Fishot Island, Newfoundland and Labrador
Encyclopedia
Fischot Island was a former Island community just out side the town of St. Anthony and Goose Cove. It had a population of 48 in 1935. The people who once lived there on the 1.3 km round island, all resettled to new towns in search of work and better opportunities for raising their families. There were 4 main families lived on the island, and they were Alyward, Bromley, Davis, and Sexton. Most of these family origins come from England and Ireland. The island has been vacant for over 40 years now.
The entrance way to the island was very narrow with shallow water due to the many various islands in the surrounding area, making it possible for only small boats to enter and lay anchor.
Before long Newfoundlanders and the French were fishing and living all together in the one island.
The permanent settlers to the island survived on an economy of fishing - mainly salmon, cod, capelin and herring. Winter activities included hunting and woodcutting on the shores of Hare Bay, especially as there was no timber on the island itself. Agriculture was limited to root crops and a small number of livestock was raised. Even though the people of Fischot Island were very connected to the people in the surrounding communities, once Newfoundland joined Canada in 1949, they started to suffer from isolation, transportation difficulties and a lack of essential services. The population of the island kept increasing but this only accentuated the need for improved living conditions in the community. Between 1970 and 1972 resettlement, under the first Federal-Provincial resettlement agreement for the relocations of fishermen, took place from Fischot Island.
The entrance way to the island was very narrow with shallow water due to the many various islands in the surrounding area, making it possible for only small boats to enter and lay anchor.
History
The island was used mainly for the French to come and dock during the fishing seasons. The French people have been fishing here for centuries. In the early 19th century a man by the name of Henry Bromley came to the island. He watched over the property while the French returned to France in the wintertime. He soon married and started a family here. Then in the 1850s the island then started to grow bigger, and with such an increase in population they built churches and schools.Before long Newfoundlanders and the French were fishing and living all together in the one island.
The permanent settlers to the island survived on an economy of fishing - mainly salmon, cod, capelin and herring. Winter activities included hunting and woodcutting on the shores of Hare Bay, especially as there was no timber on the island itself. Agriculture was limited to root crops and a small number of livestock was raised. Even though the people of Fischot Island were very connected to the people in the surrounding communities, once Newfoundland joined Canada in 1949, they started to suffer from isolation, transportation difficulties and a lack of essential services. The population of the island kept increasing but this only accentuated the need for improved living conditions in the community. Between 1970 and 1972 resettlement, under the first Federal-Provincial resettlement agreement for the relocations of fishermen, took place from Fischot Island.
See also
- List of communities in Newfoundland and Labrador
- http://ngb.chebucto.org/C1935/35-fischots-isl-wb.shtml