This book is a comprehensive history of the community of Brigus, a small fishing community located in Conception Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, which dates back to around 1612, when John Guy sold half of the harbour to the Spracklin family. Located in a sheltered bay, Brigus has been home to many fishermen and a strategic location in early times. It is located adjacent to Cupers Cove (modern-day Cupids), an English settlement established in 1610 by John Guy on behalf of Bristol’s Society of Merchant Venturers. Its name comes from “Brickhouse,” the name of an old town in England. Brigus was home to the world-famous Captain Bob Bartlett and the location of his residence, Hawthorne Cottage. There were many other “Arctic Heroes” who came from this historic town, including Captain William Munden, who built the schooner Four Brothers, the first 100-ton schooner in Newfoundland, in 1819. Incorporated in July 1964, Brigus’s first mayor was Fred Bartlett. The present mayor is Byron Rodway. Reverend R. Wells was the first clergy mayor elected in the province. This book is the result of a deep personal commitment on the part of the author and the kindness of the many who allowed insight into certain, often pertinent, facts relating to their own family history. The author’s preferred style of recounting the town of Brigus’s history in the format of a grandfather telling it to his grandchild is a method deliberately employed with the hope that it will heighten interest and thus serve to help eliminate the “dryness” which is so much a part of a book of mere historical facts.

John Northway Leamon was born in Brigus on March 10, 1921. He was educated at the old Brigus United Church Academy, Memorial University of Newfoundland, and at Trinity College, London, where he obtained a degree in Class Music Teaching. For some years he operated a grocery and ice cream parlour in Brigus, where he was also a day-school teacher and, for 17 years, the church organist. Leamon moved to Carbonear in 1957 to take a full-time position as a music teacher and church organist, remaining there until 1970. From then until his retirement in 1981 he lived in St. John’s and taught music in various city schools. After years of being a weekend and summer resident of Brigus, he returned to his birthplace year-round in 1988. John Leamon founded the Brigus Historical and Conservation Society in 1983, working to establish what became known as the Ye Olde Stone Barn Museum. He served as curator of the Museum until June 1997, when he was incapacitated by illness. His lifelong interest in the preservation of Brigus was recognized by the presentation of the Canada 125 Medal (1992) for community service and the Manning Award (1997) for the preservation of community heritage. This book, the culmination of a life’s work, was completed in June 1997. Unfortunately, Mr. Leamon passed away that August, but not before he had been assured of publication.

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Edward Roberts has been involved in public life in Newfoundland and Labrador for fifty-five years, as a journalist, lawyer, and politician. He was a member of the House of Assembly for twenty-three years and served as Newfoundland and Labrador’s lieutenant governor between 2002 and 2008. He was honorary colonel of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment from 2003 to 2008, thus re-establishing the link between that office and that of the lieutenant governor, the Queen’s personal representative in Newfoundland and Labrador. He has long been passionately interested in the history of Newfoundland and her people. His first book, as editor, Peter Cashin: My Fight for Newfoundland (2012), was a Globe and Mail bestseller.

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