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| Trail Map |
During Prohibition (1917 to 1924) there was a Dominion-wide ban on alcoholic beverages (the earlier Temperance Act, in 1871, had also allowed for local bans on alcohol¹). That didn't stop some people from Cupids from attempting to smuggle in a drop or two of rum and whiskey, however, and isolated Caplin Cove, on the north side of the harbour, was a perfect spot for an enterprising individual to offload some contraband.
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| Caplin Cove is just over the rocky hill on the other side of Rip Raps. |
Caplin Cove viewed from the steep hill on its south side. The sheltered and secluded bay would have been an ideal spot for bringing ashore illicit goods! Two people walking on the beach give an indication of the Cove's size.
One such person would claim to be setting off for nearby Bell Island to pick up his regular load of coal, but in fact he'd be gone up to eight days.² The real destination was the French islands of St. Pierre and Miquelon, where he loaded up his boat with rum and whiskey. After a landing in Caplin Cove, the contraband was delivered to a local shop owner who poured the illicit drinks into old vinegar bottles. He then put the alcohol for sale on his shelves under the noses of local law enforcement, who were none the wiser.
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| Thoughts about how Prohibition was perceived in Cupids and Burnt Head. The Evening Telegram, October 30, 1915. |
¹ Jenny Higgins, "Prohibition in Newfoundland and Labrador, 1917–1924", Newfoundland and Labrador Heritage, 2021. https://www.heritage.nf.ca/articles/politics/newfoundland-prohibition.php.
² Bill Akerman, interview with Kelly Butler, August 14, 1997, Cupids Historical Society, Cupids Legacy Centre.