Cape Freels is one of the communities that comprise an area (also known as Cape Freels) on the northeast coast of the Island of

Newfoundland Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region of Labrador, having a total size of . As of 2025 the population ...

, called

Bonavista North Bonavista North was a provincial electoral district for the House of Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. It existed from when Newfoundland joined confederation in 1949 until 2015. As of 2011 the district had 6,956 eligible voters. Wh ...

, in the province of

Newfoundland and Labrador Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region of Labrador, having a total size of . As of 2025 the populatio ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

. These communities have a shared history in that they were settled by people from England, predominantly from the West Country -

Dorset Dorset ( ; Archaism, archaically: Dorsetshire , ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by Somerset to the north-west, Wiltshire to the north and the north-east, Hampshire to the east, t ...

Devon Devon ( ; historically also known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel to the north, Somerset and Dorset to the east, the English Channel to the south, and Cornwall to the west ...

Somerset Somerset ( , ), Archaism, archaically Somersetshire ( , , ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel, Gloucestershire, and Bristol to the north, Wiltshire to the east ...

and

Hampshire Hampshire (, ; abbreviated to Hants.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Berkshire to the north, Surrey and West Sussex to the east, the Isle of Wight across the Solent to the south, ...

History

Cape Freels, on the northern point of

Bonavista Bay Bonavista Bay (BB) is a large bay located on the northeast coast of the island of Newfoundland in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada. It opens directly onto the Atlantic Ocean. The bay is demarcated by Cape Freels to the nort ...

, is said to have been visited as early as 1506. It also has one of the earliest known

Beothuk The Beothuk ( or ; also spelled Beothuck) were a group of Indigenous peoples in Canada, Indigenous people of Canada who lived on the island of Newfoundland (island), Newfoundland. The Beothuk culture formed around 1500 CE. This may have been ...

sites on the island. Originally, European settlers went to Middle Bill Cove and by 1836 there were 67 people living there. The settlement relied on a small local

cod Cod (: cod) is the common name for the demersal fish genus ''Gadus'', belonging to the family (biology), family Gadidae. Cod is also used as part of the common name for a number of other fish species, and one species that belongs to genus ''Gad ...

fishing industry and

seals Seals may refer to: * Pinniped, a diverse group of semi-aquatic marine mammals, many of which are commonly called seals, particularly: ** Earless seal, or "true seal" ** Fur seal * Seal (emblem), a device to impress an emblem, used as a means of a ...

. On Gull Island, Cape Freels in 1924, a gas lamp was erected to help aid mariners with their navigation. In 1961 the population of Cape Freels and Cape Freels South was 157 and the population of Cape Freels North was 179. In 1963 Cape Freels received electricity and still depended on the local fishery and Labrador fishery. In 1966 there were 341 people in Cape Freels, by 1976 there were only 95.''

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 ...

Church History

In 1836, 35 of the 46 inhabitants in Cape Freels were

Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the State religion#State churches, established List of Christian denominations, Christian church in England and the Crown Dependencies. It is the mother church of the Anglicanism, Anglican Christian tradition, ...

and eleven were

Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...

. Although there was no church at this time,

missionaries A missionary is a member of a religious group who is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Thomas Hale 'On Being a Miss ...

from other communities would visit there. For example, the first missionary stationed at Greenspond, Rev N.A. Coster records visiting Cape Freels as early as 1832. By 1845, with a population of only 80 people, a Church of England church and school was built and had an initial enrolment of 51 pupils. In 1844 Mr. Thomas Parker became the school master and taught there for more than 20 years. In 1857 113 if the 121 inhabitants were Church of England. By 1869, however, only nine people were of the Church of England, five were Roman Catholic, and 177 were Methodists.

Census Information

Directories

- Hutchinson's Newfoundland Directory for 1864 lists some of the inhabitants of Middle Bill Cove: * James Houlahan, Planter * Patrick Humphries, Planter * Thomas Parker, Teacher * John Ridout, Planter * John Stokes, Planter * William Yetman, Planter - Lovell's Newfoundland Directory for 1871 describes Middle Bill Cove as the most northern settlement in the Bonavista district, distant from Greenspond about 15 miles by boat and a population of 161. The people listed are: * William Brown, Fisherman * Davis Butchers, Fisherman * Cornelius Cook, Planter * William Cook, Fisherman * Mark Garrett, Fisherman * Alfreal Gaulton, Fisherman * John Hann, Planter * William Hann, Fisherman * Harvey Harvey, Fisherman * James Hollohn, Fisherman * George Humphrey, Fisherman * Jonas Humphrey, Fisherman * Thomas Parker * Jacob Ridout, Planter * James Ridout, Planter * John Ridout, Planter * Peter Ridout, Planter * William Ridout, Fisherman * Arthur Robert, Fisherman * Job Stokes, Fisherman * John Stokes Jr., Fisherman * John Stokes Sr., Fisherman * William Yetman, Fisherman

Interesting facts

* In the 1840s, John Ridout, W. Hands, and R. Vincent were on the board of Road Commissioners for Cape Freels to Cobbler's Island. * In 1865 Thomas Fish Parker of Middle Bill Cove, Cape Freels petitioned for a bridge over the river at Arthur's Gut and James Roach of Middle Bill Cove wanted a grant to open a road from the beach to their farms. * In 1887 William Lang was the surveyor of shipping from Salvage to Cape Freels; Henry Robins was the commissioner of wrecked property for Cape Freels to Cape Farewell; and Cape Freels way office in 1887 was William Hann.Newfoundland Almanac.

References

External links

Newfoundland and Labrador Abandoned Communities Index - Bonavista

Newfoundland and Labrador Grand Banks Genealogy

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cape Freels, Newfoundland And Labrador Populated coastal places in Canada Populated places in Newfoundland and Labrador