of the
OUTER BAY OF ISLANDS
BC
3000BC-1200BC Archeological evidence suggests possible occupation by members of the Maritime Archaic culture, probably associated with the cemetery at Port au Choix, 200 km to the north.
1000BC-100AD Evidence of occupation by members of Groswater Palaeoeskimo Culture in Middle Arm, Bay of Islands. (D L Reader) ***
700AD Evidence of occupation by members of the Dorset Palaeoeskimo Culture in Middle Arm. (D L Reader) ***
985 circa The Norseman Bjarni Herjolfsson, blown off course far to the west on a voyage from Iceland to Greenland, sights an unknown land. This may have been Newfoundland, or perhaps Labrador.
1000 circa Leif Eiriksson sets out to find the land Bjarni has seen, and calls it Vinland (Wineland; probably Newfoundland). The two narratives, The Greenland Saga and Eirik the Red's Saga, speak of several voyages made over a period of years, during which time they explored Helluland (Flat Stone Land; probably Baffin Island), Markland (Wooded Land; probably Labrador), and Vinland.
1010 circa Thorfinn Karlsefni, with 3 ships and 160 men and women, attempts to establish a settlement in Vinland, but fails after three years and returns home to Greenland. Modern archaeological discoveries indicate that a Norse settlement was established at L'Anse aux Meadows in northern Newfoundland.
1200-1500 A flint point found by Averil Childs at Bottle Cove, identified as belonging to the Little Passage Indian culture and dating from that period, suggests visits or possible occupation by members of this culture.
1497 Giovanni Caboto sails to Newfoundland and makes landfall at Cape Bonavista.
1500-1503 Voyages of the Corte-Real brothers for the king of Portugal.
1506 Portugal levies a tax on cod imported from Newfoundland.
1534 Jacques Cartier, caught in a storm, sails southwards along the west coast of Newfoundland, passing by, but not entering, the Bay of Islands.
1583 August 5 : At a formal ceremony in St John's Harbour, Sir Humphrey Gilbert takes possession of the New Found Land in the name of Queen Elizabeth I of England.
1588 Defeat of the Spanish Armada by England.
1590
-1700circa Evidence of Beothuk Indian occupation in Middle Arm. (D L Reader) ***
1610 Founding of John Guy's colony, "Sea Forest Plantation", at Cupids.
1633 First Order of Star Chamber (Establishing fishing admirals)
1637 By royal charter, Newfoundland is granted an official Coat of Arms bearing the Latin motto Quaerite prime regnum Dei ... (Seek ye first the Kingdom of God ... Matthew 6:33).
1670 Second Order of Star Chamber (Limiting colonisation)
1713 Treaty of Utrecht. Newfoundland island declared to belong wholly to Great Britain; French given shore fishing rights from Bonavista northwards, through Straits of Belle Isle, to Point Riche (near Port au Choix).
1763 Treaty of Paris. Gave St Pierre and Miquelon to France, the rest of North America to England.
1764 James Cook, employed by the Royal Navy squadron in Newfoundland, begins his marine charting surveys around Newfoundland.
1766 Population of Newfoundland estimated at 10,000; St John's 1,100. The Bay of Islands area was mostly unknown and with no recorded permanent habitation at this time.
1767 September : James Cook makes an expedition up the Humber River and about 4 miles into Deer Lake, remarking on the presence of timber and salmon.
Cook completes his charting surveys of Newfoundland waters, at the Bay of Islands.
1776 American Declaration of Independence.
1778 France recognises independence of the United States and declares war against England.
1783 Treaty of Versailles. Gives French inshore fishing rights from Cape John to Cape Ray, a stretch of coastline known as the French Shore . This placed the Bay of Islands squarely within the French inshore fishery limits, and remained in effect until 1904.
1812 War of 1812 between Britain and U.S.A.
1829 Visit of Rev William Bullock and Governor Sir Thomas Cochrane to the Bay of Islands.
1832 Newfoundland granted the right to Representative Government in a very limited form.
1835 Archdeacon Edward Wix visits the Bay of Islands and baptises 14 children.
1839 Rev. Aubrey George Spencer appointed first Bishop of Newfoundland.
1855 Newfoundland granted the right to Responsible Government, with an appointed Legislative Council (Upper House) and an elected House of Assembly (Lower House).
1857 Captain Kelly of the schooner Alice reports no permanent residents at Lark Harbour.
Early 1860s Serious settlement beginning in Outer Bay of Islands. Baptism of 19 children aboard the Church Ship. (exact date uncertain)
1865 Bay of Islands Anglican Mission established under the direction of Rev U Z Rule.
Silver & Co of Halifax set up large sawmill at Corner Brook.
1869 Newfoundland rejects offer of Confederation with Canada.
1873 Christopher Fisher buys the Silver & Co sawmill in Humber Arm.
1874 Existence of a School/Chapel at Lark Harbour reported by Commander Howorth, first magistrate appointed to French Shore.
1876 October : R. M. Lloyd, commander of the H.M.S. Bullfinch, reports that a fisherman named George Sheppard made a complaint about French harassment of fishermen at Lark Harbour.
1877 A report by H.M.S. Eclipse while in the Bay of Islands states: Little Port - average catch of fish twenty to thirty quintals [quintal = 112lbs]. Salmon good; crops very good. All fishermen currently fishing on the Labrador. About twelve new settlers arrived in the outer Bay since last year.
Permission granted by Colonial Secretary for appointment of a civil magistrate in St George's, but with no authority to adjudicate on any Treaty-related matters.
September : Rev J J Curling reports existence of a school-chapel and a small parsonage or school master's house at Lark Harbour.
1878 First schoolmaster, George H. Feild, employed at Lark Harbour.
Telegraph Cable extended to Bay of Islands and other West Coast areas.
1879-80 Unsuccessful cod and herring fisheries in the Bay of Islands cause heads of 32 families to petition for winter assistance to avoid starvation.
1882 Enfranchisement of West Coast of Newfoundland with inauguration of two Electoral Districts, St George and St Barbe.
1884 Census of Newfoundland reports 77 residents at Lark Harbour.
1887 Lobster Canning Factory at Lark Harbour burned down, rebuilt following year.
1891 Census of Newfoundland reports 135 at Lark Harbour (incl. Bateau [Bottle] Cove, 38).
1893 Daniel Henderson discovers copper deposit near York Harbour.
1896 Construction begun on the Anglican Church at Lark Harbour.
1897 York Harbour Copper Mine begins production.
1898 First Anglican Church at lower end of present graveyard consecrated by Bishop Jones.
1900 York Harbour Copper Mine destroyed by fire; French navy hinders rebuilding.
Summerside slate quarry begins work.
1901 Census of Newfoundland reports 227 residents in Lark Harbour, including 4 merchants and traders (George Sheppard and Sons).
1903 Curling slate quarry begins work.
1904 French Shore fishery off the Newfoundland coast comes to an end.
1908 Curling slate quarry closes down.
1909 Summerside slate quarry closes down.
1911 Lark Harbour Whale Factory started, processes only one whale
1913 July : The last load of copper ore leaves York Harbour Mine for the U.S., bringing total shipments to 15,000 tons.
York Harbour Copper Mine closes.
1915 circa First school built in York Harbour by Roman Catholics.
1923 Fisher sawmill property at Corner Brook sold to Newfoundland Power and Paper Co. and construction begins on the newsprint mill on the Fisher site.
1925 July : Production of newsprint begins at Corner Brook.
1928 Newfoundland Power and Paper Co. transfers ownership of Corner Brook mill to the International Pulp and Paper Co.
1932 Typhoid epidemic in Lark Harbour.
1933 February : Royal Commission to investigate finances appointed at request of Newfoundland Legislature.
October : Royal Commission report published recommending suspension of Responsible Government and establishment of Government by Commission.
1934 January 30 : Responsible Government suspended and Commission Government appointed.
1935 circa St Mary's Anglican School built in York Harbour (on the beach)
1938 Corner Brook mill produces 100% more paper than its original design called for. International Pulp and Paper Company sells Corner Brook mill to Bowater Pulp and Paper, later Bowater Newfoundland Limited.
1939 Second World War begins against Germany.
1942 December 7 : Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour brings U.S.A. into the War, providing a boost to the Newfoundland economy.
1945 Second World War ends.
1949 March 31 : Newfoundland enters Confederation with Canada. The West Coast, in particular Corner Brook and the Bay of Islands, swung the vote in favour of Confederation.
1956 April : City of Corner Brook incorporated.
1960 First Post Office operated in York Harbour by Stella Wheeler.
1961 Hon. C. H. Ballam MHA turned on the switch to bring electricity to the communities.
Road from Frenchman's Cove to Lark Harbour completed.
Helge Ingstadt and Ann Stine, with the help of a local man, George Decker, identify the Viking site at L'Anse aux Meadows in northern Newfoundland.
1962 The present St James Anglican Church opened at Lark Harbour.
1969 July 2 : Last run of the Newfoundland Express, The Newfie Bullet .
September : The present St James School opened at Lark Harbour.
1971 Residential telephone service inaugurated.
School on York Harbour beach is closed and children are transported to the new school in Lark Harbour.
1972 York Harbour Community Council incorporated.
July 1 : Blow-Me-Down Provincial Park officially opened.
1973 Construction of the Blow-Me-Down By-Products Fish Plant at Island Cove.
1974 Lark Harbour Community Council incorporated.
A flint point, found at Bottle Cove by Averil Childs, suggests possible occupation by members of the Little Passage culture around 1200-1500 AD.
1975 Upgrading and paving of highway completed to Lark Harbour.
1976 Opening of Blow-Me-Down School/Public Library in St James School.
1985 York Harbour and Lark Harbour take delivery of a new fire truck.
1987 N1 Cable TV service begins in Lark Harbour and York Harbour.
1988 The road was rerouted round "The Bluff".
1994 Old National Sea Fish Plant bought by Barry's Fisheries of Curling. The building was then demolished (August).
1995 July: South Shore Highway from Corner Brook to Lark Harbour officially designated "Captain Cook Trail".
1997 January 1 : Lark Harbour and York Harbour incorporated as "towns" under the Municipalities Act of Newfoundland and Labrador.
1998 July19 : Dedication of Cairn marking the site of the first St James Anglican Church constructed in Lark Harbour in 1898. The Cairn is located at the southwest corner of the town cemetery.