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Coastal Women in Newfoundland & Labrador

Women in the Fishery Photo Gallery

Fish Women, Schooner Cove, Labrador, 1886?
Fish Women, Schooner Cove, Labrador, 1886?
Courtesy of The Rooms Provincial Archives Division (Dr. Cluny Macpherson fonds: A 7-75), St. John's, NL.
Gathering Fish in the Outer Battery, ca. 1900
Gathering Fish in the Outer Battery, ca. 1900
Fish-making in The Narrows of St. John's
Courtesy of The Rooms Provincial Archives Division (A 17-196), St. John's, NL.
Women Making Saltfish, Grand Bank, ca. 1925
Women Making Saltfish, Grand Bank, ca. 1925
Making saltfish is a process of preserving fish by salting and drying. This beach crew was making fish for the mercantile firms operating out of Grand Bank and vicinity. These firms generally used their own banking schooners to obtain the catch.
Courtesy of The Rooms Provincial Archives Division (A -18 -173), St. John's, NL.
Woman Stacking Fish on Beach, ca. 1925
Woman Stacking Fish on Beach, ca. 1925
Woman making up round pile of saltfish. The close packing of the fish in these piles encouraged the drying process, part of the curing of the fish. When completely dried, the fish was covered by canvas to shelter it from the weather.
Courtesy of The Rooms Provincial Archives Division ( A 37-97), St. John's, NL.
Gathering Fish in the Outer Battery, ca. 1900
Inuit Women Cutting up Fat, Hebron, 189?
Courtesy of The Rooms Provincial Archives Division (A 41-18), St. John's, NL.
Typical Corner of a 'room' at Gaultois, NF, ca. 1925
Typical Corner of a "room" at Gaultois, NF, ca. 1925
George England noted that "Even little girls with braids down their backs, work at 'making up the fish.'" George Allen England was the author of The Greatest Hunt in the World, a depiction of the Newfoundland seal hunt.
Courtesy of The Rooms Provincial Archives Division (George Allen England fonds: A 43-159), St. John's, NL.
On the Flakes at Gaultois, ca. 1925
On the Flakes at Gaultois, ca. 1925
These women are making fish on the beach flakes. "Making fish" is a process of preserving fish by salting and drying. Note the bonnets which are characteristic of the South Coast "shore crews." Widows traditionally wore black bonnets.
Courtesy of The Rooms Provincial Archives Division (George Allen England fonds: A 43-158), St. John's, NL.
Fish Flakes at Burin, 188-
Fish Flakes at Burin, 188-
Courtesy of Archives and Special Collections (Coll - 199, 1.036) Queen Elizabeth II Library, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL. Joseph Laurence Collection.
Handling Fish, Burin, Newfoundland, 188-
Handling Fish, Burin, Newfoundland, 188-
Courtesy of Archives and Special Collections (Coll - 199, 1.065) Queen Elizabeth II Library, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL. Joseph Laurence Collection.
Laying Codfish, ca. 1900
Laying Codfish, ca. 1900
Laying codfish on the flake to dry in Winterton, Newfoundland.
Courtesy of Winterton Boat Building Museum.
Mrs. Pomiuk, Labrador, ca. 1901
Mrs. Pomiuk, Labrador, ca. 1901
Image reproduced by permission of the Labrador Institute.
Women Spreading Fish, 19--
Women Spreading Fish, 19--
Women spreading fish at Grand Bank, Newfoundland.
Image reproduced by permission of the Maritime History Archive, Memorial University, St. John's, NL, PF-055.02-D57. Captain Harry Stone Collection, Part 2.
Trap Fish, Merasheen, Placentia Bay, Newfoundland, 1950
Trap Fish, Merasheen, 1950
Fish caught in a cod trap in Merasheen, Placentia Bay, Newfoundland.
Image reproduced by permission of the Maritime History Archive, Memorial University, St. John's, NL, PF-317.661. Resettlement Photograph Collection.
Spreading Fish at Kerleys Harbour, 1956
Spreading Fish at Kerleys Harbour, 1956
Reg Miller, Phyllis Miller and Ruby Miller spreading fish at Kerleys Harbour, Trinity Bay, Newfoundland.
Image reproduced by permission of the Maritime History Archive, Memorial University, St. John's, NL, PF-317.765. Resettlement Photograph Collection.
Oil Blubber Yard, Labrador, ca. 1920
Oil Blubber Yard, Labrador, ca. 1920
Image reproduced by permission of the Maritime History Archive, Memorial University, St. John's, NL, PF-323.059. International Grenfell Association Lantern Slides Collection.
Sister Williams a casting caplin net, 1893
Sister Williams a casting caplin net, 1893
"Sister Williams casting caplin net at Cape Harrison, 18 Aug. 1893." Nurse Cecilia Williams was one of the two nurses who accompanied Dr. Wilfred Grenfell and Dr. Curwen to northern Newfoundland and Labrador in 1893. Williams wintered over in Labrador, starting in 1894, and worked with the doctors at Indian Harbour until 1898.
Courtesy of The Rooms Provincial Archives Division (Eliot Curwen fonds: VA 91-6.1), St. John's, NL. From the International Grenfell Association Photograph Collection.
Putting out Caplin to Dry, St. Anthony, Newfoundland, 1932
Putting out Caplin to Dry, St. Anthony, Newfoundland, 1932
Photo by Fred Coleman Sears. Courtesy of The Rooms Provincial Archives Division (VA 92-67), St. John's, NL. International Grenfell Association Photograph Collection.
Stacking Fish, St. Anthony, 1932
Stacking Fish, St. Anthony, 1932
Noah Budgel [sic] and family stacking fish in St. Anthony, Newfoundland
Photo by Fred Coleman Sears. Courtesy of The Rooms Provincial Archives Division (VA 92-73), St. John's, NL. International Grenfell Association Photograph Collection.
Inuit Catching Caplin with Dip Nets, ca. 1908
Inuit Catching Caplin with Dip Nets, ca. 1908
Courtesy of The Rooms Provincial Archives Division (VA 118-154-1), St. John's, NL. International Grenfell Association Photograph Collection.
Spreading Fish on Bawn, West Turnavik, Labrador, 1893
Spreading Fish on Bawn, West Turnavik, Labrador, 1893
Fish being spread on bawn, West Turnavik [Labrador]; Capt Wm [William] Bartlett [right], Sept. 1893. William J. Bartlett (1851-1931), son of Abram Bartlett and father of Bob Bartlett, was photographed at the fishing station established by his father. Bawn refers to the rocks upon which the saltfish is cured. For more information on the meaning of "bawn" visit the Dictionary of Newfoundland English and view the 2nd explanation.
Image attributed to Wilfred T. Grenfell. Courtesy of The Rooms Provincial Archives Division (Eliot Curwen fonds: VA 152.172), St. John's, NL.
Spreading Fish on Bawn, West Turnavik, Labrador, 1893
Spreading Fish on Bawn, West Turnavik, Labrador, 1893
For more information on the meaning of "bawn" visit the Dictionary of Newfoundland English and view the 2nd explanation.
Image attributed to Wilfred T. Grenfell. Courtesy of The Rooms Provincial Archives Division (Eliot Curwen fonds: VA 152.174), St. John's, NL.

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