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Codfish were once plentiful in Conception Bay, but there came a time when these waters were unable to sustain all the fishermen living in the many communities dotting its shores. The men of the communities along the Burnt Head and Spectacle Head trails began to sign on as sharemen, joining a fishing crew to share in the proceeds, with fishermen who were sailing to Labrador to prosecute the Labrador inshore fishery. From the 1920s to the 1950s, most able-bodied local men would go to the Labrador to fish, which contributed to the eventual abandonment of the communities here, because families no longer needed to be near Conception Bay if they were fishing elsewhere.
The men from the Cupids area fished in the waters near Spotted Islands, Domino, Batteau, and Black Tickle, Labrador.¹ They signed on as sharemen with a fishing boat "Skipper" — and lived and worked in the Labrador fishery until they returned. They were usually away from May to November.² The shareman was responsible for taking care of the living premises, the boat, and everything that was needed for the crew working in Labrador.
Sometimes men took their families with them, but space was scarce on the ships going up to Labrador, so often just a wife or a daughter would go—to help with the cooking and cleaning. Enid Abbott remembers going with her father to the Labrador to cook when she was only 12 years old.³ Sometimes daughters would make the trip with fathers so wives could stay home to tend to the land and look after younger children.
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| Annie (Walsh) Boone in Labrador, holding turrs (Common or Thick-billed Murres), the results of a food hunt on the water. Photo courtesy of Ross Boone. |
The trip to the Labrador might be made on a privately owned boat (such as Enid Abbott's father's Louie T), or company boats that were owned by merchants such as H.B. Dawe of Cupids (such as the Placentia or the Exploits), or one of the railway steamers (such as the Kyle, which can still be seen aground in at the head of Harbour Grace). When preparing for the trip, people packed wooden "Labrador boxes." They filled them with the clothing and gear they'd need, and their families often tucked a fruitcake or a bottle of rum inside as a treat for the summer.
On larger ships, fishermen would usually be accommodated in Steerage Class. This meant crowded rooms, and cooking your own food in the galley — once the Saloon Class meals were cleared away.
On arrival in Labrador, summer homes needed to be opened and cleaned out after the winter. Skippers lived with their families in small cabins not much bigger than sheds, while crew members slept in communal bunkhouses. Furniture was rough and homemade. Food supplies, provided by the Skipper, might include half a dozen barrels of flour, a barrel of molasses, large tubs of butter, a hundred-pound sack of sugar, hard bread, peas, beans, raisins, rice, and potatoes. The supply was meant to feed the Skipper, his family, and the crewmen. Sometimes goats and hens were also brought, to provide milk and eggs. In some locations, cabbages and turnips were planted to provide greens in the fall.
Men and women worked hard while in Labrador. Men would rise at four or five in the morning and go out to check the cod traps. They ate breakfast only after this was done, then moved to the fishing stages to clean the fish. After a midday meal, they'd go out to the traps again — and they would not stop working until after dark. The goal was to haul three loads a day, if they could. It was not uncommon to see men cleaning fish by the light of kerosene lamps.
Women also rose early—to make bread. They cleaned the cabins and washed clothes, making repairs as needed. Enid Abbott remembers making oilskins for her father, dipping his clothes in oil so they would repel water. Women also helped split fish, before the cod was salted.
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| Time for a picnic in 1920's Black Tickle, Labrador. Photo by Susie Bonnell of Cupids. |
When cooking, women used a regular schedule to ensure they got the most out of the finite amount of provisions. Monday was boiled beans, Wednesday was pea soup, Friday was fish, if they had it, and Saturday was fish and brewis. On Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays, they served Jiggs dinner: peas pudding, salt beef, duff, and potatoes.
Though the days were long and the work was hard, people still made time for entertainment. People would sing songs, tell stories, and visit the Labrador livyers (locals) for a dance. Samuel Horwood Richards from Rip Raps and James Bishop Dawe from Burnt Head were good friends who worked together on the Labrador. With Samuel's brother George, they wrote the song "Spotted Islands" when sailing on the Anderson owned by H.B. Dawe. It tells of times spent together and the fun they had in Labrador. Click the link to listen to the first verse.