| The
Mockbeggar Plantation Provincial Historic Site
The property, which has had a succession of owners over the past
several centuries, may well be the oldest identifiable fishery plantation in
existence on the Island of Newfoundland. The long two and one half storey
wooden salt-box store located on the western edge of the plantation is
believed to have been built around 1733, making it possibly the oldest
surviving structure on the coast. During its long service it has served in
many capacities including that of salt fish store, salmon packing house,
salt store, fish dryer, barter shop, residence of owner (while new residence
was being built), temporary Methodist Church (1871) while a new church was
being built, headquarters for the newly established Salvation Army Corps
(1886) and miscellaneous warehousing purposes in more recent years.
The residence on the plantation was built for
the then owner, Jabez Saint, during the period 1872-73, and replaced an
earlier structure on the same site.
The origins of the name Mockbeggar are
unclear but several instances of the name have been identified in England,
including a sand bar, called Mockbeggar Wharf located just offshore on the
tip of the Wirral Peninsula. Villages of the same name are to be found near
the western border of the county of Hampshire and also in the counties of
East Sussex and of Kent.
From 1939 to 1966, the property was occupied
by F. Gordon Bradley, a lawyer and politician who, after playing a
significant role in the move to bring Newfoundland into Confederation with
Canada, became Newfoundland's first representative in the Canadian Cabinet,
and later served as a member of the Senate.
In 1980, the Bradley family donated the property to the Province. It has
since been restored to the late 19th century period and should not be
missed. |
