Pilley's Island, Newfoundland and Labrador
Encyclopedia
Pilley's Island is a town
in Newfoundland and Labrador
. It is located in Division No. 8, Newfoundland and Labrador
.
. Some early boat-building had taken place at Spencer's Dock, to the west of Pilley's Island Harbour. The island is thought to have been named for one of the seasonal visitors.
In the 1860's Captain Philip Cleary staked a mineral claim at Bumblebee Bight, hoping to develop a copper mine. The island's orebody was chiefly pyrite. In 1885 Maine and Lewis Mills of New Brunswick bought the claim and the next year the company began mining. Local tradition says that prior to the opening of the mine there were at least two families living on the island, however, church records have no record of births, deaths or marriages at Pilley's Island until 1887. By 1891, when the mine was in full production, the population was 411.
Earliest settlers of Pilley's Island were from Twillingate
, Change Islands
and Herring Neck
. Some of these families had earlier come to the western part of the Bay to work at the copper mine in Tilt Cove.
In 1889 the mine was acquired by the Pyrites Company Ltd. of England. Under new management the mine was modernized. For example, it became the first Newfoundland mine to be equipped with electric lights. With the mine's prosperity, the community developed into the area's major employment and service center, with a hotel, courthouse, six merchant establishments, and the area's only hospital, set up by Sir Wilfred Grenfell
. In 1899 the mine went into trusteeship. Three years later it was reopened by Newfoundland Exploration Syndicate. The mine closed for good in 1908 when it was discovered that a large fault had displaced the main ore body. Even though, the community lost its major employer the town survived as a fishing and lumbering community. Its population, which was 699 in 1901, steadily declined to 405 by 1945.
The first clergyman to serve Pilley's Island was Methodist James Pincock. In 1896 the Methodist built the community's first church. Later the Salvation Army
, Church of England
and Roman Catholic Church
built churches. After the mine closed, the Church of England disappeared and only a few Roman Catholics remained. The Methodist and Roman Catholic churches operated schools, and after 1903 the Salvation Army also operated one. The United Church and Salvation Army continued to operate separate schools until 1960. In 1967 high school students began to attend the Integrated Central High School at Robert's Arm. In 1977 Dorset Collegiate was opened on Pilley's Island, near the causeway to Triton
.
In addition to the causeway across Flat Rock Tickle to the mainland, a second causeway has connected Pilley's and Triton Island
since 1968.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
in Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
. It is located in Division No. 8, Newfoundland and Labrador
Division No. 8, Newfoundland and Labrador
Division No. 8 is a census division on the north coast of the island of Newfoundland in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. It has a land area of 9,315.44 km² and a population of 42,188 as of the 2001 census...
.
History
Distant from the best fishing grounds further out the Bay, no settlement was recorded at Pilley's Island until the opening of the pyrite mine in 1887. The island is known to have been frequented by Dorset Eskimo and the BeothukBeothuk
The Beothuk were one of the aboriginal peoples in Canada. They lived on the island of Newfoundland at the time of European contact in the 15th and 16th centuries...
. Some early boat-building had taken place at Spencer's Dock, to the west of Pilley's Island Harbour. The island is thought to have been named for one of the seasonal visitors.
In the 1860's Captain Philip Cleary staked a mineral claim at Bumblebee Bight, hoping to develop a copper mine. The island's orebody was chiefly pyrite. In 1885 Maine and Lewis Mills of New Brunswick bought the claim and the next year the company began mining. Local tradition says that prior to the opening of the mine there were at least two families living on the island, however, church records have no record of births, deaths or marriages at Pilley's Island until 1887. By 1891, when the mine was in full production, the population was 411.
Earliest settlers of Pilley's Island were from Twillingate
Twillingate, Newfoundland and Labrador
Twillingate is a town of 2,448 people located on the Twillingate Islands in Notre Dame Bay. It is located off the northeastern shore of the island of Newfoundland in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It was incorporated on September 30, 1965. The town is about north of Lewisporte and...
, Change Islands
Change Islands
Change Islands is an outport community in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador.The community spans two small islands of the same name which lie off the northeast coast of the island of Newfoundland between Notre Dame Bay and the Labrador Sea....
and Herring Neck
Herring Neck, Newfoundland and Labrador
Herring Neck is a fishing community located at the northeastern extremity of New World Island, Notre Dame Bay of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The community encompasses several small contiguous communities such as Cobb's Arm, Too Good Arm, Ship Island, Merritt's Harbour, Salt Harbour and...
. Some of these families had earlier come to the western part of the Bay to work at the copper mine in Tilt Cove.
In 1889 the mine was acquired by the Pyrites Company Ltd. of England. Under new management the mine was modernized. For example, it became the first Newfoundland mine to be equipped with electric lights. With the mine's prosperity, the community developed into the area's major employment and service center, with a hotel, courthouse, six merchant establishments, and the area's only hospital, set up by Sir Wilfred Grenfell
Wilfred Grenfell
Sir Wilfred Thomason Grenfell, KCMG was a medical missionary to Newfoundland and Labrador.He was born at Parkgate, Wirral, England, the son of Algernon Grenfell, headmaster of Mostyn House School, and Jane Georgiana Hutchison and married Anne Elizabeth Caldwell MacClanahan of Chicago, Illinois, in...
. In 1899 the mine went into trusteeship. Three years later it was reopened by Newfoundland Exploration Syndicate. The mine closed for good in 1908 when it was discovered that a large fault had displaced the main ore body. Even though, the community lost its major employer the town survived as a fishing and lumbering community. Its population, which was 699 in 1901, steadily declined to 405 by 1945.
The first clergyman to serve Pilley's Island was Methodist James Pincock. In 1896 the Methodist built the community's first church. Later the Salvation Army
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
, Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
and Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
built churches. After the mine closed, the Church of England disappeared and only a few Roman Catholics remained. The Methodist and Roman Catholic churches operated schools, and after 1903 the Salvation Army also operated one. The United Church and Salvation Army continued to operate separate schools until 1960. In 1967 high school students began to attend the Integrated Central High School at Robert's Arm. In 1977 Dorset Collegiate was opened on Pilley's Island, near the causeway to Triton
Triton, Newfoundland and Labrador
Triton was a village served by the C.N.R. in the 1950s. The population was 399 in 1951 and 429 in 1956.-See also:*List of cities and towns in Newfoundland and Labrador...
.
In addition to the causeway across Flat Rock Tickle to the mainland, a second causeway has connected Pilley's and Triton Island
Triton, Newfoundland and Labrador
Triton was a village served by the C.N.R. in the 1950s. The population was 399 in 1951 and 429 in 1956.-See also:*List of cities and towns in Newfoundland and Labrador...
since 1968.