Pouch Island was once a fishing community on isolated island in
Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador (; french: Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador; frequently abbreviated as NL) is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region ...
, in northern
Bonavista Bay
Bonavista Bay (BB) is a large bay located on the northeast coast of the island of Newfoundland (island), Newfoundland in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada. It opens directly onto the Atlantic Ocean.
The bay is demarcated by Ca ...
situated about 5 km east of
Wesleyville
Wesleyville is a borough in Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,229 at the 2020 census, down from 3,341 in 2010. It is part of the Erie Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Geography
Wesleyville is located at (42.137056, ...
. The settlement is now abandoned.
History
The earliest reference to Pouch Island was in an 1803 parish record which records a John Dick living on the island. There are also records from missionaries who visited the area to perform services. For example, a missionary visited in 1830 and baptized eight people with the names of Dick and Sainsbury. Later names that came to Pouch Island also included Cooze and Dyke. The people on the island relied on the cod fishery and eventually became involved in the seal fishery. In the 1836 ''Census'' Pouch Island is recorded with a population of 36. The last written record that documents settlement on the island was the baptism of Tabitha Dyke in 1863, afterwards people began moving off the island. The residents of Pouch Island mainly moved to
Newtown and
Pool's Island, by 1869 the island was vacated.
['']Encyclopedia of Newfoundland and Labrador
''Encyclopedia of Newfoundland and Labrador'' is an Encyclopedia commissioned by Joey Smallwood to capture the people, places, events and history of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Smallwood's view on the purpose of the encyclopedia was ...
''
Sealing
Pouch Island was a small and isolated community but was settled for its access to fishing grounds. When the seal fishery took off in northern Bonavista Bay, Pouch Island, even though it was relatively small, became involved as well. There was one fishing room built on the island, 'Dick's Room', which was built in 1803. In 1845 there were 6 sealing nets on the island, and in 1857 there was still 1 net there. By the next ''Census'', 1869, the island was abandoned.
[Naboth Winsor, ''Stalwart Men and Sturdy Ships'', 1985.]
Census Information
See also
*
List of communities in Newfoundland and Labrador
This article lists unincorporated communities of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.
Incorporated towns and cities are incorporated municipalities and can be found on List of municipalities in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Newfoundla ...
References
External links
* http://www.willow-house.com/gazfree/Bonavista.html
Search directories, census, births, marriages, government records, and much more
{{coord , 49.167, N, 53.474, W, display=title
Islands of Newfoundland and Labrador