For many years before Confederation in 1949 and up until recently, the southwest coast of Newfoundland was often called “the Forgotten Coast” by the people who lived there.
The name stemmed from the sense that politicians, once they were elected, stayed away from the area. Pleas to provincial and federal levels of government, even for necessary services, went unheeded.
I became very familiar with that part of the province over some 18 years, from 1962 to 1980, when I travelled the southwest coast as a sales rep for a national meat-packing company. I also photographed and wrote articles about the area and its people for the Evening Telegram.
For nearly 100 years the cry of “the steamer is coming in,” announcing the arrival of the coastal boat, would be heard weekly in the isolated outports of the province. These vessels carrying the mail, passengers and freight provided the lifeline that connected the dozens of communities along our shores.
The sounding of the ship’s whistle announcing its arrival would see dozens of the residents rushing down to the wharf to welcome a stately vessel and its passengers as it docked.
In 1897 the building of the Newfoundland Railway from St. John’s to Port aux Basques was nearing completion. The government had spent millions building it and now was faced with the formidable expense of its operation. It appeared the government of the day would be facing a large annual deficit, which might lead the country into bankruptcy.
The government, under Sir James Winter, entered into a contract with R.G. Reid, the builder of most of the railway, selling it to Reid for $1 million with the stipulation that he operate the system for 50 years. In return the government gave Reid large tracts of what proved to be valuable land, a large proportion of the entire territory of the island.
The contract included provisions for Reid to take over the telegraph lines and arrangements for his firm to provide mail service to cover the entire island.
Ronald G. Skinner first saw the light of day aboard the SS Glencoe.
His mom decided to name him Ronald after the purser and she chose Glencoe as the middle name for her new baby. Ronald Glencoe Skinner celebrated his 80th birthday on Oct. 13.
Skinner pursued the fishery all his life: first working on the offshore draggers in Nova Scotia and out of Gaultois and latterly inshore fishing, until he took an early retirement in 1999 due to the moratorium.
In 1973 McCallum had a population of 216, which over the years gradually decreased. Today, according to Skinner’s wife, Amelia, only 30 people live there. There are just three school-age children in the community, one of them the teacher’s child.
Amelia and Ron Skinner moved to Hermitage, where their son lives, in 2002, because she feels much more relaxed living within a 45-minute drive to the hospital in Harbour Breton.
Today, Ronald G. Skinner is still in good health and keeps busy, collecting kelp for his garden and occasionally going out fishing with his son, Dan.
2020 CBC/Radio-Canada. All rights reserved.