Winterton, Newfoundland and Labrador
Encyclopedia
Winterton is a town
in the Canadian
province of Newfoundland and Labrador
. It was originally named Sille Cove or Scilly Cove. In 1912 the town was named Winterton for Sir James Spearman Winter
, former Prime Minister of Newfoundland.
Winterton is located on Trinity Bay
on the western side of the Avalon Peninsula
on Newfoundland's east coast.
The town had a population
of 518 in the Canada 2006 Census
. The first record of settlement is found in Captain John Berry's Report to the British Admiralty in which he indicates that, in 1675, there were three fishing enterprises. These fishing crews departed from the West Country
of England
, probably from the city of Poole
in Dorset
, in the early spring of each year to fish in waters near the coast; the fish would be salted and dried in structures along the shore known as stages and flakes and shipped to England in the Fall. The three fishing Captains were Hopkins, Wicksell and Peyton who, along with their crews, comprised a population of less than 100.
The small boats suitable for fishing in near shore waters were constructed using local timber following ancient designs and using implements and tools whose origins can be traced to Saxon England. The Winterton Community and Boat Building Museum has preserved these ancient techniques and tools; the museum has on display newly constructed boats as well as the tools and axe hewn timbers.
The next record of settlement in Scilly Cove (Winterton) is found in the 1697 journal of Jean Baudoin
, a priest who accompanied d'Iberville
on his expedition around the coast of Newfoundland. At Scilly Cove he reported that there were four houses along with fishing structures as well as livestock
, which were all destroyed before the soldiers departed. Settlers fled to the nearby forest to escape the invaders.
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 the Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
province of 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 was originally named Sille Cove or Scilly Cove. In 1912 the town was named Winterton for Sir James Spearman Winter
James Spearman Winter
Sir James Spearman Winter, KCMG was a Newfoundland politician and Premier. Winter served in the Conservative government of Sir William Whiteway as Solicitor-General from 1882 to 1885 when he resigned along with a number of other Protestants as a result of sectarian riots at Harbour Grace...
, former Prime Minister of Newfoundland.
Winterton is located on Trinity Bay
Trinity Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador
Trinity Bay is a large bay on the northeastern coast of Newfoundland in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador.Major fishing communities include Trinity and Heart's Content.-Industry:...
on the western side of the Avalon Peninsula
Avalon Peninsula
The Avalon Peninsula is a large peninsula that makes up the southeast portion of the island of Newfoundland.The peninsula is home to 257,223 people, which is approximately 51% of Newfoundland's population in 2009, and is the location of the provincial capital, St. John's. It is connected to the...
on Newfoundland's east coast.
The town had a population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
of 518 in the Canada 2006 Census
Canada 2006 Census
The Canada 2006 Census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population. Census day was May 16, 2006. The next census following will be the 2011 Census. Canada's total population enumerated by the 2006 census was 31,612,897...
. The first record of settlement is found in Captain John Berry's Report to the British Admiralty in which he indicates that, in 1675, there were three fishing enterprises. These fishing crews departed from the West Country
West Country
The West Country is an informal term for the area of south western England roughly corresponding to the modern South West England government region. It is often defined to encompass the historic counties of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Somerset and the City of Bristol, while the counties of...
of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, probably from the city of Poole
Poole
Poole is a large coastal town and seaport in the county of Dorset, on the south coast of England. The town is east of Dorchester, and Bournemouth adjoins Poole to the east. The Borough of Poole was made a unitary authority in 1997, gaining administrative independence from Dorset County Council...
in Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
, in the early spring of each year to fish in waters near the coast; the fish would be salted and dried in structures along the shore known as stages and flakes and shipped to England in the Fall. The three fishing Captains were Hopkins, Wicksell and Peyton who, along with their crews, comprised a population of less than 100.
The small boats suitable for fishing in near shore waters were constructed using local timber following ancient designs and using implements and tools whose origins can be traced to Saxon England. The Winterton Community and Boat Building Museum has preserved these ancient techniques and tools; the museum has on display newly constructed boats as well as the tools and axe hewn timbers.
The next record of settlement in Scilly Cove (Winterton) is found in the 1697 journal of Jean Baudoin
Jean Baudoin
Jean Baudoin was born in Nantes, France, educated by the Sulpicians in Paris in 1682 and was ordained a priest in 1685. He was a missionary in France for several years before venturing to New France in 1687...
, a priest who accompanied d'Iberville
Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville
Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville pronounced as described in note] Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville pronounced as described in note] Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville pronounced as described in note] (16 July 1661 – 9 July 1702 (probable)was a soldier, ship captain, explorer, colonial administrator, knight of...
on his expedition around the coast of Newfoundland. At Scilly Cove he reported that there were four houses along with fishing structures as well as livestock
Livestock
Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...
, which were all destroyed before the soldiers departed. Settlers fled to the nearby forest to escape the invaders.