seychelles, a former French dependency located in the Indian Ocean (1904-1912). In 1912 Davidson was named governor of Newfoundland, arriving in the colony in 1913.

With the commencement of World War I, Davidson assumed a prominent role in Newfoundland's war effort. On 7 Aug. 1914, with the approval of Prime Minister Edward Morris, Davidson telegraphed the British government with notification of Newfoundland's willingness to raise and equip a Newfoundland regiment and to expand the existing Royal Naval Reserve. On 21 Aug., Davidson issued a proclamation requesting Newfoundland men to enlist in the regiment.

On 12 Aug. Davidson and Morris organized a meeting of prominent St. John's citizens to direct the Newfoundland war effort. This committee, the Newfoundland Patriotic Committee, was reorganized as the Patriotic Association of Newfoundland (commonly called the Newfoundland Patriotic Association) and delegated all necessary power to organize, equip and administer the regiment, powers usually reserved by the government. Davidson remained as governor of Newfoundland during much of World War I. He assumed the position of Lieutenant-Colonel of the First Newfoundland Regiment (later the Royal Newfoundland Regiment), served as chair of the Patriotic Association, and participated actively in recruitment campaigns, frequently assuming powers which exceed advisory and ceremonial aspects of his office. In 1917, the formation of a National Government (announced 16 July 1917) resulted in the replacement of the Patriotic Association by the Department of Militia, with direct responsibility for the maintenance of the regiment, and the removal of Davidson as governor. In 1918 Davidson was appointed governor of New South Wales (1918-1923).

Davidson was an avid sportsman, enjoying golfing matches, the Regatta, curling, hockey, croquet, sportfishing and regular walks and hikes around St. John's and the surrounding area. He was knighted in 1914 for services rendered as a colonial administrator.

Charles H. Danielle (1830-1902), dance instructor and hotelier, was born at Baltimore, Maryland, on 1 November 1830, son of Isabelle and Joseph Danielle. Danielle died at St. John's on 1 May 1902.

Danielle was drawn to the theatre at an early age, and began an acting career at age fourteen. By 1850, Danielle owned and operated his own dance school in Chicago, under the moniker "Professor of the Terpsichorean Art". Danielle deliberately kept details of his personal life shrouded in mystery, including his true name. According to one source, Danielle's real name was Charles Augustus Emerson. Danielle often referred to himself as "The Professor".

Danielle arrived in St. John's in 1861 and opened a dancing school, which proved unprofitable. He returned to the United States, and by 1880, was residing in Bridgeport, Connecticut. He maintained a summer home in Forest Lake Township, "Deer Lodge Farm", until around 1886. Danielle returned to St. John's in 1888 and operated a series of business ventures. In September, he leased a rink located on Prescott St. and held a "grand carnival and oriental ball". He continued to hold dance lessons at the studio, until the rink was destroyed by fire. He then opened a restaurant on Water St., the "Royal". The restaurant did well, but was lost in the fire of 1892. A second restaurant was opened at the top of Beck's Cove, the "Little Royal". This business was also successful, and Danielle soon expanded to larger premises on the shores of Quidi Vidi Lake, the Royal Lake Pavilion. Although the Pavilion was popular, Danielle felt unwelcome by neighbouring businesses and decided to move his premises elsewhere.

In 1895, Danielle dismantled the Pavilion and rebuilt next to a pond outside the city. The building was an eight-sided wonder, known as Octagon Castle, and boasted a ballroom, banquet hall, elaborate bedrooms, with many of the decorations hand-sewn by Danielle. One conversation piece was Danielle's coffin, the lid made of glass and the case lined with thousand of satin shells. The resort was very popular, and hosted many outings by the various St. John's clubs and societies. In 1898, Danielle hired an assistant, Frederick A. Brazill, whom he later adopted and made his heir. "The Professor" produced annual booklets advertising the pleasures of Octagon Castle, which included a lengthy list of house rules.

Danielle began to suffer heart troubles in the early 1900s; in his 1901 booklet, he forecast his own death within one year. Ever the showman, his prediction was accurate to the day. The Professor passed away in St. John's on 1 May 1902. The funeral procession drew crowds, as Danielle was delivered to the Protestant cemetery in his famous glass coffin.

Dale Jarvis is the Heritage Inventory Coordinator at the Heritage Foundation of Newfounland and Labrador

D. McCurdy is the adopted son of Jarvis and Avis McCurdy. In 1982, he worked as a full time artist

C.W. Kellock & Co. was one of the leading merchant firms and ship brokers in Liverpool and London in the mid-nineteenth century. The company had its origins in a firm established in Liverpool by Daniel Tonge (1788-1848) in 1820. Tonge was a master mariner and shipowner in Liverpool who established himself as a merchant and agent for the sale of ships. By 1846, his son Percival had joined him to form Daniel Tonge and Son. Two years later, Henry Curry (d. 1865) was taken into the partnership, which was renamed Tonge, Curry & Co.

In 1850, Charles Walford Kellock (d. 1897), the son of Henry Gray Kellock, joined the firm as partner with Henry Curry and Percival Tonge. Five years later, the partnership was dissolved, with Percival Tonge continuing under the name of Tonge & Co. and Charles W. Kellock remaining with Henry Curry to form Curry, Kellock & Co. In October 1864, that partnership was dissolved and two companies emerged: H.F. Curry & Co. and C.W. Kellock & Co. H.F. Curry & Co. ceased operations in 1866, the year after Henry Curry's death.

After 1864 C.W. Kellock greatly expanded his business and opened an office in London under the management of his brother W.B. Kellock. In 1885, the management of the London office was taken over by George Kay, a partner of C.W. Kellock. In the mid-1800s, Kellock's two eldest sons, William Walter Kellock (d. 1929) and Henry Gray Kellock (d. 1926), joined the company and later became partners. Charles W. Kellock retired from the company and died in 1897. The company continued to operate under the partnership of his two sons. Upon their deaths, the management of the company was taken over by various senior partners within the firm. The Liverpool office was closed in 1972, but the London office is still active.

Captain George Curwen (1610-1685) was born in Sibbertoft, England, and emigrated to Massachusetts in 1638. Settling at Salem, Essex County, he quickly established himself as a prominent local merchant, provisioning farmers, townsmen, and fishermen. By his death in 1685, he had accumulated one of the largest fortunes in New England.

Captain Curwen's business involved outfitting fishing companies and partnering with independent fishermen, advancing provisions in return for a portion of the catch. He also dealt with smaller outfitters, providing them with wholesale goods that they retailed to their fishermen. As well, Curwen played an important role in the offshore fishery and in the fish export trade to Spain and the West Indies.

Edward Francis Curran (1873-1912), Catholic priest, was born at St. John's, Newfoundland, on 18 September 1873, the son of Mary Ann (Gaule) and John Curran. Curran was killed on 27 January 1912, in an explosion of acetylene gas, while attending his auxiliary power engine. He is buried in Belvedere Cemetery, St. John's.

Curran was educated St. Bonaventure's College, St. John's (1884-90), and completed his studies for the priesthood at Concliffe College, Ireland (1891-99). During the las year of his programme of studies, he attended the Canadian College at Rome (1899-1900).

Curran was ordained in Dublin by Archbishop Walsh on 15 October 1900. Following his return to the Diocese of St. John's, Rev. Edward F. Curran was appointed as a curate in Holy Trinity Parish, Torbay (1900-12); he resided at Pouch Cove until his accidental death in 1912.

John Cummins (fl. 1813-1861), Catholic priest, was born at Monveen, near Cavan, Ireland, circa 1813, the son of John and Bridget Cummins. He came to Newfoundland circa 1838 at the invitation of Michael Anthony Fleming, Bishop of St. John's, and was ordained a priest in 1839.

Cummins' first appointment was as a curate at Harbour Grace from 1839 to1849. Bishop Michael Francis Howley mentioned Cummins in his Ecclesiastical History of Newfoundland as one of the priests who signed the foundation-stone document of the Cathedral of of St. John the Baptist, St. John's, in 1841, spelling his surname as "Cummings." He was the parish priest of Holy Trinity Parish, Ferryland, from 1852 to 1861.