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This 1852 letter is considered to be the most famous Nova Scotia cover.
From The Yarmouth Herald, August 30, 1883
THE FIRST NOVA SCOTIA NEWSPAPERS
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Date: Sun, 26 Oct 1997 02:29:39 -0400
From: Gordon Hebb <HEBBGD@gov.ns.ca>
To: Lunen-Links-L@rootsweb.com
Subject: [LL] Newport
Resent-From: LUNEN-LINKS-L@rootsweb.com
X-Mailing-List: <LUNEN-LINKS-L@rootsweb.com> archive/latest/638
Q: If you died in the Newport, Nova Scotia, in the 1700's, what county would you be buried in?
A: Until June 17, 1781, Newport was in Kings County. On that day, the County of Hants was created consisting of the townships of Windsor, Falmouth and Newport. (It was later expanded.) "Hants County" or "County of Hants" is a curious redundancy. "Hants" is short for "Hampshire" and "shire" is the equivalent of "county".
Between July 17th and August 4th, 1837, coasting vessels carried from Nova Scotia -- "almost wholly from the shores of the Bay of Fundy, to the city of St. John:: 733,500 feet deals; 1,192 tons plaister; 4,323 dozen eggs; 2,260 boxes smoked herrings; 98 barrels pickled herrings; 187 boxes cherries; 4,074 lbs. butter; 5,902 lbs. cheese; 603 bushels potatoes; 236,000 staves; 55,000 shingles; 10 horses; 951 sheep and lambs; 16 oxen; 5 cows; 25 calves; 1,000 gallons oil; 88,000 feet boards; 67 flagging stones; 1 barrel shad; 2 barrels codfish; 60 bushels oats; 4 barrels and 58 bottles fir balsam; 34,000 bricks; 1520 quintals dry fish; 1 qtl. scaled fish; 900 lbs. hops; 55 sides leather; 20 empty barrels; 28 cords wood; 7 barrels tongues and sounds; 2 barrels pork; 24 chairs; 840 lbs. ham; 7000 feet lumber; 456 lbs. smoked meat; 22,000 feet scantling; 27,800 feet hardwood boards and lumber. On a rough calculation we conclude that the value of these articles is about £7500." Export business has been this brisk "every month for years past." -- From the Halifax Acadian Recorder.
Important to Travellers In consequence of a trial at the September Term of the Supreme Court, held at Pictou, the Captain of the Cape Breton Steamer requires all passengers to exhibit the pass of the Provincial Secretary, or give security, to prevent him from loss on their account. The Captain was sued for £1 14s., a debt due by an itinerant dancing master, who had left the Province in his vessel. The sum was recovered. The Statute under which the action was brought was supposed to apply to the Town of Halifax only. Leave was given to argue the question at the Halifax Michaelmas Term. The consternation which ensued among Travellers, on the sudden issuing of the Captain's Placard, is described as extreme... From the Halifax Acadian Telegraph
It appears that, in consequence of a recent decision in the Supreme Court at Pictou, persons must provide a pass before they can transport themselves to the adjoining Colonies of P.E. Island and New Brunswick. This may be sound, but it will be harrassing and inconvenient law, and if acted upon generally, by Steamers and Coasting Craft, will almost prevent any thing like easy intercourse between the people of the Provinces -- for every man about crossing the Bay of Fundy or Northumberland Strait, must post his name several days before, and pay one shilling, or give bonds and pay 3s. 6d. Such a system would do more mischief, and waste more money, than could arise from the flight of scores of absconding debtors... From the Novascotian
From The Yarmouth Herald, November 15, 1839:
"American Naval Architecture Cheap Travelling to Europe -- Reduction of Fare On Wednesday morning a new ship of one thousand tons burthen was launched from the yard of Messrs. Webb & Allen, and as she dipped into the water, was named New York. Her contour is very much like the Patrick Henry, and if there is any difference, it is in the more perfect symmetry of the bows of the New York. William C. Barstow, Esq., formerly of the South America, will take command of her, and he sails hence for Liverpool (England) on the 7th of November.
The cabins of the New York will surpass every thing of the kind afloat -- even those of the famous English yacht belonging to the Earl of Yarborough. They will cost, when finished, $8,000, and the ship altogether $80,000. There are to be forty berths in twenty state rooms, each to be finished off in the highest style of elegance. The doors, pilasters, pannels, &c.; in the cabins are made of rose and satin woods, mahogany, heart of black oak, and bird's eye maple, the whole to be relieved with white enamelled cornices, and gilt mouldings. The curtains in the berths are of beautiful figured silk, which, together with the linen, blankets, silver and crockery ware, curtains, &c.; cost over £800; and the wine vaults, the camboose, the ice house, the cow house, the place for fowls and such things, have been so improved upon, that fresh eggs, fresh milk, cool wines and fresh meats, will be on the table every day during the passage across the Atlantic, and what more can a sea voyager wish?
With the launch of this ship commences an entire new system with three Liverpool lines of packets. The price of passage in the New York, Virginian, Patrick Henry, George Washington, United States, South America, North America, Independence, Westchester, Sheffield, Oxford, Cambridge, Europe, Columbus, and Roscoe, has been reduced to $100. Thus every person who crosses the Atlantic in the above named ships, will save forty dollars each trip, have all the same comforts that they would in the steam ships at 170 dollars, or in four other Liverpool vessels at 140 dollars. -- From the New York Herald."
[camboose the on-deck cooking room of a ship]
Two advertisements in The Yarmouth Herald,
December 27, 1839
Will be offered in lots of not more than FIVE Shares each to suit purchasers, and the advance or premium, first deducting thereout the charges of the Sale, will be divided in equal proportions to and among all the Shares in the Capital or Joint Stock of the Bank, as well the additional as the original Shares, at the next following semi-annual dividend.
A deposit of Five pounds per Share will be required at the time of the sale, and the remainder on or before the 31st day of January.
Any further information required may be obtained on application at the Bank, its several agencies, or of any of the Directors.
The following Agencies have been established by this Bank:--
ANNAPOLIS, Charles T. McColla, Esq.
LIVERPOOL, C.P. Fairbanks, and James N. Knaut, Esq.
PICTOU, James Primrose, Esq.
WINDSOR, James D. Fraser, and Harry King, Esqrs.
YARMOUTH, Stayley Brown, and James Bond, Esqrs.
Persons desirous of negociating Bills of Exchange, Drafts, &c.; &c;,.will be accomodated on application at the several Agencies above named, or at the Bank.
From The History of Kings County, Nova Scotia, 1604 - 1910 by Dr. A.W.H. Eaton, The Salem Press Company, Salem, Massachusetts, 1910.
During the six years that have elapsed since 1846, the growth of this branch of industry has been most gratifying. At the close of the last year, 1852, the number of vessels registered in this province, and actually employed in conducting its fishery, commerce and carrying trade, had increased to 2943, with a tonnage of 189,083, showing an increase in six years of 360 vessels, and 47,990 tons.
That Nova Scotia is destined at no distant day, to be one of the largest ship owning countries in the world, is apparent from the status already achieved.
Halifax (Nova Scotia Railway connection) westward to Head St. Margaret's Bay, Chester, Mahone Bay, Lunenburg, Bridgewater, Mill Village, Liverpool, Port Mouton, Port Jolly, Sable River, Jordan River, Shelburne, Barrington and Yarmouth, 202 miles; eastward to Porter's Lake, Chezzetcook, Musquodoboit Harbor, Lakeville, Ship Harbor, Tangier, Sheet Harbour and Beaver Harbor.
New Glasgow (Nova Scotia Railway connection) southward to Sherbrooke, the Wine Harbor Gold Diggings and Guysborough; eastward to Merigomish, Antigonish, Port Mulgrave, Straits of Canso and Port Hawkesbury.
Port Hood southeastward to Whycocomagh and Baddeck, and thence by steamer to Sydney.
Shubenacadie (Nova Scotia Railway connection) eastward to Middle and Upper Musquodoboit, New Caledonia, Melrose, Country Harbour, Guysboro and Port Mulgrave.
Sydney to Lingan Mines, Little Glace Bay Mines, Gowrie Mines and Louisbourg.
Truro (Nova Scotia Railway station) northward to Folly Village, Westchester, River Philip, Spruce Grove and Amherst (Nova Scotia Railway connection) 64 miles, thence by Intercolonial Railway to St. John N.B. Northeastward to Pugwash, Tatamagouche, Wallace and Point Brule.
Plaster Cove eastward to Grand Ance and Arichat; St. Peters and Sydney; and Port Hood, Mabou and Margaree Forks.
From the Yarmouth Herald, January 11, 1883
| Number of Vessels |
Tons | |
|---|---|---|
| 1761 | 1 | 25 |
| 1762 | 4 | 80 |
| 1767 | 7 | 156 |
| 1791 | 26 | 554 |
| 1808 | 41 | 1,880 |
| 1814 | 42 | 2,130 |
| 1815 | 49 | 2,441 |
| 1816 | 69 | 3,854 |
| 1817 | 71 | 3,848 |
| 1818 | 75 | 3,469 |
| 1819 | 72 | 3,403 |
| 1820 | 67 | 2,877 |
| 1821 | 68 | 3,191 |
| 1822 | 65 | 3,000 |
| 1823 | 73 | 3,664 |
| 1832 | 88 | 4,348 |
| 1834 | 91 | 5,141 |
| 1835 | 99 | 6,339 |
| 1836 | 103 | 6,855 |
| 1837 | 108 | 7,479 |
| 1838 | 119 | 9,205 |
| 1839 | 120 | 10,301 |
| 1840 | 124 | 10,541 |
| 1841 | 126 | 13,389 |
| 1842 | 120 | 13,765 |
| 1843 | 96 | 12,500 |
| 1844 | 88 | 12,607 |
| 1846 | 100 | 12,685 |
| 1847 | 115 | 13,662 |
| 1848 | 123 | 16,604 |
| 1849 | 130 | 17,224 |
| 1850 | 113 | 17,820 |
| 1852 | 106 | 18,888 |
| 1854 | 121 | 21,049 |
| 1855 | 128 | 25,690 |
| 1856 | 106 | 25,873 |
| 1857 | 109 | 30,966 |
| 1858 | 117 | 35,714 |
| 1859 | 121 | 36,030 |
| 1860 | 133 | 36,514 |
| 1861 | 149 | 39,713 |
| 1862 | 152 | 49,985 |
| 1863 | 154 | 50,130 |
| 1864 | 187 | 64,102 |
| 1865 | 199 | 71,830 |
| 1866 | 187 | 73,055 |
| 1867 | 261 | 77,003 |
| 1868 | 267 | 78,590 |
| 1869 | 263 | 81,896 |
| 1870 | 258 | 82,147 |
| 1871 | 262 | 90,668 |
| 1872 | 257 | 95,182 |
| 1873 | 248 | 95,932 |
| 1874 | 261 | 110,466 |
| 1875 | 256 | 120,966 |
| 1876 | 254 | 131,723 |
| 1877 | 282 | 142,058 |
| 1878 | 288 | 142,463 |
| 1879 | 297 | 153,515 |
| 1880 | 276 | 144,354 |
| 1881 | 262 | 141,331 |
| 1882 | 232 | 133,078 |
| 1883 | 228 | 124,357 |
[From The Eastern Chronicle, New Glasgow, 12 April 1907, page 3]
A wholesale vaccination took place last week among the Acadia students resident in Chipman Hall, Wolfville. On Monday a student came across on the steamship Yarmouth, on board of which was a person suffering from smallpox. This student was quarantined.
[It was a common practice in the late 1800s and on into the 1900s, for newspapers to publish school examination results, with individual names and marks. This clip is from The Eastern Chronicle, New Glasgow, 7 October 1904, page 8.]
Florence Donkin 99, Issie Grant 90, Willie MacKay 90, Howard Cantley 86, Thomas Arthur 83, Hazel Clay 83, Claire Brazil 80, Judson Graham 79, Jennie Mealy 78, Minnie McDougall 76, Jessie Robertson 75, Cassie McNabb 74, Roy Doull 72, Janet Fraser 70, Wesley Pallen 70, Douglas Graham 70, Virginia Underwood 69, Willie Somerville 67, Etta MacKenzie 67, Edna Fraser 65, Willie Grant 64, Frank Garrett 64, Gladys White 63, Colin Sutherland 60, Fraser Reeves 58, Hudson Taylor 50, Robert Muir 50, Robertson Fraser 50, Arthur Garrett 49, Everett Bennett 47, Lewis Cumming 45, Fred Grant 45, James McArthur 44.
[From The Enterprise, New Glasgow, 3 November 1888]
The following students obtained first place in their respective classes, the number indicates the percent mark obtained.
Junior Class: -- English Literature and Composition, Minnie Grey, 76; Grammar and Analysis, Minnie Grey, 94; History, Ethel Stuart, 89; Geography, Minnie Grey, 85; Bookkeeping, John W. Grant, 98; Algebra, Minnie Grey, Hattie Underwood, Lizzie Livingstone, Annie Graham, Jennie Fraser, 96; Geometry, Charlie Rice, 64; Arithmetic, John W. Grant, 64; Latin, Charles Rice, 59; French, Hattie Underwood, 91; Botany, Minnie Grey, 85.
Senior Class:-- English Literature, Annie Hutton McKenzie, 73; Grammar, Annie Hutton McKenzie, 85; Geography, Annie Hutton McKenzie, 85; History, Annie Hutton McKenzie, 81; Bookkeeping, Lauchlin McLean, Joseph Wilson, 93; Algebra, Annie Hutton McKenzie, 100; Geometry, Annie Hutton McKenzie, 75; Arithmetic, Robbie MacGregor, 62; Latin, Annie Hutton McKenzie, 76; French, Annie Hutton McKenzie, 75; Chemistry, Annie Hutton McKenzie, 59; Physics, Annie Hutton McKenzie, 58.
[Excerpted from the Halifax Chronicle-Herald, 29 March 1999
and the National Post, 30 March 1999.]
A collection of stamped envelopes sent from Nova Scotia and New Brunswick in the decades before Confederation is expected to raise roughly $2,000,000 when it is auctioned to the highest bidders in New York on April 13, 1999.
"Yes, these could very well achieve those prices," said J.J. MacDonald, Nova Scotia's foremost philatelic scholar and the editor of the Canadian Philatelist, the journal of the Royal Philatelic Society of Canada, as he inspected colour plates in a glossy auction catalogue. "This is a very important collection. It has been a gold-medal winner at various exhibits around the world."
The collection was assembled by Koh Seow Chuan, a Singaporean architect and one of the world's foremost stamp collectors. It will be sold in 300 lots and includes examples of the first stamps issued for the two provinces dating back to 1851.
The stamps will be sold by Spink America, an offshoot of the famous Christies auction house, and are expected to attract the interest of international collectors, particularly those who specialize in the issues of early Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.
Two items in the collection are of particular value.
One is a cover, which is another name for the envelope or letter to which the stamps were affixed, that was sent to the University of Budapest in Hungary from New Brunswick in 1853. It is expected to fetch between $220,000 and $260,000.
"It is the only cover still in existence addressed to Hungary and mailed out of New Brunswick," said Charles Verge, the vice-president of the Royal Philatelic Society of Canada. "It also has a very high franking at three-shillings, six, which, at the time, was a lot of money."
Another extraordinary cover was sent from Sydney, Nova Scotia to a Mr. W.L. Ingles in India in 1852. It is franked by a pair of one-shilling stamps and another of six pence denomination. The auction catalogue describes it as "the most famous cover (stamped envelope) of Nova Scotia philately, an item of outstanding beauty and rarity." It is valued between $160,000 and $200,000.
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"There are very few letters that went to India from this era that survived," said Mr. MacDonald, "and this in good shape and has high-valued stamps on it."
There were a few people around the world, such as Mr. Ingles, who provided many of the most valuable stamps in existence today, he said. Usually the stamps were saved because the correspondence contained important business information. Sometimes they were part of a collection of love letters.
Envelopes were not common until the late 1850s. Instead, the sender would fold the letter and seal it, then place the stamps on the back. So many of the covers from the first half of the 19th century are attached to the back of the actual letter.
"In some instances that is of great interest, but generally it's not," said Mr. MacDonald. "You're interested, not only in the stamp itself but when it was used, how it was used, what rate did it pay, and if there's any colour variation. And the post marks that are on them are also of great interest. It's a slice of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick history."
Before Confederation, each province issued its own stamps. Some, such as the ones on the correspondence to Mr. Ingles, were printed in Britain and denominated in pence. Others were printed in New York and denominated in cents.
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Latest revision: 1999 March 30