HISTORY
CHURCHES
CHURCHES
UNITED CHURCH
formerly METHODIST
by Gail Hussey-Weir
Created August 2020
formerly METHODIST
by Gail Hussey-Weir
Created August 2020
NOTE: To see photos of Bell Island's United Church/Methodist buildings, click on "Photo Gallery" in the top menu, then "Built Heritage" in the drop-down menu.
A report in the Daily News in the summer of 1900 mentioned that the "new Methodist and Presbyterian churches were being built that summer."
On Thursday, August 29, 1901, the Methodist Church was formally opened and dedicated. It was located on the west side of Davidson Avenue near the gate of the present United Church Cemetery. The congregation held its first Garden Party on August 14, 1902.
In the 1921 Census for Bell Island, those who identified as Methodist numbered 415.
In 1925, the building became a United Church when four Protestant denominations, including two on Bell Island: Presbyterian and Methodist, merged into the United Church of Canada. When a new church building was opened in 1951 on the site of the present United Church, the original building was taken down and the site became the United Church Cemetery.
In the 1935 Census, Bell Island's population was 6,160. Religious denominations were: RC=3,171; Church of England (Anglican)=2,092; United Church=521; Salvation Army=345; Presbyterians=21; Others=10 [would have included Jewish].
During the 1950s to mid-1960s, the 1951 church, named Jackson United Church after Rev. Oliver Jackson, served almost 300 families. It was destroyed by fire on January 30, 1994. By that time, it was serving about 70 families, with about 50 families contributing to its upkeep. A new Jackson United Church was built in 1994 and is still operational in 2022.
In the 1921 Census for Bell Island, those who identified as Methodist numbered 415.
In 1925, the building became a United Church when four Protestant denominations, including two on Bell Island: Presbyterian and Methodist, merged into the United Church of Canada. When a new church building was opened in 1951 on the site of the present United Church, the original building was taken down and the site became the United Church Cemetery.
In the 1935 Census, Bell Island's population was 6,160. Religious denominations were: RC=3,171; Church of England (Anglican)=2,092; United Church=521; Salvation Army=345; Presbyterians=21; Others=10 [would have included Jewish].
During the 1950s to mid-1960s, the 1951 church, named Jackson United Church after Rev. Oliver Jackson, served almost 300 families. It was destroyed by fire on January 30, 1994. By that time, it was serving about 70 families, with about 50 families contributing to its upkeep. A new Jackson United Church was built in 1994 and is still operational in 2022.
Some of the Ministers who served Bell Island
(see below for sources of these names)
(see below for sources of these names)
1899-1903: Jabez Hill*
1903-1906?: W. Hill*
1906: E.J. Pratt [the poet]**
1907-1908: Edwin Moore (Supply)*
1908: Alfred Bishop**
1908-1909: Solomon Matthews*
1909-1911: A.F. Bamford** [A new Methodist school was opened at The Mines (10 Commandments Range) on June 20, 1911 and named "Bamford Hall" in his honour.]
Also mentioned between 1909-1910: W.H. Norman*
Also mentioned in 1910: Joseph Noseworthy*
Also mentioned between 1910-1914: William Dotchon*
1911-1912: J.V. Westlake***
Also mentioned in 1912: John William Baggs and Isaac King (Layman)*
1912-1913: W.J. Arms***
1914: William Swann, Supernumerary**
1914-1916: W. Henry Browing*
1917: Isaac King (Layman)*
1918: W.R. Butler**
1920: Ira F. Curtis**
1922: Walter T.D. Dunn, D.D.** and ****
1923: W.E. Corkram took over the Pastoral Charge on the retirement of Rev. Dr. Dunn in December 1923****
1924-1927: W.E. Cockram**
1927-1931: Oliver Jackson.**** His bio is on the People page in the top menu. Click on "J" in the drop-down menu.
1931-1932: Norman Burns****
1932-1934: S.I. Murley****
1934-c.1939: Sidney Bennett****
?c.1939: Roland Baggs?
c.1939-1942: W.J. Woolfrey. [Mentioned in dedication ceremony for Jackson UC, summer 1951, and Daily News, Mar. 18, 1942: left Bell Island in June 1942 after serving Bell Island for 3 years.]
1942-1948: Reginald Norman Rowsell. His bio is on the People page in the top menu. Click on "R" in the drop-down menu.
Also mentioned in 1946: W.D. Rose (Layreader) and Rev. W.E. Cockram*
1949-1951: T.J. Pitt. [He was minister when Jackson UC was dedicated in summer 1951.]
1951-1955: Francis Gordon Weir*****
c. 1955-1959: Nelson B. Hodder.
c.1959-1960: Frances? Lodge? [Info needs confirmation. The 1959 Telephone Directory lists "United Church Manse, Davidson, Lodge." A photo of United Church clergy visiting the Wabana Mines about that time includes Frances Lodge.]
1960-c.1964: B. Hicks. [The Telephone Directories for 1960 through 1967 lists "Hicks" at the United Church Manse. This seems to be an error as Frank Curtis served Bell Island from c.1964-66.]
c.1964-c.1967: Frank Curtis.
c.1967-c.1971: Cecil Hobbs.
1971-1973: Ernie Lacasse. His bio is on the People page in the top menu. Click on "L" in the drop-down menu.
1973-c.1984: Information being sought.
1985-198?: Wayne Cole*
-1994: Information being sought.
1994: Chaulk. [The Express, Aug. 17, 1994, p. 9: photo regarding the rebuilding of Jackson United Church following fire.]
199?-2000: Ian Marche-McCuish*
2009: Karen Thorne. [Listed in Bell Island souvenir Telephone Directory for 2009.]
c.2013-2014: Mary Harris.
2020: Susan Sheppard (Layreader).
*These names are from "History of the Memorial United Church Portugal Cove/Bell Island" on the Chebucto Grand Banks website at http://ngb.chebucto.org/Hr_Main/Church/United/bell-u.shtml# (Aug. 10, 2020).
**These names are from the book, History of Methodism in Eastern British America including Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Bermuda, W.D. Johnson, Sackville, NB, c.1925?
***These names were from both the above sources.
****These names were mentioned in the Daily News of the day and recorded by Addison Bown in his "Newspaper History of Bell Island."
*****From Offbeat History column "Of Flowers and Shipwrecks" by Michael Harrington in the Evening Telegram, June 20, 1993? or 1998?, p.6
1903-1906?: W. Hill*
1906: E.J. Pratt [the poet]**
1907-1908: Edwin Moore (Supply)*
1908: Alfred Bishop**
1908-1909: Solomon Matthews*
1909-1911: A.F. Bamford** [A new Methodist school was opened at The Mines (10 Commandments Range) on June 20, 1911 and named "Bamford Hall" in his honour.]
Also mentioned between 1909-1910: W.H. Norman*
Also mentioned in 1910: Joseph Noseworthy*
Also mentioned between 1910-1914: William Dotchon*
1911-1912: J.V. Westlake***
Also mentioned in 1912: John William Baggs and Isaac King (Layman)*
1912-1913: W.J. Arms***
1914: William Swann, Supernumerary**
1914-1916: W. Henry Browing*
1917: Isaac King (Layman)*
1918: W.R. Butler**
1920: Ira F. Curtis**
1922: Walter T.D. Dunn, D.D.** and ****
1923: W.E. Corkram took over the Pastoral Charge on the retirement of Rev. Dr. Dunn in December 1923****
1924-1927: W.E. Cockram**
1927-1931: Oliver Jackson.**** His bio is on the People page in the top menu. Click on "J" in the drop-down menu.
1931-1932: Norman Burns****
1932-1934: S.I. Murley****
1934-c.1939: Sidney Bennett****
?c.1939: Roland Baggs?
c.1939-1942: W.J. Woolfrey. [Mentioned in dedication ceremony for Jackson UC, summer 1951, and Daily News, Mar. 18, 1942: left Bell Island in June 1942 after serving Bell Island for 3 years.]
1942-1948: Reginald Norman Rowsell. His bio is on the People page in the top menu. Click on "R" in the drop-down menu.
Also mentioned in 1946: W.D. Rose (Layreader) and Rev. W.E. Cockram*
1949-1951: T.J. Pitt. [He was minister when Jackson UC was dedicated in summer 1951.]
1951-1955: Francis Gordon Weir*****
c. 1955-1959: Nelson B. Hodder.
c.1959-1960: Frances? Lodge? [Info needs confirmation. The 1959 Telephone Directory lists "United Church Manse, Davidson, Lodge." A photo of United Church clergy visiting the Wabana Mines about that time includes Frances Lodge.]
1960-c.1964: B. Hicks. [The Telephone Directories for 1960 through 1967 lists "Hicks" at the United Church Manse. This seems to be an error as Frank Curtis served Bell Island from c.1964-66.]
c.1964-c.1967: Frank Curtis.
c.1967-c.1971: Cecil Hobbs.
1971-1973: Ernie Lacasse. His bio is on the People page in the top menu. Click on "L" in the drop-down menu.
1973-c.1984: Information being sought.
1985-198?: Wayne Cole*
-1994: Information being sought.
1994: Chaulk. [The Express, Aug. 17, 1994, p. 9: photo regarding the rebuilding of Jackson United Church following fire.]
199?-2000: Ian Marche-McCuish*
2009: Karen Thorne. [Listed in Bell Island souvenir Telephone Directory for 2009.]
c.2013-2014: Mary Harris.
2020: Susan Sheppard (Layreader).
*These names are from "History of the Memorial United Church Portugal Cove/Bell Island" on the Chebucto Grand Banks website at http://ngb.chebucto.org/Hr_Main/Church/United/bell-u.shtml# (Aug. 10, 2020).
**These names are from the book, History of Methodism in Eastern British America including Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Bermuda, W.D. Johnson, Sackville, NB, c.1925?
***These names were from both the above sources.
****These names were mentioned in the Daily News of the day and recorded by Addison Bown in his "Newspaper History of Bell Island."
*****From Offbeat History column "Of Flowers and Shipwrecks" by Michael Harrington in the Evening Telegram, June 20, 1993? or 1998?, p.6
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