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A.H. Murray & Company Limited, St. John's, was a leading Newfoundland mercantile firm for most of the twentieth century. The company engaged in the general supply trade of the inshore and Labrador cod fisheries. The company was also involved in exporting and importing, the offshore sealing industry, shipping, as well as a dealer in marine engines. In more recent times, the company has been strongly associated with building supplies.

James Murray (1864), a Scottish emigrant and member of the House of Assembly (MHA), immigrated to St. John's in the 1830s. A broker, his first venture was in making hard bread (or sea biscuit), but by 1845 he was also involved in more general trading in the cod fisheries and sealing. This trade expanded under the direction of his son, James Murray Jr. (1843-1900). He went bankrupt following the loss of his company's assets and records in the Great Fire of 1892.

In 1918, Andrew H. Murray (1879-1965) and his brother David (ca. 1877-1971) re-established the family business and incorporated it as A.H. Murray & Co. Ltd. A.H. (Bill) Crosbie, Murray's son-in-law, and the youngest son of Sir John Crosbie, joined the company in 1952. When A.H. Murray died in 1965, Crosbie became managing director. On 1 January 1979, A.H. Murray & Co. Ltd. restructured and amalgamated its subsidiary companies - Murray & Co. (St. Anthony) Ltd. and Murray Agencies and Transport Co. Ltd. - as Murray Industrial Ltd.

Over the years A.H. Murray formed a number of subsidiary shipping companies. These included Newfoundland Shipping Company Ltd. (1911-25), Annzac Steamships Company Limited (1916-23), Baccalieu Shipping Company Ltd.(1917-22), and Salmonier Shipping Company Ltd.(1947-62). Other enterprises with which the company was involved included: Salt Importers Association (1940-66), Newfoundland Coal Company (1948-63), Blu-Flame Gas Company Ltd., (1963), Newfoundland Agency Ltd., and Colonial Cordage Company (1959-62).

The Agnes Pratt Home is a senior citizens’ complex, owned and operated by the United Church of Canada, Newfoundland & Labrador Conference as part of the Division of Mission program in Newfoundland. It was during discussions at a Conference meeting in 1954 that the purpose of the home was established - to provide a living environment for residents who were capable of independent living in a group home setting, who were ambulatory and did not require nursing care. The home was officially opened on Sept.7, 1958.

This home was a pioneer in Newfoundland and Labrador in recognizing the need for special services for senior citizens. It quickly became apparent that there was a need for on-site supervision of nursing care, and in 1972, an extension to the home included a 16-bed nursing unit. This addition provided for the temporary, episodic and intermediate types of care. At this point the Agnes Pratt Home became able to accept persons eligible for funding under the Department of Social Services, Services to Senior Citizens Division.

In 1977, a proposal for more comprehensive services for the Home and the community was presented to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, funding agency of the Federal Government, and the Department of Social Services of the Provincial Government. Between 1977 and 1986, the Home had updated its proposal several times to meet the changing need of its residents and the community. In 1986, federal funding of the latest proposal for the construction of additional facilities was announced.

The Home was incorporated in 1979 and operates under a Memorandum of Association in accordance with the Companies Act under the Revised Statutes of Newfoundland 1970. The home is cognizant of, and adheres to the following main Legislative Acts to the best of its ability and resources: The Private Homes for Special Care Act, The Welfare Institutions Licensing Act, and The Public Service Collective Bargaining Act. Any other applicable acts or regulations of Federal, Provincial or Municipal governments, as they apply to the proper operation of the Home, are followed.

The Agnes Pratt Home is operated by a Board of Directors appointed annually and approved by Conference at each annual meeting.

In 1996, as a result of the continuing assessment of needs in the area of care of seniors, the St. John’s Nursing Home Board (SJNHB) was established. Its purpose is to “enhance quality resident care while achieving efficiencies within the reformed regionalized healthcare system”. The Board is responsible for six homes within the St John’s area, with the Agnes Pratt Home being one of these homes. The partnership of these homes “comprises a range of operational agreements including Memoranda of Understanding, a Governance Agreement, and direct operational authority”.

The SJNHB is accountable to the Department of Health and Community Services and is responsible for policy direction of the nursing homes and the development and evaluation of standards of practice based on the Resident-Centred Care philosophy.

William Ahern (1860-1907), Catholic priest, was born in Waterford, Ireland, on 26 April 1860. He died in Brooklyn, New York, on 27 July 1907.

Ahern attended Mount Mellray College, Ireland, where he enrolled in the course of classics preparatory of philosophy and theology. He pursued these studies at All Hallows College, Dublin, where he remained until 1883. Ahern was ordained a priest in St. John's on 8 June 1883 by Thomas Joseph Power, Bishop of St. John's.

Ahern began his work at St. Mary's, St. Mary's Bay (1883-87). In 1887 he was transferred to St. Bonaventure's College and appointed Dean of Studies. He succeeded Michael A. Fitzgerald as President in 1888, until the administration of the institution was assumed by the Christian Brothers in 1889. After the transfer of the College to the Christian Brothers, Ahern accepted an appointment in the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist Parish, St. John's, where he remained for nearly three years.

In 1892 Ahern left Newfoundland and was incardinated into the Diocese of Brooklyn, New York. For the next seven years, (1892-99), he worked as curate in St. Joseph's Parish, Brooklyn, under the pastoral leadership of Monsignor McNamara. Ahern was appointed Rector of St. Gabriel's Parish in the New Lots section of Brooklyn.

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.