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St. Patrick's Parish, located in Plate Cove on the Bonavista Peninsula, was established in July 1966. The community was first settled in the early 1800s, largely by Irish Roman Catholics from Bonavista and King's Cove. Settlement occurred on both sides of a cove, with the areas known as Plate Cove East and Plate Cove West. The communities were initially missions of Sts. Peter and Paul Parish, King's Cove.

In 1857, although there was a small Catholic school in Plate Cove East, the residents continued to rely on the church and school at nearby Open Hall or at the parish centre at King's Cove. Following the establishment of Plate Cove as a parish, Reverend Michael Hynes was appointed the first resident priest. In 1984 St. Patrick's Church was completely destroyed by fire. A new church was built in a more central location between Plate Cove East and Plate Cove West.

From 1990 to the present, St. Patrick's Parish in Plate Cove has been ministered to by assistants of the parish priest at nearby King's Cove.

Pastors that have served St. Patrick's parish since its inception include: Michael Hynes (1966-1979); Aloysius Antle (1979-1982); Gregory Pumphery (1983); William Hearn (1983); Larry/Lawrence George (1984-1989); Michael Hynes (1990-1992 parish priest of King's Cove; Sister Alice Dower PBVM assisted); William Houlahan (1993-1997 parish priest of King's Cove; Sister Sarah Moore, Sister Amelia Mooney and Sister Elizabeth Whelan assisted); Sebastian and Brian Colbert (1998-1999 parish priests of King's Cove; Sister Elizabeth Whelan assisted); Brian Dunn (1999- parish priest of King's Cove; Sister Elizabeth Whelan assisting as Administrator of Plate Cove).

The firm of C. & A. Dawe of Bay Roberts, Newfoundland, was formed circa 1877 by Captain Charles Dawe (1845-1908) and his brother, Azariah Dawe. It was a typical outport fish merchant operation in that goods were imported and sold to fishermen in exchange for their produce, which was then shipped to foreign markets. C. & A. Dawe may have imported and exported goods and produce on its own account since it was a large firm and probably not dependent on a St. John's supplier.

Captain Charles Dawe was a well-known schooner and steamer master in both the Labrador cod fishery and the sealing industry. Dawe was also active in politics, first sitting as a Conservative MHA for the district of Harbour Grace from 1878 to 1889, and later as representative for Port de Grave from 1893 to 1900. He sat on the Executive Council in the administrations of A. J. Goodridge (1894) and James Winter (1897-1900) and served briefly as leader of the opposition after the resignation of A. B. Morine in 1906.

Before his death in 1908, Charles Dawe wrote a will in which he stipulated that the business be wound up within five years of his death. While evidence exists that the business was wound up by the executors circa 1911, a 1923-1925 ledger confirms that the business was re-formed, either by Azariah, his son Robert, or some other family member.

The Launch of the Cabot Celebrations exhibit was held at Bonavista, Newfoundland, in 1994 to commence the commemoration of the arrival of John Cabot in Bonavista in 1497. The exhibit was organized by the Government of Newfoundland and the Bonavista Historical Society. It included exhibits by the Bonavista Museum, the Bonavista Historical Society, and the Maritime History Archive.

The firm of Grieve and Bremner, a Scottish-based enterprise involved in the Newfoundland trade, was formed by Walter Grieve (1809-1887) and Alexander Warren Bremner (d.1886) circa 1863. Grieve had been a partner in Baine, Johnston & Company but withdrew in 1855 to form Walter Grieve and Company. He subsequently entered into the partnership with Bremner, and purchased the Slade property at Trinity. In 1869, Grieve and Bremner leased the Garland premises at Trinity from John Bingley Garland, giving the firm control of the chief mercantile properties in the town.

During the 1860s, Walter Grieve lived primarily in Greenock, Scotland, while Bremner managed the firm at Trinity. Robert Sweetland Bremner, Alexander's son, succeeded him at Trinity. The firm engaged in all aspects of the trade, although Baine, Johnston and Company or Walter Baine & Company may have handled the firm's imports and exports of goods and fish. These St. John's firms periodically sent one of their steamers to the seal hunt from Trinity, no doubt crewed with many of Grieve and Bremner's regular fishing clients. Sealing appears to have been an important aspect of the Grieve and Bremner business since the old Slade property was used primarily for landing seal pelts and producing seal oil.

Alexander Bremner died in 1886, followed by W. R. Grieve in 1887, bringing an end to the business. Bremner bequeathed his Catalina premises and property to his sons, Robert S. and Alexander Hugh. Robert also received œ10,000 as his father's share of the net profits from the Grieve and Bremner business. The monetary bequest probably helped Robert purchase from Grieve's trustees the Grieve and Bremner premises at Trinity, where he pursued the fish trade until becoming insolvent in 1900.

St. Joseph's Parish was established at Petty Harbour in 1884. Prior to this date, Petty Harbour formed part of the parish or district of St. John's, which then included Torbay, Pouch Cove, Portugal Cove, and Topsail. In 1834, Bishop Michael A. Fleming built a mission church, dedicated to St. Joseph, at Petty Harbour and celebrated Sunday mass there in July 1835. The mission was served by clergy from the Cathedral Residence in St. John's until its erection as an independent parish.

The original parish church built by Bishop Fleming was torn down on 22 October 1962 and construction began on a new building under the direction of Rev. James O'Dwyer, resident parish priest. In the interim, mass was celebrated for two years in the local Catholic school. Rev. O'Dwyer celebrated the first mass in the new St. Joseph's Church on 15 March 1964.

In 1884 the boundaries of St. Joseph's Parish encompassed the communities of Blackhead, Maddox Cove, and the Goulds. However, these original boundaries have been altered over time. In 1948, due to a growing Catholic population in the Goulds, St. Kevin's Mission was raised to the status of parish, thus gaining independence from St. Joseph's. In addition, responsibility for the mission church (also dedicated to St. Joseph) at Blackhead was transferred to St. John Bosco Parish after 1964. Thus, St. Joseph's current boundaries have contracted to encompass only the amalgamated community of Petty Harbour-Maddox Cove.

Structurally, the parish has been organized along lines similar to most Roman Catholic parishes, including a Parish Pastoral Council and a Finance Committee responsible for directing parish activities and managing parish monies.

Since 1970, St. Joseph's Parish has been served by clergy from St. Kevin's Parish. Pastors and administrators who have served St. Joseph's since its establishment include: Roger Tierney (1884-1930); Francis J. D. Ryan (1930-[1935?]); Edward J. Rawlins ([1935?]-1948); John L. Lacey ([1948?-1952?]); Andrew T. Nolan (1952-1955); F. W. Bradshaw (1955-1961); James O'Dwyer (1961-1969); John McGettigan, Administrator (1970-1971); John F. Wallis, Administrator (1971-1977); William Pomroy, Administrator (1977-1982); Robert Moore, Administrator ([1983?]-1986); Dermot McGettigan, Administrator (1986-1987); John Maddigan, Administrator (1987-1991); Jerome Hann, Administrator (1991-1999); Kenneth F. Walsh (1999-2001); and Paul Lundrigan (2001- ).

Alan Goodridge & Sons was a Newfoundland mercantile firm, with its origins in the early nineteenth century. Henry Goodridge (1762-18-), resident of Paignton, Devon, established the Goodridge business at Renews, Newfoundland by 1807, but probably managed the enterprise from home, as was the custom for many West Country merchants in that era. In 1828, Alan Goodridge (1808-84), Henry's youngest son, arrived at Renews in his schooner, the Viola, remaining to administer the business, although he appears to have spent many winters in later years at Paignton. Goodridge was a typical outport merchant in that period, acting primarily as an intermediary between the local planters who supplied the fish, and the merchant houses of Water Street, St. John's, who imported goods and exported the produce.

In 1839, Goodridge had a 179 ton brig named the Gratia built at his shipyard in Renews and began using the vessel to export fish and import goods on his own account. For a while, he was in partnership with a John Goodridge, possibly his brother, under the banner of Alan Goodridge and Company. John ran the newly-opened Fermeuse branch of the firm but the arrangement terminated a few years later and John entered into another partnership at St. John's with Frederick Lash.

In the mid 1850s, Alan shifted the headquarters of the firm to St. John's. Two years later, Alan's youngest son, Henry Churchward, joined the firm, prompting a name change to Alan Goodridge & Son. In 1862, a second son, Augustus Frederick, joined the firm followed soon after by third son, John Richard. With the new additions, the principal changed the firm's name to Alan Goodridge & Sons. Alan retired from the business in 1878.

In the second half of the nineteenth century, Alan Goodridge & Sons was one of the most successful firms in Newfoundland. The firm expanded, eventually opening branches in Placentia Bay, Trinity Bay, Green Bay, St. Mary's Bay and Labrador. These included branch operations at Bay Bulls, Witless Bay, Tors Cove, Ferryland, Calvert (Caplin Bay), Fermeuse, Renews, Nipper's Harbour and New Perlican. In 1901, the company purchased waterside property at Port de Grave, known as "Kenny's Property", from the estate of the late Peter Butler, likely with the intention of opening a branch there.

The Registry of Newfoundland Vessels reveals that the Goodridges were one of the largest vessel owners in that era, registering 197 vessels between 1834 and 1917. The firm was Newfoundland's second and third largest exporter of codfish in 1894 and 1895 respectively - 63,800 and 55,300 quintals. The firm's St. John's premises occupied an entire block, bounded on the east by Beck's Cove and Codner's Cove on the west. The high export figures for these years belie the firm's financial situation, however. The 10 December 1894 Bank Crash sounded the death knell for many Newfoundland firms that were indebted to the Union Bank and the Commercial Bank, including Alan Goodridge & Sons Limited, which became insolvent on 31 December. Augustus Goodridge was a central figure in the political crisis of 1894 leading up to the bank crash, having become Prime Minister earlier in the year but resigning on 12 December.

Despite the financial setback, the Goodridges quickly re-organized the business. Augustus returned to the firm in 1912, and his sons, Richard Frederick and Alfred John became partners in the incorporated company known as Alan Goodridge & Sons Limited.

In 1917, the company liquidated and re-emerged as Goodridge & Company Limited with son-in-law George Carter added as a partner. Goodridge & Company Limited liquidated again (1922) after Augustus' death and re-emerged as the Renews Trading Company Limited with Alfred J. Goodridge, William P. Goodridge (Alfred's brother), and Avalon T. Goodridge (a cousin) as partners. The Renews Trading Company became the Tors Cove Trading Co., Ltd. in 1926 and continued under that name, with Avalon Goodridge and two of his sons at the helm, until the 1960s when it was sold to other parties.

The year that Holy Apostles Parish was established is commonly accepted as being 1835. Some say, however, that the actual establishment date is in the 1870's. In the early 1980's, a questionnaire was sent out by the Archdiocesan Archives to different parishes to be answered by the current parish priest. The response from Holy Trinity Parish indicated that, except for a three year period (1832-1835), the area from Cappahayden to Brigus South came under Ferryland Parish until the year 1870 when the new parish of Renews-Fermeuse was created and it's first pastor, Rev. J .J. Walsh, was appointed. As well, the response to the questionnaire from the parish in question, Holy Apostles Parish, states that the Parish was established in 1874. Most other sources seem to agree, however, on the 1835 date.

Holy Apostles Parish included the communities of Port Kirwin, Fermeuse, Kingman's Cove, Renews, Cappahayden and Chance Cove. In the later part of the nineteenth century, however, the whole population of Chance Cove moved to Massachusetts. Chance Cover is now a provincial park. Prior to 1835, these communities were all part of Holy Trinity Parish, Ferryland. In 1853 the Presentation Sisters headed by Mother Bernard Kirwin, established a convent in Port Kirwin. Originally the parish center for Holy Apostles Parish was at Fermeuse. In 1867, however, the parish center was moved to Renews. As well, the Presentation Sisters moved from Port Kirwin to Renews in 1876. In 1998, Holy Apostles Parish, along with Holy Trinity Parish and Immaculate Conception Parish, Cape Broyle, was canonically suppressed in order to form the new Holy Family Parish.

While Rev. James Murphy is noted as the first parish priest of Holy Apostles Parish, earlier, another priest, Rev. Fitzsimmons, is said to have celebrated mass at the "Mass Rock" in Renews. The Mass Rock, also called Midnight Rock, is where masses were said in secret before religious freedom was granted to Roman Catholics in Newfoundland. In 1927, a grotto was erected at Mass Rock. Rev. Fitzsimmons is also credited with building the first church in Renews, sometime before 1816. Another church is also believed to have existed but the year and locality are unknown. The present church at Renews was built in 1884.

Before Holy Apostles Parish was created Rev. James Duffy was there as a curate and he built the first church at Fermeuse which was a one-room structure with no pews. In 1922, a new church was built at Fermeuse; The first church in Port Kirwin was built by Rev. Murphy and he dedicated it to the Immaculate Conception. The exact date of this church is not known but it is believed to have been erected sometime near the 1850's. In 1940, this church was destroyed in a fire.

The first church in Cappahayden was actually the house of a local resident. Rev. Walsh, however, built a chapel-school whereby the school was separated from the church by a single partition. In 1966 the church at Cappahayden had to be removed due to the erosion of a nearby cliff.

The first school at Port Kirwin was founded by Mother Bernard Kirwin of the Presentation Order. After the Sisters relocated to Renews, however, there is no account of a school at Port Kirwin. A previous resident of that community stated that the current little church at Port Kirwan was actually an old school that was converted into a church.

The first school in Fermeuse was opened in 1838. At some later point a second school was established and both schools had male and female students. By 1857, sources say that "in Fermeuse, North-side, there are two [schools], together with the Convent school." The first school at Kingman's Cove was built in 1860.

Renews got it's first school in 1840 and it was made up of two sections, one for boys on the North side of the harbour and one for girls in the sacristy of a small chapel. In 1875, a new school for the girls was built and, in 1876, a new convent school was opened. The boys moved to the new school while the girls moved to the convent school. By 1933, the convent school was the only school at Renews. While it appears that a school at Cappahayden was established in 1875, like the other schools in the area, this one closed in the late 1960's with consolidation.

In the late 1960's the schools in this parish underwent some changes as a result of the formation of a Consolidated School Board. Fermeuse school was reverted to an elementary school which served the needs of students from Fermeuse, Port Kirwin, Kingman's Cove, Renews and Cappahayden. The school in Kingman's Cove was phased out completely. Renews High School became a Junior High School for students in the area while the primary and elementary students went to Fermeuse and the High School students to Ferryland.

As with other parishes, Holy Apostles Parish also has a Parish Council. The fonds does not supply any information on this group but does mention the existence of the People's Eucharistic League in 1922, a Reconstruction Committee in the 1970's, and the Catholic's Women League in the 1980's; Some of the priests who served Holy Apostles Parish are as follows: James Murphy (1835-1861); C. A. McCarthy (1920-1957); Thomas Moakler (1958-1965); John Hanton (1968-1979); John O'Deady (1979-1986); and Gordon Walsh (1986-1988). As well some of the administrators of the parish were Leo G. O'Shea (1957-1958); Philip Lewis (1965-1968); Gerald F. Roche (1989-1990); John McGettigan (1990-1993); E. J. Sutton (1993-[1996?]); and Paul Lundrigan (1996-1998).

In the early days of Methodism in Botwood, (which was known as Ship Cove then), Botwood was a part of the Exploits Mission, with the minister or missionary stationed at Exploits. This mission had many subdivisions over the course of time.

In 1889 the Exploits Mission was divided, and the Exploits Bay Mission was formed, with preaching appointments at Burnt Bay (Lewisporte), Indian Arm, Loon Bay, Scissors Cove, Kite Cove (Laurenceton), and Ship Cove (Botwood). The first minister under the boundary set up in 1889 was Rev. James Nurse. Rev. Frank Hollett was the first ordained minister stationed at Botwood. In 1898, this mission appears in the Minutes as Botwoodville.

Rev. C.R. Durant was appointed to the charge in 1905. It was during his pastorate that the first Methodist church was built at Botwood. The foundation for the Methodist church was laid in September 1905 and it was opened for worship on April 2, 1906. During this time, Laurenceton was added to the circuit name and it was named Botwoodville and Laurenceton pastoral charge. Northern Arm was also an appointment of this circuit. Laurenceton appears as a separate mission in 1918; It was during the pastorate of the Rev. W. Edgar Mercer from 1924, that the Methodist Church of Botwood became a part of the United Church of Canada. Shortly after the union of churches, plans were laid at Botwood for a new church with twin towers. The new structure was dedicated in 1928 while Rev. Mercer was still pastor.

For about twenty-five years after The Methodist Church in Newfoundland became part of The United Church of Canada, many of the features of Methodism continued - the prayer meeting, in some places class meeting, the annual Missionary Meeting, and in most churches, the Order of Service of the 1914 Methodist Discipline was followed. The Women's Organizations and Circuit Boards were continued for thirty-five years inmost congregations. There was a strong emphasis on Christian Education, and new organizations - Explorers, Trail Rangers, Tuxis and Newfoundland Girls in Training were formed. The Methodist Organization, The Epworth League for young adults, continued for some years, but later the name was changed to The Young People's Society.

The old official boards of the Methodist Church weren't dissolved until 1934 and new ones were appointed according to the manual of the United Church of Canada.

For more than three centuries, Harvey & Company Limited has been one of Newfoundland's most successful business enterprises. Initially, the company was primarily engaged in the fish trade, but it also became involved in various manufacturing enterprises such as the production of furniture, margarine, soap, matches, and tobacco. The company also constructed Newfoundland's first pulp mill at Black River, Placentia Bay, in 1898, and operated a slate quarry at Britannia. In the 1890s, Harvey & Company Limited became directly involved in the Fortune Bay fishery and was a major player in the south coast fishery, shipping fish to foreign markets in Europe and the West Indies on their foreign-going vessels. The firm owned extensive premises at 87-91 Water Street, on the north side of St. John's Harbour. From this location, it carried on business as shipowners and steamship agents. Throughout the 1930s, it was also Newfoundland's largest exporter of frozen fish.

The company was founded by Eugenius Harvey, who came to St. John's from Bermuda in 1820 to work at one of the last surviving branches of the Bermuda Trading Company. A. W. Harvey, Eugenius' nephew, arrived from Bermuda in 1860 to join the company one year before the firm changed its name to Harvey, Tucker and Company. The firm became incorporated as Harvey & Company Limited in 1913. A. Harvey & Company Limited -- a sister company formed by Alexander J. Harvey in 1865 -- was incorporated in 1914. Harvey & Company Limited was re-incorporated in 1937 and in 1947, with A. Harvey & Company Limited maintaining the majority of shares in both instances; After confederation, Harvey & Company Limited withdrew from the fishery and diversified its interests. The firm began a wholesale grocery business and, in 1953, opened a heavy-equipment sales and repair business. The company abandoned the grocery trade in the 1970s, but the heavy-equipment business continued. Harvey & Company Limited formed Harvey's Travel Agency in 1935 as a subsidiary company and opened branch operations throughout Newfoundland and Atlantic Canada