Musgrave Harbour, Newfoundland and Labrador

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Musgrave Harbour
other_name = Muddy Hole
native_name =
nickname =
settlement_type = Town
motto =


imagesize =
image_caption =


flag_size =
image_

seal_size =
image_shield =
shield_size =
city_logo =
citylogo_size =
pushpin_

pushpin_label_position = left
pushpin_map_caption = Location of Musgrave Harbour in Newfoundland
pushpin_mapsize =
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = CAN
subdivision_type1 = Province
subdivision_name1 = NL
subdivision_type3 =
subdivision_name3 =
established_title = Settled
established_date = 1834
established_title2 =
established_date2 =
established_title3 =
established_date3 =
government_type =
government_footnotes =
leader_title =
leader_name =
leader_title1 =
leader_name1 =
leader_title2 =
leader_name2 =
unit_pref =
area_footnotes =
area_total_sq_mi =
area_total_km2 =
area_land_sq_mi =
area_land_km2 =
area_water_sq_mi =
area_water_km2 =
area_water_percent =
area_urban_sq_mi =
area_urban_km2 =
area_metro_km2 =
area_metro_sq_mi =
population_as_of =
population_note =
population_footnotes =
population_total =
population_urban =
population_metro =
population_density_sq_mi =
population_density_km2 =
timezone = Newfoundland Time
utc_offset = -3:30
timezone_DST = Newfoundland Daylight
utc_offset_DST = -2:30
latd =
latm =
lats =
latNS =
longd =
longm =
longs =
longEW =
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_ft =
elevation_m =
postal_code_type =
postal_code =
area_code = 709
blank_name =
blank_info =
website = [http://www.musgraveharbour.com Town of Musgrave Harbour]
footnotes = Musgrave Harbour is a Canadian community in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Geography

Located on the Kittiwake coast of the island of Newfoundland, the closest major centre is the town of Gander.

History

Musgrave Harbour is a fishing community that was originally named Muddy Hole. The name was changed in 1886 in honor of Governor Anthony Musgrave. It was visited as early as the 1700s by Europeans. For example, George Skeffington from Bonavista was given salmon fishing rights there in 1723. In the 1800s the migratory fishery took place between Musgrave Harbour and Cape Freels and eventually permanent settlement began. The first family to settle in Musgrave Harbour was John Whiteway, of Western Bay, in 1834. The 1836 "Census" show Whiteway's family of eleven living in "Muddy Hole" and five people living in nearby Ragged Harbour. Musgrave Harbour was the administrative and religious center of Hamilton Sound by 1900, but due to its poor harbour it failed to be a commercial center. When Tobias Abbott of Doting Cove introduced the gasoline engine in 1909 the Labrador fishery was replaced with the inshore fishery. The people of Musgrave Harbour also became active in the Fisherman's Protective Union movement and the F.P.U established a local council there in 1909. In 1912 a Union Trading Co. store opened in Doting Cove. By 1911 the population was 433 in Musgrave Harbour, 458 in Doting Cove, and 49 at Ragged Harbour."Encyclopedia of Newfoundland and Labrador"]

Church History

The earliest people in Musgrave Harbour were of the Church of England; however, settlers from Bonavista introduced Methodism to Musgrave Harbour. A Wesleyan school opened in 1853, it was closed in 1862 and then reopened in 1865 by John Wheeler. A full time minister was appointed to Musgrave Harbour in 1874. Doting Cove, Ragged Harbour, and Musgrave Harbour had a combined population of more than 500 by 1884, and almost all were Methodist. The first resident minister in Musgrace Harbour was the Rev. Henry Lewis, and the 1874 church was the first Methodist church in the Greenspond circuit. The Salvation Army came to Musgrave Harbour in the 1890s and by 1930 made up the majority of the population."Encyclopedia of Newfoundland and Labrador"]

Education History

The first school in Musgrave Harbour was established in 1852 with Charles Harris as the teacher. It was built by the people for the Wesleyan School Society, it opened in 1852 with about 36 children. The school was closed in 1863 but it reopened again in 1865 with John Wheeler as the teacher, and he served for 24 years. The first female teacher was Laura Taylor in 1893. [ Raymond Guy, "From the Straight Shore", 1994.]

Census Information

Directory

- Lovell's Directory of 1871 describes Muddy Hole as a fishing settlement in the Twillingate and Fogo district, distant from Greenspond by 24 miles in boat with a population of 130. It also says "A number of boats leave here for the Wadham Islands, and their fish are the best cured on the island." [ J. Lovell, "Lovell's Newfoundland Directory", 1871.]

Interesting Facts

* A vessel named "The May" was lost at Musgrave Harbour on October 16, 1882. [ Raymond Guy, "From the Straight Shore", 1994.]
* The 1896 Yearbook and Almanac of Newfoundland lists J.B. Wheeler, J. Whiteway, S. Hicks, R. Burt, J. Abbott, J. Hicks, and W. Whiteway as members of the outport road board for Musgrave Harbour, Doting Cove, and Ragged Harbour.
* Mark Osmond was a way officer for Musgrave Harbour in the late 1800s. [ "Newfoundland Almanac"]

1941 airplane crash

In 1941 Dr. Sir Frederick Banting, co-discoverer of insulin, died in a plane crash near Musgrave Harbour. The "Hudson Bomber", with crew Captain Joseph Mackey, co-pilot William Snailham, and navigator William Bird, were en route to England when they had engine trouble just after leaving Gander. They attempted to return to Gander, but didn't make it. Captain Joseph Mackey was the only survivor. [http://books.google.com/books?id=ZXn4XZs4GzgC&pg=PA41&lpg=PA41&dq=hudson+bomber+mackey&source=web&ots=Mu2ti2SnT1&sig=xd28AD3le6nrcG1M-6IiStKwMRY#PPA43,M1 books.google.com - The Maw: Searching for the Hudson Bombers] The local park is named after Sir Frederick Banting, and also has an interpretation center dedicated to Dr. Banting and the crash. The wreckage of the plane was airlifted to the park in 1990.

References

ee also

* List of cities and towns in Newfoundland and Labrador