The Memory Store: Start right at the roofline and rip right down to the bottom...

The Memory Store post this week is another video from the Craft Council of Newfoundland and Labrador. Executive director Anne Manuel explains how the Craft Council repaired the brick exterior of Devon House. Anne describes how the builders had to start at the roofline and rip the bricks down to the bottom before replacing/repairing the exterior wall.

Watch the video below or click here to watch the video on YouTube.

Click here for more information about the building's history and architectural style.
If you missed our initial post explaining the concept of the Memory Store clip here to go back to our first blog post with the introduction video or check out our YouTube channel at ICH NL.

Stay tuned for more short stories about historic places in the province, in the form of short oral history interviews conducted with the people who care about those places and if you have a personal memory about a historic place in Newfoundland and Labrador, and want to add your voice to the Memory Store project, let us know at ich@heritagefoundation.ca

-Terra

Another peak inside the Marshall Building/Stott Vaults, 123 Water Street #nlheritage #architecture

This week, the NL Historic Trust reported on its Facebook page about the possible upcoming demolition of the old brick and stone vaults located at 123 Water Street, shown in the exterior photo above, from May 2005. The Trust writes:

"St. John's City Councillor Sandy Hickman said today that the developer of the new Alt Hotel - which will likely occupy the vacant lot at the corner of Prescott and Water, the former Marshall Brothers property - considered keeping the vaults on the property but they are not structurally viable."

The Trust included a link to a fabulous set of photos taken by local photographer Paul Kinsman, which you can check out here.

The Trust and Kinsman both refer to the vaults as belonging to the Marshall Bros. store, but the earlier history of the vaults is linked to a merchant by the name of Stott.

The entire area surrounding 123-125 Water was destroyed in the 1892 fire. Prior to 1892 there was a stone structure on the site, which possibly belonged to James Stott, a liquor and spirits dealer. As a result of the fire, Water Street was realigned, so the location of the later-day 123-125 Water Street did not sit exactly on top of the building site that was pre fire. The older structure was set back from the current street line. It is possible that these vaults belong to the stone building that was destroyed in the 1892 fire. This would explain rubble that was uncovered on top of the vaults during the demolition of the building above it, which may have dated to the period of the fire.

According to research submitted by Neachel Keeping of the City Archives on June 6, 2005, the building over top of the vaults was owned and let to a variety of tenants. From 1880-1918, the owner/occupier was James Stott, General Merchant (Stott rebuilt on same site after 1892 fire). From 1918-1921, the owner was still listed as James Stott, but from 1923-1963 it was owned by the Stott Estate (Stott died sometime between 1921 and 1923).

This is what the interior looked like in October of 2003, prior to the demolition of the building above it:

Additional photos taken November 2004:

Living Heritage Podcast Ep010 Community Heritage Programs with Julie Pomeroy

Julie Pomeroy has been the Heritage Programs and Services Coordinator for Portugal Cove-St. Philip’s since the fall of 2012 and has also been a member of the Heritage Committee in Logy Bay- Middle Cove- Outer Cove for the past 5 years. Julie graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Geography from MUN and has completed a number of workshops with MANL (Museum Association Newfoundland and Labrador) and ANLA (Association of Newfoundland and Labrador Archives). We discuss Julie’s introduction to heritage work, her work as a Heritage Programs and Services Coordinator, the settlement of Portugal Cove-St. Philip’s, family history, and community museums and archives.

Handcrafted Heritage - a conference for museum and craft lovers! #nlheritage

Each year the Museum Association of Newfoundland and Labrador has a conference that is attended by individuals from museums across Canada and the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. The conference provides a comfortable environment for delegates to meet, share, and express ideas and topics of concern with one another. This year our Conference, on "Handcrafted Heritage", will be held on October 2-3, 2015 at the Ramada Hotel in St. John's, Newfoundland.

At the Conference on Friday October 2nd there will be an option of two workshops:

Option one is "Our History in Pictures", presented by Mary Ellen Wright, of ANLA (Association of Newfoundland & Labrador Archives). She will discuss the conservation, display, storage and copyright of photographs in collections.

Option two is "Project Management", presented by the Department of Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development. They will discuss the useful tools, sample processes, exercises, case studies, management plans and project planning tips involved with project management.

There will also be an opening reception Friday night at 7:00 -9:00 p.m. at the Craft Council of Newfoundland and Labrador's Devon House Craft Centre (59 Duckworth Street) for a members' update, refreshments, music and more!

On Saturday, October 3, we will be offering a variety of conference sessions. Throughout the day the sessions will focus on craft and its relation to museums, whether through the gift shop, interpreting craft for programming or forming partnerships with craftspeople. The conference will also feature an AGM and luncheon for delegates. This is the chance for the election of officers and presentation of annual reports, certificates, and awards. If you are interested in being a part of our team or would like to find out more on our awards program, please contact the office.

Submit the 2015 "Handcrafted Heritage" Registration Form to register today.  We look forward to hearing from you!

Sarah Wade
Professional Development Coordinator

Museum Association of Newfoundland and Labrador
P. 709.722.9034 | manl@nf.aibn.com
F. 709.722.9035 | www.manl.nf.ca
P.O. Box 5785 | St. John's, NL | A1C 5X3
* https://www.facebook.com/museumassociationofnl

Logo revealed for first-ever Indigenous Arts Symposium to be held in Newfoundland and Labrador

ArtsNL, in conjunction with steering committee members comprised of representatives from Nunatsiavut, NunatuKavut, Miawpukek, Qalipu First Nation, and the Sheshatshiu Innu First Nation, launched a website (http://www.tolightthefire.wordpress.com) and unveiled a logo for the province’s first-ever Indigenous Arts Symposium today.

The symposium, which is being called To Light The Fire, will take place in Happy Valley-Goose Bay from November 19-22, 2015. The logo features reference to the titular ‘fire’ and visuals of a drum, which are often heated over a flame prior to being played. The imagery was chosen by the steering committee as fire and drums were universally present in each of the involved indigenous cultures, and Camille Usher created the logo. The event is part of a series of initiatives that ArtsNL is undertaking to celebrate its 35th anniversary.

“The strong interest to have a provincial symposium focused on indigenous artists and art practices was heard loud and clear at the Atlantic indigenous arts symposium planned by the Atlantic Public Arts Funders called Petapan, which was held in August 2014 in Millbrook, NS,” said Reg Winsor, ArtsNL executive director. “We’re following a similar model for our provincial event that will include demonstrations, workshops, showcases, a film festival show case, exhibition, and pop-up shops.”

The symposium will also include a number of forum discussions where registered participants will have the opportunity to freely discuss challenges they’ve faced as artists, the business of being an artist, while sharing creative solutions and strategies that have worked for them. A full itinerary of events is available on the symposium’s website, and biographies for those leading workshops, demonstrations, and speakers will be added in the near future.

The website features online registration for the symposium, which is open as of today. Interested individuals from all indigenous backgrounds are welcome to register and attend, though spaces will be limited so people are encouraged to register at their earliest convenience. There is no fee to attend the symposium, and limited accommodations assistance is available. Registration closes October 9, 2015. Individuals with limited internet access are encouraged to contact Donna Roberts, ArtsNL’s Cultural Outreach Officer in Labrador to register by phone at 896-9565 or 1-888-896-9565.

As details continue to become available, they will be shared through future releases, on the ArtsNL social media profiles, or at http://www.tolightthefire.wordpress.com or http://www.artsnl.ca.

Living Heritage Podcast Ep009 Archival Tips and Tricks with Mary Ellen Wright

Mary Ellen Wright has been the Professional Development and Outreach Officer (aka archives advisor) for the Association of Newfoundland and Labrador Archives (ANLA) for the last fifteen years. She has a BA in history from Dalhousie University, a master’s from St. Mary’s University and has also studied history at Memorial. Prior to coming to Newfoundland she worked at the provincial archives in Halifax, N.S.: she was a contract archivist in various institutions around St. John’s before starting with ANLA in December of 2000. Mary Ellen’s job with ANLA has taken her to archives and museums from Nain to Grand Bank. We talk all things archives, from the donation of garbage bags filled with papers to the need for accessibility, as Mary Ellen gives advice to anyone hoping to start an archives.

The Memory Store: But we're even more lucky to have the artifacts...

The week's Memory Store video is another video from Gary Green. Gary is a past president of the Crow's Nest Officer's Club and a past president of the Crow's Nest Military Artefacts Association. This week Gary Green explains how the gun shield art and other wall art displayed in the club is placed in the order it was left when the Second World War ended.

Watch the video below or click here to watch the video on YouTube.

Click here for more information about the building's history and architectural style.
If you missed our initial post explaining the concept of the Memory Store clip here to go back to our first blog post with the introduction video or check out our YouTube channel at ICH NL.

Stay tuned for more short stories about historic places in the province, in the form of short oral history interviews conducted with the people who care about those places and if you have a personal memory about a historic place in Newfoundland and Labrador, and want to add your voice to the Memory Store project, let us know at ich@heritagefoundation.ca

-Terra

Living Heritage Podcast Ep008 Admiralty House Museum with Allison Bennett and Carla Watson

Allison Bennett is from Mount Pearl and graduated with a Master of Arts (in History) from Memorial University in October 2014. She is currently completing her Bachelor of Education (Intermediate/Secondary) at Memorial and will graduate this fall. Allison is currently employed as the Centennial Celebrations Coordinator at Admiralty House Communications Museum and is organizing and preparing events for HM Wireless Station’s 100th anniversary September 2015. Originally hailing from Saskatchewan, Carla Watson completed her Masters in Public History at the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario. She is currently the Museum Manager for Admiralty House Communications Museum in Mount Pearl. In this podcast, Terra Barrett talks with Allison and Carla about the Admiralty House Communications Museum, favourite stories and artifacts found in the museum, examples of programs, stories about supernatural activities in the museum, and challenges youth face working in the heritage sector.

Booklet Launch Sept 10th - Witless Bay: Exploring A Cultural Landscape

The Department of Folklore will launch its latest publication, Witless Bay: Exploring A Cultural Landscape, on Thursday, September 10th, in ED4036, at 12 noon.

This booklet is the result of the 2014 Department Field School. Graduate students and visiting faculty spent three weeks last September 2014 living in Witless Bay, documenting local traditions. Essays cover the history of Witless Bay, as well as some of the most important houses, barns, and fish stages/stores in the community. 

Join us for coffee/tea and snacks.