" Discover the Heritage of the Baccalieu Trail "
Cupids - History Timeline
August 1610 -
Bristol merchant John Guy and a group of colonists arrive at Cupids, then
known as Cupers Cove, and establish the first English colony in what is now
Canada.
1610-1611 - Thirty-nine
colonists including John Guy spend the winter at Cupers Cove. During this
time they construct two dwelling houses, a store house, a forge, two saw pits
and a defensive works with, "three pieces of ordinance ... planted there to
command the harboroughs, upon a platform made of great posts, and railes,
and great poles sixteene foot long set upright round about, with two flankers
to scoure the quarters". They also construct a twelve-ton bark (i.e. sailing
vessel) the Indeavour,
and six smaller fishing boats.
Spring 1612 - After
spending the winter in England Guy returns to the Cupids colony and brings
with him sixteen women settlers.
Summer 1612 - The
colonists begin the establishment of a second colony at Renews but are forced
to abandon the effort because of the pirate Peter Easton. Construction work
continues at Cupids. A saw mill is constructed and a fort is built to defend
the colony from pirates.
August 1612 - Henry
Crout, the agent for Sir Percival Willoughby one of the colony's major investors,
arrives at Cupids. He brings with him Thomas Willoughby, Sir Percival's youngest
son.
September 1612- A group of colonists, led by Henry Crout, cut a trail overland from Cupids to Mount Eagle Bay (Hopeall) in Trinity Bay. On September 8 Henry Crout reports spending 40 shillings, "to frame a house".
November 6, 1612-
Guy's party meet, share a meal and exchange gifts with a group of Beothuk
somewhere in Bull Arm, Trinity Bay.
1612-1613- Sixty-two
people spend the winter at Cupers Cove.
March 27, 1613- Nicholas
Guy's son is born at Cupids. He is the first recorded English child born in
what is now Canada. Guy will later move to Carbonear where he will become
one of the principle planters.
Spring 1613- By this
time there are at least sixteen structures standing at Cupids including a
fort, a saw mill, a grist mill and a brew house. Much of the land has been
cleared, crops are planted and livestock pastured.
Circa 1615- Captain
John Mason becomes the second governer of the Cupids plantation.
1618- Disagreements
between London and Bristol factions in the colony results in some colonists
moving to Harbour Grace and establishing the Bristol's Hope Plantation.
1619-1620- Thomas
Rowley, who is living at Cupids reports that he plans to move to New Perlican
and set up another plantation. Whether he did or not we do not know.
1620 John Mason reports that over the last two years he has rescued seven Portugese ships from pirates in Newfoundland. In May Mason receives a commisson from the Lord Admiral to suppress piracy and restore order in the fishery. In this year John Mason also publishes his A Briefe Discourse of the New-Found-Land in Edinburgh. English fishermen do over 40 pounds damage to the saw mill and grist mill at Cupids.
1624- William Alexander
publishes his An Encouragement
to Colonies in which he states that, "The first houses for habitation
were built in Cupids
Coue within the Bay of
Conceptiom where people did dwell for sundry yeeres together,
and some well satisfied both for pleasure, and profit are dwelling there still,
finding small difference between the seasons of the yeere in that Climate,
and here".
March 1675 Waymouth's
list of planters records one planter living at Cupids.
Summer 1675 Census reports Mr. Stephen Atkins the "keeper of Mr. Butler's cattle" living at Cupids Cove.
1790's - Rev. William Thoresby includes Cupids in his circuit and visits it reguarly.
1819 - James Lundrigan, a Cupids fisherman, is flogged by naval surrogates. This is the last flogging in Newfoundland. Uproar over this event led to a campaign by William Carson and Patrick Morris for the creation of a Newfoundland legislature.
1824 - Cupids becomes a part
of the Brigus circuit of the Methodist Church.
1831 - The sealing vessel Azariah is lost on its way to the ice fields.
1836 – The population of Cupids is 840. The community builds a school which has 9 students.
1845 – A second school is built in Cupids. The population is 1143. The residents are involved in fishery, farming and sheep raising.
1846 – Cupids sends 15 men to the annual seal hunt.
1849 - The sealing vessel Margaret Ellen is lost with its master Henry Webber.
1850 – Population decreases to 959.
1874 - Sidney Bennett is born. He is later ordained a Methodist minister and is president of the Newfoundland Methodist Conference in 1923 and 1924.
1875 - The schooner Waterwitch, en route from St. John's to Cupids is lost and twelve residents of Cupids are drown.
1876 - Philip Bennett is born at Cupids. He later helps found the Newfoundland Industrial Workers' Association.
1910 – A monument to John Guy is erected by the Newfoundland Historical Society, during celebrations held at Cupids. Rev. William Stacey representing the city of Bristol, England donates a plaque. On August 17, 3000 people attend the celebration.
1912 - W.F. Coaker comes to Cupids and establishes a local council of the Fishermen's Protective Union. Seventy-six people join.
1913 - Joseph Fowler is born. He later serves as a delegate to the National Convention.
1935 – Census reports a population of 562.
1954 – After Confederation the population decreases to 476.
1965 (April 13) – Cupids is incorporated and increases the facilities in the community.
1976 – Population is 750.
