Historic Wabana
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  • Blog - Jan - June 2025
    • Blog Introduction
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  • History
    • Mining History >
      • Time-line of Wabana Mines
      • Boys of Wabana
      • Bridges of Wabana
      • Commuting Miners >
        • Miners Path
      • Company Housing >
        • Housing Introduction & Contents
        • Saddle-Roof Style
        • Gable-to-street style
        • Bungalow Style
        • Bunk & Mess Houses
        • Shacks
        • Staff Boarding Houses & Main Offices >
          • The Staff House
        • Company Family Houses for Management & Staff
      • Company Names Timeline
      • Company Payroll
      • The Company Whistle
      • Dams & Other Mining Water Bodies
      • Fatalities Related to Mining >
        • Accounts of Employee Fatalities
        • Miners' Stories of Accidents
        • Mining Accidents Overview
      • The Messrs. Butler of Topsail
      • Miners Brass / Check / Cheque Numbers
      • Miner's Working Life
      • Mining Equipment >
        • Euclid Trucks
        • Land Rovers
        • Shovels for Hand-Loading
      • Mining Operations >
        • Arthur House Article >
          • Part 1 of "Early History of Bell Island Mines," March 1, 1939
          • Part 2 of "Early History of Bell Island Mines," March 2, 1939
          • Part 3 of "Early History of Bell Island Mines," March 3, 1939
          • Part 4 of "Early History of Bell Island Mines," March 4, 1939
          • Part 5 of "Early History of Bell Island Mines," March 6, 1939
          • Part 6 of "Early History of Bell Island Mines," March 7, 1939
        • F.F. Jardine Articles >
          • Fortieth Anniversary of Wabana Mines, Bell Island
          • Part 1 of "Forty-Fourth Anniversary of Wabana Mines"
          • Part 2 of "Forty-Fourth Anniversary of Wabana Mines"
          • Part 3 of "Forty-Fourth Anniversary of Wabana Mines"
          • Part 4 of "Forty-Fourth Anniversary of Wabana Mines"
      • Mining Terminology
      • No. 2 Mine
      • No. 3 Mine
      • No. 4 Mine
      • No. 6 Mine
      • Patrick Harrison Co.
      • Royalties
      • Scotia & Dominion Piers >
        • Bamafash Pilot Boat
      • Shipping Season at Wabana
    • Bickfordville
    • Businesses >
      • Bank of Nova Scotia
      • Bell Island Co-Operative Co. Ltd.
      • Scotia Ridge Businesses
      • Town Square History >
        • Charles Cohen & Son
    • Churches >
      • Anglican / Church of England
      • Pentecostal Chapel
      • Presbyterian Church
      • Roman Catholic
      • Salvation Army
      • United Church / Methodist
    • Community Organizations >
      • Bell Island Poultry Association
      • Boy Scouts
      • Boys & Girls Club of Bell Island
      • Caribou Athletic Club
      • Catholic Cadet Corps
      • Church Lads Brigade
      • Clift Masonic Lodge
      • Dominion Boat Club
      • Elks
      • Girl Guides
      • Independent Order of Odd Fellows
      • Kiwanis Club
      • Knights of Columbus
      • Life-Saving Guards
      • Lions Club
      • Loyal Orange Association
      • Motor Association
      • Royal Canadian Legion, Br. 18
      • Society of United Fishermen
      • Sporty Few
      • Syrian Benevolent Society
      • Tennis Club
      • Wabana Literary Institute
    • DOSCO News (CJON Radio)
    • Education >
      • Anglican Schools >
        • Academy - St. Augustine's
        • St. Aiden's
        • St. Mary's School
        • St. Stephen's School
      • Boys Home & Training School
      • Methodist / United Church
      • Roman Catholic Schools
      • Salvation Army
      • Vocational Education
    • Electric Power
    • Entertainment >
      • Wabana Little Theatre
    • FIRES >
      • St. Augustine's School Fires
      • Staff House Fire
      • Town Square Shops Fires
    • Health >
      • Company Surgery
      • Death Practices in the Mining Years
      • Doctors Timeline
      • Epidemics in the Mining Years
      • Hospital
      • Midwives
      • Red Cross >
        • Junior Red Cross
    • Lance Cove
    • Maps & Diagrams >
      • Insurance Plan of Wabana 1954
    • Military Activity >
      • Military Service Other Than WWI & WWII
      • World War I
      • World War II >
        • Caribou Sinking-Bell Island Connections
        • NFLD Militia
        • Torbay Airport/St. John's Airport
        • U-Boat Attacks >
          • Ratcliffe Winn's Story
        • WW2 Veterans
        • WW2 Veterans Group Photos
    • Monuments & Murals >
      • The Murals Project History
      • Brian Burke Sculptures
      • Lance Cove Seaman's Memorial
    • Municipal Government
    • Operation Toxin
    • Parsonsville / Freshwater
    • Population Statistics
    • Postal Service
    • Settlement of Bell Island: Fact & Folklore
    • Sports - A Brief History >
      • Arena History
      • Bowling
      • Curling - Men's >
        • Women's Curling
      • Tennis
    • Telephone Service
    • Timeline of Amenities, Public Services & Utilities
    • Today in the History of Bell Island
    • Transportation >
      • Beach Tramway
      • Ferries & The Tickle >
        • Elmer W. Jones
        • Ice in The Tickle
        • Kipawo
        • MANECO
        • S.S. Mary
        • Timeline of Ferries & Freighters
        • Tragedy in The Tickle 1940
      • Transport & Shipping Companies
      • Motorized Vehicles
    • The Women of Wabana, Part 1: Women's Work & Social Life
  • Publications
    • Arthur House Article
    • The Book of Newfoundland >
      • "Bell Island Was Exciting For a Growing Boy"
    • Books About Bell Island
    • Early History of Bell Island
    • F.F. Jardine Articles
    • "Where Canada's Iron Comes From"
    • "A Mine Dead - A Town Stricken"
    • Morris, I.C.
    • Newfoundland Quarterly >
      • "Bell Island," V. 1, No. 1, July 1901
      • "Belle Island Boyhood," Part 1, V. 85, No. 2, Fall 1989
      • "Belle Island Boyhood," Part 2, V. 85, No. 3, Winter 1990
    • Newspapers (Bell Island) >
      • Bell Island & Conc. Bay Reporter
      • Bell Island Examiner
      • Bell Island Miner (Newspaper)
      • Bell Island Miner 1965
      • Bell Island Reporter
      • Bell Island Times
      • Bell Islander
      • Wabana Druggist
      • Wabana Star
      • Wabana Weekly
    • Notes on Belle Isle by Mrs. B.B.E.
    • Our Bell Island Budget
    • Place Where the Sun Rises
    • Submarine Miner >
      • Submarine Miner, V. 1 # 1, June 1954
      • Submarine Miner, V. 1 # 2, July 1954
      • Submarine Miner, V. 1 # 3, August 1954
      • Submarine Miner, V. 1 # 4, September 1954
      • Submarine Miner, V. 1 # 5, October 1954
      • Submarine Miner, V. 1 # 6, November 1954
      • Submarine Miner, V. 1 # 7, December 1954
      • Submarine Miner, V. 2 # 1, January 1955
      • Submarine Miner, V. 2 # 2, February 1955
      • Submarine Miner, V. 2 # 3, March 1955
      • Submarine Miner, V. 2 # 4, April 1955
      • Submarine Miner, V. 2 # 5, May 1955
      • Submarine Miner, V. 2 # 6, June 1955
      • Submarine Miner, V. 2 # 7, July 1955
      • Submarine Miner, V. 2 # 8, August 1955
      • Submarine Miner, V. 2 # 9, September 1955
      • Submarine Miner, V. 2 #10, October 1955
      • Submarine Miner, V. 2 # 11, November 1955
      • Submarine Miner, V. 2 #12, December 1955
      • Submarine Miner, V. 3 # 1, January 1956
      • Submarine Miner, V. 3 # 2, February 1956
      • Submarine Miner, V. 3 # 3, March 1956
      • Submarine Miner, V. 3 # 4, April 1956
      • Submarine Miner, V. 3 # 5, May 1956
      • Submarine Miner, V. 3 # 6, June 1956
      • Submarine Miner, V. 3 # 7, July 1956
      • Submarine Miner, V. 3 # 8, August 1956
      • Submarine Miner, V. 3 # 9, September 1956
      • Submarine Miner, V. 3 #10, October 1956
      • Submarine Miner, V. 3 # 11, November 1956
      • Submarine Miner, V. 3 #12, December 1956
      • Submarine Miner, V. 4, # 1, January 1957
      • Submarine Miner, V. 4, # 2, February 1957
      • Submarine Miner, V. 4, # 3, March 1957
      • Submarine Miner, V. 4, #4, April 1957
      • Submarine Miner, V. 4, #5, May 1957
      • Submarine Miner, V. 4, #6, June 1957
      • Submarine Miner, V. 4, #7, July 1957
      • Submarine Miner, V. 4, #8, August 1957
      • Submarine Miner, V. 4, #9, September 1957
      • Submarine Miner, V.4, #10, October 1957
      • Submarine Miner, V.4, #11, November 1957
      • Submarine Miner, V.4, #12, December 1957
      • Submarine Miner, V.5, #1, January 1958
      • Submarine Miner, V.5, #2, February 1958
      • Submarine Miner, V.5, #3, March 1958
      • Submarine Miner, V.5, #4, April 1958
      • Submarine Miner, V.5, #5, May 1958
      • Submarine Miner, V.5, #6, June 1958
      • Submarine Miner, V.5, #7, July 1958
      • Submarine Miner, V.5, #8, August 1958
      • Submarine Miner, V.5, #9, September 1958
      • Submarine Miner, V.5, #10, October 1958
      • Submarine Miner, V.5, #11, November 1958
      • Submarine Miner, V.5, #12, December 1958
      • Submarine Miner, V.6, #1, January 1959
      • Submarine Miner, V.6, #2, February 1959
      • Submarine Miner, V.6, #3, March 1959
      • Submarine Miner, V.6, #4, April 1959
      • Submarine Miner, V.6, #5, May 1959
      • Submarine Miner, V.6, #6, June 1959
      • Submarine Miner, V.6, #7, July 1959
      • Submarine Miner, V.6, #8, August 1959
      • DOSCO World
    • Victor Southey Article
  • People
    • A
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      • The Messrs. Butler of Topsail
    • C >
      • Chinese Community
    • D
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      • Sherry Hawco-Delanty
      • Harry Hibbs
      • Alvin Hussey
      • Maxwell Hutchings
    • J >
      • Jewish Community >
        • Cohens of Bell Island
        • Goldstone Family
    • K
    • L
    • M
    • N
    • O
    • P
    • R
    • S >
      • Yvonne E. Saunders
    • T >
      • Adrian Taylor, 1918-1944
    • V
    • W
    • Y
  • Extras
    • Amazing Coincidences
    • Animal Stories
    • The Brighter Side - Poem
    • Buried Treasure
    • Calendar Customs >
      • Bonfire Night
      • Christmas
      • Easter
      • Hallowe'en
      • Labour Day
      • Memorial Day / Canada Day
      • Remembrance/Armistice Day
      • St. George's Day
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      • Thanksgiving
      • Valentine's Day
      • Victoria Day
    • The Great Fossil Mystery
    • Jail Break
    • Personal Experience Stories >
      • Dave Careless: "A Rough Day at the Office"
      • Dave Careless "Around the Block"
      • Dave Careless: "Dogs & Cats of Wabana"
      • Dave Careless: "Five Minutes for Fighting"
      • Dave Careless: "My Travels on Ore Carriers""
      • Dave Careless: "November 22nd, 1963"
      • Al O'Brien
      • Weir: Ghost & Fairy Stories
    • Unusual Occurrences
    • Wit & Humour
    • Woman In White
  • Photo Gallery
    • Archibald
    • Artifacts
    • Bell Island Scenes
    • Bell Island Special Housing Assistance Program
    • Bennett
    • Built Heritage >
      • Government Buildings
      • Lighthouse
      • Mine Company Buildings
      • Town Square
    • Careless
    • Case
    • Dawe
    • Hussey-Weir
    • Lawton-Murphy
    • Library & Archives Canada
    • Lindsay
    • Miners & Mining Scenes
    • Northshoremen
    • O'Neill
    • Rees
    • Southey
    • Winter Scenes
  • About This Site
  • Contact Information

PHOTO GALLERY

NORTHSHOREMEN

These photos, from diverse sources which are given when known, are of the men who commuted from around Conception Bay, but mostly from the north shore, to Bell Island on a weekly basis during the mining years. Most of them did the back-breaking work of "muckers," those who shovelled the iron ore into ore cars far out under the sea. 

The photo below was taken c. 1902-03. It shows two men standing next to a miner's shack in the woods. Another shack is in the shadows on the right of the photo. This photo was in an album of photographs of the Wabana mining operation in its infancy. The album was purchased for 50 cents at a flea market in Nova Scotia and was presented to the Bell Island Community Museum in 1997. 

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The photo below appears to be a miner's "sod house" with an opening at the top for smoke to escape. It may have been converted from its former use as a root cellar, from Bell Island's pre-mining days when farming was the major occupation. Local lore has it that there was a sod house in the area of Dominion ​No. 1 that was used as a shack by a commuting miner. It would have only had a bed and a "little pogey," as the stove was called. This photo was taken by William B. Ford, c. 1902, courtesy of Brian Rees.
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Following is an excerpt from my 1989 book, The Miners of Wabana, regarding commuting miners:

A lot of miners were not residents. Some boarded with residents, others had small shacks, while many lived in Company‑owned “mess shacks” (bunk houses) during the week. They all went home to their families around Conception Bay on weekends. The mess shacks held thirty men each, and each bunk had a mattress stuffed with hay:
 

The bed fleas could almost carry you away. You would be awake almost all night killing bedbugs and, oh, what a smell when you killed them.
 
These men were known by several names: “baymen,” “mainlandsmen,” “mainland fellers,” and “mainlanders” or, as a lot of them came from the north shore of Conception Bay, “Northshoremen.” Ironically, when their buses pulled into their home communities on the weekends, people there would say, “here come the Bell Isle men.”
 
When the mines worked six days a week, Friday for these men was “preparation day,” and Saturday was “rush day,” or “scravel day.” On a normal day, each pair of men hand‑loaded twenty boxes (one and one-quarter ton ore cars) of ore, and perhaps a few extra to go towards Saturday’s complement of twenty boxes. On Fridays, a special effort was made to load as many extra cars as possible in “preparation” for the next day. Then, on Saturday mornings, they often would go down into the mines earlier than usual and “rush” to finish loading enough to make up their twenty boxes for that day. As soon as that was accomplished, they could leave for home. Harold recalls a popular Bell Island story that was associated with scravel day:
 

An Island Cove man named Jim Adams was coming up early from the mine when he met Tommy Gray, the supervisor, who said to him, “You’re up early today.” “Yes, Old Man,” Adams answered, “I was sot (ie. planted) early.” “What happened to your buddy? Wasn’t he sot early too?” asked Mr. Gray. “Oh yes, sir,” said Adams, “but the grubs cut he off.”
 
The mainlanders would also load extra cars for extra pay. The men would leave the deck to enter the mines at six forty‑five a.m., get off the trams at seven and arrive at the working face, ready to start loading, at seven fifteen. In the room where they were working, there would probably be six empty cars on the siding. Each car could hold a ton and a quarter. Once those six cars were loaded, they would be pushed out and another six would be drawn in. There would be three six‑car trips to be loaded, plus two cars from the next six‑car trip. Then there would be four cars left over. Since the mainland men had nothing to look forward to when they finished work for the day, except killing time in the mess shack, they would often stay underground and load the extra four cars, getting twenty cents extra pay for each car.

The photo below is of commuting miners arriving at the Beach on a Sunday evening c.1930 after the day at home with their families on the north shore. It shows the small open boats that were commonly used for many years. Photo courtesy of A&SC, MUN Library, COLL-202: 1.12.030.

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The photo below is of an open motor boat loaded down with miners leaving Upper Island Cove on their way back to Bell Island for another week of work. Photo courtesy of Douglas Hussey from his grandfather, miner Leander Hussey.

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"Upper Island Covers" outside bunk house at Bell Island, c.1930s.

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The photo below is of a group of "bunk house men" from the North Shore including William Rose looking out the window, c.1930s. Photo courtesy of Yvonne Saunders-Sinnott.

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