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Corporate body · December 8, 1994

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.

Johnson (family)
Family · 1853-1973

The Johnson family was a prominent Newfoundland professional and polictical family. Members of the family represented in the fonds include George Macness Johnson (1853-1935), and daughters Sybil Johnson Dunfield (1887-1973), Estelle (Jill) Johnson Toplis, and Dorothy Johnson.

George Macness Johnson (1853-1935), lawyer, politician, judge, was born in St. John's, Newfoundland on 11 August 1853, son of the Rev. George M. Johnson (1824-1905) and Frances (Carrington) Johnson. He married Anne Elizabeth Bown of Sydney, Nova Scotia. They had three daughters, Sybil, Estelle, and Dorothy, and one son, Macness. Johnson died in St. John's on 17 December 1935.

Johnson was educated at the Church of England Academy, St. John's and at St. John's College, Hurstpierpoint, Sussex, England. After completing his education, he returned to Newfoundland in August 1870, and joined the law firm of William Whiteway. In 1878, Johnson and Whiteway established the partnership of Whiteway & Johnson. For nearly two decades, Johnson carried on the law practice while Whiteway pursued his political career.

Johnson entered politics in a 1894 by-election, running as a Liberal in the three-member district of Trinity. Along with two other Whiteway supporters, he won his seat by a narrow margin. In the October 1897 general election, Johnson and his Liberal colleagues lost to three Conservative candidates. Johnson again contested the Trinity district in the November 1900 general election, securing victory.

In 1902 Johnson was named an Associate Judge of the Newfoundland Supreme Court. He remained on the bench until 1926 when he retired to England. He returned to Newfoundland in 1935 shortly before his death.

Johnson organized a branch of the Society for the Protection of Animals (SPCA) in St. John's, based on the English organization. From 1875 he was a member of the Masonic Order. He was also a keen sportsman and instituted the Johnson Shield Sports which organized games among boys under twelve years of age who attended the St. John's school colleges.

Sybil Johnson Dunfield (1887-1973), was born 19 November 1887, the eldest daughter of George and Elizabeth Johnson. On 8 August 1918, she married Brian Dunfield (1888-1968), a St. John's lawyer who received a knighthood in 1949. They had one daughter, Dorothy Helen, and two sons, John Brian Macness and Anthony Henry. Sybil, Lady Dunfield, died in St. John's 14 December 1973 at the age of 86 years.

Sybil Johnson attended Bishop Spencer School and Spencer Lodge in St. John's before going to Europe to finish her education (1902). She attended Cheltenham Girls School, England (1902-4) and later studied music, violin and voice in Leipzig, Germany. She remained in Leipzig until September 1909 when she returned to Newfoundland.

Little is known of Sybil Johnson's life after her return to St. John's. Two years after the outbreak of World War I, she joined the war effort, and, in 1916, enrolled in the Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD). She left St. John's in December 1916 and journeyed to New York and then to England via the USMS St. Louis. She trained as a VAD at Queen Mary's Hostel for Nurses, London, before being assigned to the 1st Western General Military Hospital, Fozakerley, near Liverpool, in January 1917. She remained there until July 1918 when she returned to Newfoundland via New York.

Following her marriage, Sybil Johnson resided at "Arcady" located at 173 Waterford Bridge Road, St. John's. She was involved in various social activities, often providing violin music at charitable events.

Estelle (Jill) Johnson Toplis and Dorothy Johnson were Sybil's younger sisters but little information is available on them. Like Sybil, they received formal education in Europe; during 1908-9 school year, all three sisters were at school at Leipzig. Estelle (Jill) eventually married a Mr. Toplis; Dorothy did not marry. Both women were still alive when Sybil died in 1973.

Oke (family)
Family · 1833-1968

The Oke family documented in the fonds are the descendents of lighthouse builder and inspector Robert Oke, an English immigrant who had initially been employed at Burin by the Slade mercantile firm. The Oke family established several family businesses in Harbour Grace and in St. John's.

William Robert Oke (1833-1894), son of Robert Oake, established Oke's Carriage Factory and Undertaking Rooms in Harbour Grace in 1856; the business was relocated to Duckworth Street, St. John's. Four of Oke's sons were involved in the business: Robert Kammay, John Carnell, William Carnell, and Edward Landgon; the name of the firm was changed to William R. Oke & Sons, Builders (1885) to reflect their involvement. William R. Oke & Sons constructed carraiges, wheelbarrows, cartwheels and caskets.

Following the St. John's Great Fire (1892), the factory, which was uninsured, was completely destroyed. A son, John Carnell Oke, reestablished the business on Prescott Street as John C. Oke & Sons, later renamed Oke's Carriage Factory (ca. 1900). Gordon Jeans Oke, son of J.C. Oke, entered the business as a partner in 1906 and assumed full control of the firm in 1931.

After World War II, the Oke family phased out carriage production, although the coffin factory remained in operation until 1968. In 1968, following 62 years in the trade, Gordon Oke retired and the business closed.

Grieve and Bremner (firm)
Corporate body · c.1863-1887

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.

Corporate body · 1793-1998

On 5 June 1784, Newfoundland was made an independent ecclesiastical territory/mission with its establishment as a Prefecture Apostolic. The arrival of Rev. James Louis O'Donel, the newly appointed prefect of Newfoundland, in St. John's in that same year is generally recognized as the date of the founding of the parish currently known as Basilica-Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. However, the name of this original St. John's-based parish is uncertain. Records comprising the fonds only make reference to the "Old Chapel" (on Henry Street) that acted as the first parish church and later cathedral when the Diocese of Newfoundland was erected on 4 June 1847. It also is unclear whether this original entity actually was established as an official parish in 1784 or as some other less formal unit (references exist to the District of St. John's). Certainly, by 1847, with the erection of Newfoundland as a Diocese, a formal parish existed in St. John's.

The Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, constructed between 1841 and 1855 (consecrated on 9 September 1855), replaced the "Old Chapel," and in 1955 was raised to the rank of Minor Basilica, giving rise to the parish's current name, Basilica-Cathedral of St. John the Baptist Parish (more popularly known as the Cathedral Parish and, later, the Basilica Parish).

The original parish boundaries stretched from La Manche to Holyrood and over time have undergone several changes. The most recent occurred in 1998 when St. Joseph's, located in the East End of St. John's, was suppressed and its congregation absorbed by the Basilica Parish. Currently, the parish boundaries include Pleasantville, Quidi Vidi, and the downtown core.

The Basilica Parish was active in the establishment and administration of schools within its boundaries, including Our Lady of Mercy, Presentation, St. Patrick's Hall, St. Bonaventure's, Holy Heart of Mary, and Brother Rice schools. The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Congregation (the Presentation Sisters), the Sisters of Mercy, and the Irish Christian Brothers also were closely affiliated with parish and educational affairs, supervising many of these parochial schools and participating in the general operations of the parish.

The Basilica Parish has also maintained close relations with numerous societies and organizations active within its geographical boundaries. Such past and present bodies include the Purgatorial Society, the Confraternity of the Most Holy Rosary, the Catholic Cadet Corps (CCC), the St. Vincent de Paul Society, the Third Order of St. Francis, the Total Abstinence and Benefit Society, the Propagation of the Faith Society, the Blessed Virgin Mary Society, the Legion of Mary, the Catholic Women's League (CWL), and the Knights of Columbus (KOC). Thus, the operations of the parish are intimately intertwined with several allied lay societies and organizations (the above enumeration is not exhaustive).

Structurally, the parish is currently organized along lines similar to most Roman Catholic parishes, including a Parish Pastoral Council, a Finance Committee, and a Liturgy Committee. These bodies are comprised of clergy and members of the laity, established to administer pastoral concerns and affairs. Other bodies found in the parish include the Service Committee, the Restoration Committee, the Family Care Centre and the Hospitality Committee.

The oldest parish in Newfoundland, the Basilica Parish forms part of the Archdiocese of St. John's and is the seat of the Archbishop. Thus, the parish is somewhat unique in that parish and archdiocesan affairs often converge. While the Basilica Parish is administered by an appointed priest entrusted with the pastoral care of the community, the Archbishop, officially, is the chief pastor with his cathedra (or throne) located in the Basilica-Cathedral.

The following is a list of the prelates who have presided over the Basilica Parish: James L. O'Donel, prefect and later vicar Apostolic of Newfoundland (1784-1807); Patrick Lambert, vicar Apostolic of Newfoundland (1807-1816); Thomas Scallan, vicar Apostolic of Newfoundland (1816-1830); Michael A. Fleming, vicar Apostolic and later Bishop of Newfoundland (1830-1850); John T. Mullock, Bishop of Newfoundland and later St. John's (1850-1869); Thomas J. Power, Bishop of St. John's (1870-1893); Michael F. Howley, Bishop and later Archbishop of St. John's (1895-1914); Edward P. Roche, Archbishop of St. John's (1915-1950); Patrick J. Skinner, Archbishop of St. John's (1951-1979); Alphonsus L. Penney, Archbishop of St. John's (1979-1991); James H. MacDonald, Archbishop of St. John's (1991-2000); and Brendan O'Brien, Archbishop of St. John's (2000- ).

Monroe Export Company
Corporate body · 1909-1946

Monroe Export Company, Limited, a Newfoundland saltfish company, was established by Walter Stanley Monroe in 1909. The firm was based in St. John's, with a branch at Thoroughfare, Bonavista Bay.

Monroe (1871-1952), businessman and Newfoundland Prime Minister (1924-28) was born in Dublin, Ireland, the son of John and Elizabeth (Moule) Monroe. Monroe emigrated to Newfoundland in 1888 to work with his uncle, Moses Monroe, in his family enterprises which included Colonial Cordage, Newfoundland Boot and Shoe Company, and St. John's Electrical Company. After his uncle's death, he established an export firm, Bishop and Monroe Company, with Robert Bishop. The partnership was dissolved in 1909 and Monroe started Monroe Export Company, Limited, which he operated until he entered politices in the 1920s.

In the 1920s, Monroe left much of the management of the family business to his son, Arthur Monroe, who expanded into frozen fish processing. A new enterprise, Fishery Products Limited (FPL), family owned and family financed, was formally incorporated in 1941; its largest investor was Monroe Export Company. In 1946 FPL purchased the assets of Monroe Export Company, and assumed its saltfish oeprations.

Alan Goodridge & Sons
Corporate body · 1807-[196-]

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.

Alberto Wareham Limited
Corporate body · c.1903-[198-]

Alberto Wareham Limited was established at Spencer's Cove, Placentia Bay, Newfoundland circa 1903. This small mercantile business later expanded into Harbour Buffett and became a major supplier of the inshore fishery in eastern Placentia Bay.