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How to Stock an
Vol 31 • No 09
$4.99
February 2019
APOCALYPSE PANTRY p. 106
Romantic Getaway Contest
Facing Down Bullies The Story Behind XOXO
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life is better Published monthly in St. John’s by Downhome Publishing Inc. 43 James Lane, St. John’s, NL, A1E 3H3 Tel: 709-726-5113 • Fax: 709-726-2135 • Toll Free: 1-888-588-6353 E-mail: mail@downhomelife.com Website: www.downhomelife.com Editorial Editor-in-Chief Janice Stuckless Assistant Editor Elizabeth Whitten Special Publications Editor Tobias Romaniuk Art and Production Art Director Vince Marsh Graphic and Web Designer Cory Way Illustrator Mel D’Souza Illustrator Snowden Walters Advertising Sales Senior Account Manager Robert Saunders Account Manager Barbara Young Marketing Director Tiffany Brett
Warehouse Operations Warehouse Operator Josephine Leyte Distribution Sales & Merchandising Joseph Reddy Sr. Customer Service Associate Sharon Muise Inventory Control Clerk Heather Lane Warehouse Associate Anthony Sparrow Retail Operations Retail Floor Manager, Water Street Jackie Rice Retail Floor Manager, Avalon Mall Carol Howell Retail Floor Manager, Twillingate Donna Keefe Retail Sales Associates Crystal Rose, Emma Goodyear, Ciara Hodge, Jonathon Organ, Nicole French, Elizabeth Gleason, Janet Watkins, Melissa Wheeler, Rebecca Ford, Darlene Burton, Erin McCarthy
Finance and Administration Subscriptions Senior Accountant Karen Critch Sr. Administrative Assistant Amanda Ricks Junior Accountant Marlena Grant Operations Manager Alicia Brennan Founding Editor Ron Young Operations Manager, Twillingate Nicole Mehaney Chief Executive Officer / Publisher Grant Young President Todd Goodyear Chief Financial Officer Tina Bromley
To subscribe, renew or change address use the contact information above. Subscriptions total inc. taxes, postage and handling: for residents in NL $39; AB, BC, MB, NU, NT, QC, SK, YT $40.95; ON $44.07; NB, NS, PE $44.85. US and International mailing price for a 1-year term is $49.00.
Canada Post Canadian Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement #40062919 The advertiser agrees that the publisher shall not be liable for damages arising out of errors in advertisements beyond the amount paid for the space actually occupied by the portion of the advertisement in which the error occurred, whether such error is due to the negligence of the servants or otherwise, and there shall be no liability beyond the amount of such advertisement. The Letters to the Editor section is open to all letter writers providing the letters are in good taste, not libelous, and can be verified as true, correct and written by the person signing the letter. Pen names and anonymous letters will not be published. The publisher reserves the right to edit, revise, classify, or reject any advertisement or letter. © Downhome Publishing Inc. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without permission of the publisher. We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada.
Printed in Canada Official onboard magazine of
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48 funky spot
Contents
FEBRUARY 2019
48 For the Birds Dr. William Montevecchi leads us in an exploration of Funk Island Ecological Reserve. Elizabeth Whitten
54 Finding Joe This family travelled halfway around the world – twice – to find each other. Ashley Miller
106 Apocalypse Pantry Are you stocked for emergencies?
122 Reflecting Pool
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Edna Breen and her daughters share stories of growing up in an historic, and world-famous, section of Ferryland. Dennis Flynn
hometown memories
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Contents
FEBRUARY 2019
homefront 10 I Dare Say A note from the editor
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11 Contributors Meet the people behind the magazine 12 Letters From Our Readers Aloha Mummers, Downhome in the operating room, and a surprise that washed up on shore
cool inspiration
20 Iceberg Photo Contest Winners 22 Downhome Tours Explore southern beaches with Downhome 24 That’s Amazing Wild news from around the world
26 Why is That? Why do we use “X” and “O” to mean kiss and hug? Linda Browne 28 Life’s Funny Pun Fun Calvin Goosney
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all aboard… again
29 Say What A contest that puts words in someone else’s mouth 30 Lil Charmers Snowmania 32 Pets of the Month Precious Moments
34 Blast from the Past Remember slates?
36 Poetic Licence Ode to the Wind Storm by Heidi Scarfone and Newfie Scoff by Lisa Butler 4
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glamour pup 1-888-588-6353
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second-hand story
38 Reviewed Denise Flint interviews Roger Pickavance and reviews the book he co-wrote with Agnes Marion Murphy, Agnes Ayre’s Notebook. 40 What Odds Paul Warford kicks off the brakes
42 In Your Words Winter Blues and Rustic Muse Charles Beckett
features 44 Stories and Songs Musician Mark Hiscock describes the making of his new solo album. Tobias Romaniuk
60 In Death They Parted An unexpected find in a pawn shop recalls a tragic love story. Burton K. Janes 64 Guest Gallery Featuring painter Gregory Guy
64 guest gallery
explore 74 What’s on the Go Exciting events happening around NL
76 In the Winter Spirit How do communities pull off those incredibly fun winter carnivals? Elizabeth Whitten
82 Amelia Earhart Legacy Tour
76 winter fun
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While researching her family’s connection to the aviatrix, Heather Stemp explores the communities that appear in Earhart’s history as well.
88 My Brush with Celebrity Mel D’Souza shares his encounter with a young musician who became one of NL’s best-known accordion players. February 2019
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Contents
FEBRUARY 2019
92
food to love
90 Stuff About What does the Seven Years’ War, actress Jennifer Aniston and Labradorite have in common?
food and leisure 92 The Everyday Gourmet In Love with Grits Andrea Maunder
96 Everyday Recipes 8 slow cooker meals to savour
110 Down to Earth There are plenty of ways even young kids can participate in and enjoy gardening. Ross Traverse
reminiscing 116 Flashbacks Classic photos of people and places 6
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116 days of gold
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134 “little jail”
117 This Month in History The start of the Benevolent Irish Society
118 Visions and Vignettes Gnat, do you mind… Big-Hearted Snowman? Harold N. Walters 128 A Mother’s Sacrifice With five boys risking their life for King and Country, this woman earned the Silver Cross. Lester Green
134 “Little Jail” Memories of St. Bride’s Catholic Girls Boarding School Katherine Harvey About the cover Nothing takes the chill out of a winter’s day like a steaming bowl of chili, or oatmeal, or beef stew, or any of the five other slow cooker meals you’ll find recipes for in this issue, beginning on p. 96.
Cover Index Apocalpse Pantry • 106 Brothers at Last • 54 Science at Sea • 48 Slow & Easy Moose Chili • 96 Romantic Getaway Contest • 53 Facing Down Bullies • 136 The Story Behind XOXO • 26
136 Between the Boulevard and the Bay Beating the Bullies Ron Young
138 Ed Chadwick and the Two-Gun Kid Bruce Roberts 142 Mail Order 146 Real Estate 147 Marketplace 148 Puzzles 160 Photo Finish
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We received nearly 150 show-stopping iceberg photos in
our contest last fall. After much deliberation, Ronnie Kinnie’s photo of a big berg lurking outside the Narrows of St. John’s Harbour drifted into first place. He’s been rewarded with $100 worth of canvas printing from Downhome. Here is Ronnie’s photo plus two more stunning runners-up. Thanks to everyone who participated and please keep sharing your favourite photos with us. All the iceberg photos are continually displayed at DownhomeLife.com (search “iceberg”). And keep your cameras handy, as another iceberg season is just weeks away!
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WINNER!
Perfectly Parked Ronnie Kinnie Middle Sackville, NS
First Runner Up Summer Sailing NL Frank Edison Bridgewater, NS
Second Runner Up
Iceberg Mountain, St. Brendan’s Tracey Hynes St. Brendan’s, NL www.downhomelife.com
February 2019
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Expert answers to common life questions. By Linda Browne
Why do we use “X” and “O” to mean kiss and hug? Have you ever opened up a letter or a card (or more frequently nowadays, an email or text) and found yourself full of warm and fuzzy feelings upon spying an “xo” at the end of the message? Chances are, you’ve likely expressed your affection to a loved one in the same way at one time or another. But have you ever wondered how these two symbols came together to represent the purest of human emotions? For that, we must take a little trip back in time. Theories abound about how “X” and “O” have come to mean kiss and hug – from the way they look (some say the “X” and “O,” respectively, resemble lips puckering up and arms encircled in an embrace; while others have suggested a switcheroo, with the “X” taking the form of crossed arms in a hug and the “O” resembling lips on the verge of a kiss), to the way they sound (e.g. “X” and “kiss”). But to gain a better understanding of why we so lovingly sprinkle our correspondence with these symbols, we must look beyond their mere physical appearance. In the Middle Ages, it was customary to place an “X” on envelopes or letters (with the “X” in this case representing the Christian cross) as a sign of sincerity or faith. Also, as many could not read or write, it presented an easy way for common folks to sign 26
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documents. To reinforce their good intentions, the signer would often kiss the cross, hence the origin of the phrase “sealed with a kiss” and the acronym “SWAK,” which servicemen during the First and Second World Wars would write on envelopes or letters to their sweethearts back home. “The best explanation that I found is that the ‘X’ was a seal sign put at the back of letters by those in authority. It stands for ‘Christ,’ and to this day it still has that connotation – for example, ‘Xmas.’ So the seal was meant to show authority given that the church held great power,” adds Marcel Danesi, professor of semiotics (the study of signs and symbols and their meanings) at the University of Toronto and author of a just released book, The History of the Kiss! The Birth of Popular Culture and The Semiotics of Love. 1-888-588-6353
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“It seems that many of the secret love affairs of the era started using this symbol as a sign [literally] of transgression. It is a small step from there for the ‘X’ to become a sign of the romantic kiss – the greatest transgression of all, since it likely meant betrayal on the part of the lovers.”
How, then, did the “X” make the jump to the more romantic or affectionate associations of today? “My guess is that symbols are turned on their head when radical changes are going on. So, at a certain point the symbols of authority were adopted by anyone to suggest a signature, especially among non-literate peoples – to this day, we say ‘Put your X here,’” Danesi says. “It seems that many of the secret love affairs of the era started using this symbol as a sign [literally] of transgression. It is a small step from there for the ‘X’ to become a sign of the romantic kiss – the greatest transgression of all, since it likely meant betrayal on the part of the lovers.” Over time, people from all walks of life adopted the practice of signing off with an “X” or kisses – whether to a lover, family member or friend. Even the Oxford English Dictionary notes a letter from Winston Churchill to his mother, dated 1894, in which he
wrote: “Please excuse bad writing as I am in an awful hurry. (Many kisses.) xxx WSC.” Unfortunately, less is known about the “O” part of the equation – but again, there are multiple theories. According to Danesi, simply studying its shape provides the best clue as to how “O” has come to stand for a hug. “This one is hard to trace. My guess is that it resembles a hug, doesn’t it? Also, the circle is a symbol standing for so many things, including eternity. Don’t we secretly want love to last forever?” he says. How these two symbols eventually united to symbolize kisses and hugs also remains a bit of a mystery. One theory suggests that their pairing comes from the ancient game of tictac-toe. “The only inference I can make is that symbols cross over domains,” Danesi says. “It could well be that early players of the game were lovers.” But, he cautions, “This is a guess!”
Do you have a burning life question for Linda to investigate? Turn to page 9 for ways to contact us. www.downhomelife.com
?
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homefront poetic licence
Ode to the Wind Storm By Heidi Scarfone • Fairbanks, NL
The wind is blowin’, she’s blowin’ a gale, not fit for man to turr or sail. She’s blowin’ sou’west, just like they said, me nerves we’re gonna wind up dead!
The windows creak, the walls they crack, the winds are getting stronger. But Bob’s still snorin’ loud and strong, I can’t take this much longer.
The winds a blowin’, the power’s off, no time to even make a scoff. ’Tis dark and windy on our hill, I swear to God, I’ll soon be ill!
I pull the blankets o’er my head, I pray for light of day, that soon my man will wake up and his snoring’s gone away!
The wind’s a blowin’, she’s changed her course, nor’west I do believe. The waves are crashing on the shore, I thinks I wants to leave!
The wind’s still blowing, wild and fierce, morning’s finally here. Bob’s awake and sweetly asks, “How was your night, m’dear?”
I lay awake with every gust, I swear the place is shifting. It’s freezing and so dark in here, no doubt the roof is lifting!
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Written the morning after the wind storm of November 15, 2018
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Newfie Scoff By Lisa Butler • Gander, NL
It’s Sunday mornin’ on da Rock and ya know what dat means me ol’ cock. It’s time to get the praties off da peel Ya knows we got to cook up our favourite meal! D’eres carrot, parsnip and turnip in da pot With da salt beef, cabbage and da pease puddin’ hot. Now I likes da gravy from da roast But a true Jiggs’ dinner is what I loves da most. So pull up a chair and sit yer bum down Pass da homemade beets and pickles around. And stuff yer belly until ya had enough But leave some room for da good ol’ figgy duff! And after you’re finished quite da scoff Ya might want to lie down and have a little nod off. And dream about tomorrow’s feed of hash No not that funny stuff – just da leftovers mashed!
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features
Mark Hiscock, singer and accordion player best known for his career with Shanneyganock, shares the story of – and the stories behind – his new solo album. BY TOBIAS ROMANIUK
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It’s 1984,
and the Royal St. John’s Regatta is underway. Coxswain Cyril Boland, the father of seven sons, is about to fulfill a dream of his, as six of those boys sit before him. His grandson, 12-year-old Mark Hiscock, leans over to speak to the coxswain as the Holiday Inn sponsored boat pushes away from the wharf. “Pop, I’m going to write a song about this,” he says. If you do, replies his grandfather, I’ll give you my medal. That’s how Mark came to write “Grandfather’s Dream (The Rowing Bolands),” a song he added to the track list when compiling his new solo album titled The Old Fishing Schooner. Also on this CD is another song with close ties to Mark’s grandfather. Before he was a coxswain and before he lived in Quidi Vidi, Cyril Boland lived in Calvert, where in 1934, a schooner wrecked during a storm, losing all hands. The tragic tale, told in song as “The Schooner Gertie,” was passed down through the years and Cyril knew it well. “He sang it at all the house parties back in the day,” recalls Mark. Mark revisited these two songs and many other favourites in Players Choice Studio, the recording studio of Shanneyganock bassist Ian Chipman, where he laid down tracks for his latest solo CD in between their Shanney commitments.
Listen for special guests Mark has been performing and recording since he was eight years old, when he started playing on a local cable TV show on what was then Atlantic Cable. By the time he was 18 or 19 he was playing in pubs, and for the past 25 years he’s been part of Shanneyganock, playing thousands of shows and recording several albums. So he’s quite familiar with recording studios. But his parents? Not so much. Although both his mom and dad often sang at house
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parties and are skilled musicians – Mark’s father taught him how to play accordion – neither had ever laid down tracks in a recording studio. And they didn’t really have much interest in going into the studio, says Mark, but he wanted them on his album. So Mark and Ian brought a multitrack portable recorder and previously recorded tracks to Mark’s parents’ house. He had previously given them the recording to practice to, and Mark’s dad, just like the pros, nailed it on the first take. “A lot people don’t get the chance to record their parents,” says Mark.
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Mark’s mom, Linda Hiscock, recording her version of “The Leaves Mustn’t Fall” for Mark’s new album
“It’s too late when they pass on, and I was thinking this was a great opportunity to record an album and get them on this album and get them recorded.” Listen to the accordion on “The Maritime Farewell” and you’ll hear just how well it all turned out – that’s Mark’s dad. Grandmother Boland was fond of singing “The Leaves Mustn’t Fall,” so he got his mother to sing that one on the album. “They did a great job,” says Mark. “I was very proud.” There’s a strong family connection 46
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on the album, and the songs are mostly ones Mark recalls from house parties at his place, but it’s not all family and friends. A special celebrity also makes an appearance. Growing up, Harry Hibbs was one of Mark’s musical heroes. His mother’s family met him and saw him play in Ontario at The Caribou, but Mark had never met the famous accordion player, who died in 1989. A few months before his untimely death, Hibbs went into the studio with his band and recorded some songs that had never been released to the public. Russell Bowers, who looks after all the new compilation albums, found the recording and passed it along to Mark. “Russell called me and said ‘I hear you’re putting out a solo album,’ and I said ‘Yeah, getting working on it the next couple of months,’” Mark recounts. “He said, ‘I got a track that would be a good duet with Harry Hibbs.’” The final version of “Song of Ireland (duet with Harry Hibbs)” has many of the original musicians playing on it, plus the accordion and harmony vocals of Mark, vocals from Renee Batten, and Patrick Moran on fiddle. “I can get goosebumps today talking about it,” says Mark. “In the studio, with the headphones on, and Harry Hibbs singing into my headphones, and I’m singing harmonies with him, it’s like…” he trails off, motioning to the goosebumps on his arm. After 1989, Mark didn’t think playing with Harry Hibbs would ever be possible. “But it finally came to be,” says Mark, “and I got a message the other day from one of his family 1-888-588-6353
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members, saying how much they enjoyed it and it brought tears to their eyes to hear it. When you get a message like that, it sinks in a bit deeper.”
Living the dream Harry Hibbs wasn’t his only musical hero, and in recent years Mark has had opportunities to play with some of the other musicians he looked up to as a kid, guys like Bud Davidge and Bugs Greene and others. “Some people dream of singing with Sting, or whoever in the rock world. But a Newfoundland kid growing up, listening to Newfoundland music, the majority [of music] that I listened to as a kid, it’s always in the back of your mind as a kid – I’d love to sing a song with this guy sometime.” Singing songs with people, and for people, is what it’s all about, and Mark plans to play some shows in support of the album, in addition to his weekly solo appearance at The Newfoundland Embassy in St. John’s. He’s been playing in front of audiences for all but the first seven years of his life, and still gets a kick out of playing for a crowd, especially the bigger shows Shanneyganock plays, like George Street Festival or their annual Christmas show. And this April he’ll head south with the band for the third year in a row, to headline the Downhome Music and Friends Cruise aboard the Royal Caribbean Harmony of the Seas. When Mark and Chris Andrews are on stage together, it’s Shanneyganock, and the songs tend to be upbeat. But for his solo album, The Old Fishing Schooner, Mark chose www.downhomelife.com
Mark’s dad, Norman Hiscock, the man who taught Mark to play accordion.
mostly slower songs, with pedal steel slide guitar playing by Doug Randell that gives it a Newfoundland country feel. But no matter the label, or who he’s on stage with, playing songs for an audience is still a thrill for Mark. “When you get up on stage and get a round of applause, there’s a bit of an adrenalin rush that goes through you. It feels really good… And you know that you’ve done a great job, you know that the audience loved the show. It’s a great feeling to know you can bring some enjoyment and positivity to a room.” February 2019
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features
Dr. William Montevecchi leads us in an exploration of Funk Island Ecological Reserve. BY ELIZABETH WHITTEN
Located 60 kilometres east of Fogo
Island, this granite rock rises out of the Atlantic Ocean. It’s home to a range of seabirds, including gannets, Atlantic puffins, razorbills, thick-billed murres and blacklegged kittiwakes. The bird not found here is perhaps the most tragically famous former inhabitant: the great auk. Funk Island was one of the species’ last known homes on earth, and where they were hunted to extinction in the mid-1800s.
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Today, it’s an ecological reserve that’s basically been quarantined from the rest of the world. Only researchers are allowed to access it. Among them is Dr. William Montevecchi, a professor of psychology, biology and ocean sciences at Memorial University of Newfoundland. “So it’s essentially a flat rock,” Dr. Montevecchi describes. “It’s less than a kilometre long and less than a half a kilometre wide. And it’s essentially covered in birds.” Once a summer, Dr. Montevecchi packs his bags and heads out to Musgrave Harbour for the five-hour boat trip. He’s usually accompanied by a grad student or fellow researcher who studies sea birds or marine biology. “But usually the maximum number is three people,” he says. A lot of the research they do now is tracking the animals to find out how and where they find food, if the birds are getting enough to raise their young, as well as the impacts of climate change. They also try to get a general idea of the health of the population.
Dr. William Montevecchi
S. Garthe photo
Dr. William Montevecchi photo
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Nigel Markham photo
Sometimes the venture will be for just one day in June, to put tracking devices on some of the birds, either taped to their backs or wrapped around a leg. Then he might return a month later. Other times the trips can last one to two weeks, timed to coincide with the murre chicks getting ready to go to sea. “It’s a time when we can get a lot of information about how well the birds are doing, or not doing well,” he says. Funk Island is no kind of vacation paradise. There’s basically nothing accommodating about it. A bare rock in the North Atlantic, there is no food or shelter, so visiting scientists bring all the necessary items to survive: plenty of water and their own food, which consist of lots of beans and chili, Dr. Montevecchi says, plus frozen foods, oatmeal and cabbage. “Cabbages are great,” he says. “You make a really good salad with cabbages, which is really nice to have.” Shelter is provided by a Labrador trapper’s tent, which fits three people and can withstand the wind and storms. He also makes sure to pack a first-aid kit, a small generator and batteries. The most important thing is the satellite phone, which can be used in emergencies and to call the fishermen who pick them up. Even 50
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before they land on Funk Island, they assign a day when the researchers need to be picked up, but that day can change. Once, they were done all their research in the eight allotted days, but due to the weather, they had to stay for another eight days. “And you’re always, always at the mercy of the weather because the hardest thing can be getting on and off the island,” Dr. Montevecchi says. “I’d have to call and say, ‘You can’t come.’ That’s the most dangerous part. It’s like when you’re in an airplane, when you’re in the air you’re fine. The risky parts are taking off and landing. And that’s the same with this island. We’d be fine on the island; we might be cold, we might be wet. You have to worry about hypothermia, but otherwise, the real risk part is getting on and off. So sometimes the conditions are just impossible.” There are also challenges from the birds. During one trip, Dr. Montevecchi was bitten by an angry gannet, which apparently isn’t uncommon in his line of work. “Yeah, I have a lot of war wounds and scars. It’s just part of the thing,” he says, adding he bears no ill will to the bird because “I’m a predator.” In fact, he knows a researcher that 1-888-588-6353
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Dr. William Montevecchi photo
used to let the birds bite him after they’d successfully tagged the creature, just to give the bird a feeling of victory. “We do take a lot of hits, yeah, you do. But they’re deserved, I think. We’re really interfering with them,” he muses. Funk Island TV Dr. Montevecchi shares his precious access to Funk Island with the public through the YouTube channel and educational website called Funk Island: A Marvelous, Terrible Place. The idea to create a YouTube series www.downhomelife.com
came about a few years ago, and he credits photographer Nigel Markham with getting it off the ground. He tagged along with Dr. Montevecchi on a trip to Funk Island a few years back and took a lot of film footage. Initially, they envisioned a TV show inspired by David Suzuki’s “The Nature of Things,” but Markham thought putting it on the Internet would make it available to anyone who was interested. “That’s what we tried to do, is make it, in that sense, accessible… to people but also to school groups,” says Dr. Montevecchi, who also plans to use it in his university courses. While Markham is behind the camera, Dr. Montevecchi is in front of it. “I’m the scientist who works there,” he explains of the show’s set-up. “I give a little tour of the island.” With the viewers and accessibility top of mind, they went out of their way to avoid using too much scientific jargon. Dr. Montevecchi also took along an honour student, Seth Bennett, to appear in the video series. A small grant from Newfoundland Independent Filmmakers Co-Op (NIFCO) helped them pull it all together. The series has nine episodes and there are no plans to make more, but February 2019
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explore
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My interest
in Amelia Earhart grew out of a personal connection. As the airstrip supervisor, my great uncle, Harry Archibald, was among the first people to welcome Amelia when she landed in Harbour Grace, NL on May 20, 1932. My great aunt, Rose Archibald, and my aunt, Ginny Ross, met Amelia at the Archibald Hotel where she rested before her solo transatlantic flight later that day. My family stories prompted me to speak to others, then in their 90s, who had witnessed her landing and subsequent takeoff. I found Amelia’s flight was part of their family history, too. This led to a question that had been playing in the back of my mind while I wrote my Downhome articles last summer about Amelia’s flights. Did Amelia Earhart leave a legacy in Newfoundland and Labrador beyond the family stories that I’d been told?
Above: Storyboard at Trepassey. www.downhomelife.com
All photos by Heather Stemp
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HARBOUR GRACE
Last summer, I decided to forget everything I already knew about Amelia and act like a tourist arriving in Harbour Grace for the first time. At the Information Chalet on Water Street, I met Wendy McConnell, a tourist from Gimli, Manitoba. She didn’t know that Amelia Earhart flew out of Harbour Grace. “My husband and I saw the plane outside the chalet and wanted to know more about it. Then we saw the statue of Amelia and wanted to know why it’s here,” she said. “I didn’t realize there was so much aviation history here, and according to the girls working inside there is more about Amelia at the museum.” Once they had finished there, she thought she and her husband might go to the airstrip. Brianna Vaters and Natasha French, local students, were working at the chalet for the summer. I asked Brianna if tourists are familiar with Amelia Earhart. “Many young women come in to ask why Amelia’s statue is outside the chalet,” Brianna said. “When they hear about Amelia’s trans84
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atlantic flight, they want to know more about it. Then we send them to the Conception Bay Museum, at the other end of Water Street.” Natasha said, “Amelia brings people in. They’re fascinated by her and the fact that she took off from here.” In Natasha’s experience, “American tourists tend to know more about Amelia and are interested in seeing the airstrip.” From my own trips to the airstrip, I know it isn’t easy to find. Natasha agreed. “Unless you know where you’re going, you wouldn’t find it. There is one sign on Military Road, but if you don’t drive in that way, you wouldn’t see it.” To help tourists, Brianna prepared a map to the airstrip. My next stop was the Conception Bay Museum, where I asked curator Kate Pitcher if Amelia Earhart had left a legacy in Newfoundland. “Amelia is part of the general knowledge about Newfoundland,” she replied, “at least in the minds of Newfoundlanders. But you have to dive into the history for the back story of her as a pilot and how 1-888-588-6353
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she got here.” She said what tourists know about Amelia seems to be typically based on where they’re from. Newfoundlanders have general knowledge; other Canadians know her name but not her Newfoundland connection. American tourists know her name immediately, but they’re more familiar with her American experiences, especially her around-theworld flight and mysterious disappearance. Kate likes to take tourists to the aviation room where she shares the history of the Harbour Grace Airstrip. “I tell them about some of the men who made transatlantic flights from here, and then I add there was one woman as well. They usually ask the woman’s name and are amazed to hear Amelia Earhart. That’s when they want more information about the replica of Amelia’s flying suit, the actual flight plan she signed and the video of her takeoff from the airstrip in 1932.” I asked about the future of Amelia’s legacy in Harbour Grace. Kate agreed with the girls at the information chalet. More signs would make the airstrip easier to find. She added the idea of interactive storyboards, where tourists could press a button or use their phones to access a video
of a costumed actor who recounts the history at that site. But, of course, good ideas require money for their implementation. Kate would like to see more outreach to other small communities, whereby a tourist could spend more time in an area. “We need to offer more of an experience than just a short visit,” she said. “Cooperation among small museums could benefit all of us.” Kate suggested I talk to Erika Pardy, owner of nearby Rose Manor, for a business point of view on Amelia’s legacy. “People request our Amelia Earhart
Top Left: Sign at Harbour Grace Airstrip Above: Kate Pitcher with Amelia Earhart artifacts at the museum www.downhomelife.com
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room, especially pilots who know she flew out of here,” Erika told me. “On one occasion, I had a couple decide not to stay because the room was already booked. American guests know Amelia flew out of Harbour Grace, but they don’t know about the airstrip, the museum, her statue at the information centre or the Harbour Grace Hotel (formerly the Archibald Hotel) where she rested before her flight.” Erika reiterated Kate’s suggestion of more cooperation among communities to draw tourists. “Not enough people know about the Baccalieu Trail. A number of our towns have rich histories – Brigus, Grates Cove and Dildo. Cooperation among communities would strengthen our visibility and make the area a bigger player on the world map.”
TREPASSEY
Last summer, the small town of Trepassey celebrated the 90th anniversary of Amelia’s first transatlantic flight from there, taken on June 17, 1928. It was after this event that I met with Carol Ann Devereaux, owner of Edge of the Avalon Inn in Trepassey, along with anniversary committee chair Paula Stamp, and Lorne Warr, to find out the impact of their event and Amelia’s story in general. “The whole weekend was a huge success,” Carol Ann said. “The song contest, sponsored by MusicNL, was
a highlight. Another was Lorne’s video about Amelia’s takeoff from Trepassey. Both events kicked off the celebration on Friday night.” Saturday’s Amelia-centred events included helicopter rides over Trepassey Bay, a gallery of local art inspired by the aviatrix, and an art contest for elementary school students from Witless Bay to St. Catherine’s. A dinner and dance at the Parish Hall raised money for the future 100th anniversary celebration of Amelia’s flight. “Tables were sold to locals and CFAs,” Carol Ann said. “If anyone had an extra bed, it was filled that night!” I asked Lorne about Amelia’s legacy in Trepassey. “The older generation know about her flight, but the older ones are dying out. The legacy is here, but it needs to be developed
Above: Erika Pardy with her collection of Amelia Earhart memorabilia Top Right: The Devereaux house in Trepassey 86
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to keep it alive. That’s why I made the video about Amelia’s flight,” he said. Next, he’s teaming up with filmmaker Roger Maunder to create a longer documentary about Amelia in Trepassey. Carol Ann said preserving Amelia’s legacy will require collaboration and funding. “The 90th anniversary showed us we could make a large celebration work, and now we’re planning the 100th. The mayor in Burry Port, Wales, where Amelia landed after her transatlantic flight, is interested in twinning with Trepassey for the next anniversary.” Amelia is celebrated in both towns and they see value in combining their resources. Carol Ann said that partnerships with other towns in Newfoundland, especially Harbour Grace, could benefit all of them from a tourist point of view. It would also strengthen funding applications for such things as restoring the Devereaux house where Amelia, Wilmer Stultz and Louis www.downhomelife.com
Gordon stayed for 12 days before they could take-off. Before I left, Carol Ann took me to see the Devereaux home. “As well as restoring the house itself,” she said, “we would like to see it used as a museum for the artifacts and photographs associated with Amelia’s flight. It would be nice to get everything out of storage so everyone could enjoy this important historical event.” From my encounters in Harbour Grace and Trepassey, I’ve concluded that Amelia’s legacy is alive and well in Newfoundland and Labrador – especially in the hands of the people with whom I spoke. Like Amelia, they are thinking outside the box to find ways to reach their goals. Heather Stemp is the author of Amelia and Me, and her second book about the adventures of her aunt Ginny Ross and Amelia Earhart will be released by Nimbus Press in the spring of 2020. February 2019
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