Pouch Island, Newfoundland and Labrador facts for kids

Pouch Island was once a small fishing village on an island in Newfoundland. It's located in northern Bonavista Bay, about 5 kilometers east of Wesleyville. Today, no one lives on the island anymore. It is an abandoned settlement.

The Story of Pouch Island

The first time Pouch Island was mentioned in writing was in 1803. A church record from that year shows a person named John Dick living there. Missionaries also visited the island. For example, in 1830, one missionary baptized eight people with the last names Dick and Sainsbury. Later, other families like Cooze and Dyke also lived on Pouch Island.

The people on the island mostly caught cod fish to make a living. Over time, they also started hunting seals. In 1836, a count showed that 36 people lived on Pouch Island. The last time anyone was officially recorded living there was in 1863, when Tabitha Dyke was baptized. After that, people started moving away from the island. Most residents moved to nearby places like Newtown and Pool's Island. By 1869, Pouch Island was completely empty.

Seal Hunting on the Island

Even though Pouch Island was small and far away, people settled there because it was a good spot for fishing. When seal hunting became popular in northern Bonavista Bay, Pouch Island joined in, even with its small size.

There was one special building on the island called 'Dick's Room', which was built in 1803. This was a place used for fishing and preparing seals. In 1845, there were 6 nets on the island used for catching seals. By 1857, only 1 net was still being used. When the next count happened in 1869, the island was already empty.

How Many People Lived There?

We can learn about Pouch Island from old records, like the ones that counted people and things.

In 1836, 36 people lived on the island in 4 houses. They had 3 boats. Most people (34) belonged to the Church of England, and 2 people were Roman Catholic.

By 1845, the population had dropped to 26 people, still living in 4 houses. They had 4 boats. At this time, there were 6 nets used for catching seals. The people on the island also grew potatoes, producing about 80.5 barrels in 1836.