Jersey's involvement in the Newfoundland and Gaspe cod fishing industry

Jersey's involvement in the
Newfoundland and Gaspe
cod fishing industry

Property for sale at Gaspé

Dates in connection with the fishing industry at Newfoundland, Labrador and Gaspe. ^[1]

Homely, a Robin and Company barque built at Paspebiac - a painting by Philip Ouless

15th century

• 1497 Newfoundland discovered

16th century

• 1504 Small Norman fishing boats visited the coasts of Newfoundland.
• 1509-1547 Henry VIII commenced trading there. Turned the French out. Spaniards also reported, both withdrew from Newfoundland.
• 1530 By that time there is no doubt that Jerseymen had been to Newfoundland.
• 1536 J Hore, a Londoner, established a colony in Newfoundland.
• 1562 Channel Islands boats noted on Grand Banks.
• 1582 An early reference to Jerseymen at the Newfoundland fisheries. Extract from a will "Jersey owned vessel unloading from Newfoundland".
• 1583 Newfoundland taken over by Queen Elizabeth. Early settlers from Jersey, The Clements at Burgeo also at Sablon (Labrador): Les Fruings at Blancs Sablons (Labrador): Nicolles at La Pouile and Jersey Harbour: de Quettevilles at La Pouile and Sablan (Labrador): Le Feuvre at Burin: Syvret at Ile Vert; it would appear that Fruing was only at Labrador.
• 1591 Jean Guillaume of Jersey obtained a licence to sail to Newfoundland from the Governor of Jersey. On his return he was actioned by the Jersey Royal Court for selling his cargo of fish at St Malo instead of Jersey. Fined 300 crowns. This date shows that the fishing industry had commenced in the early part of the 16th century, as Sir Walter Ralegh when Governor of Jersey is quoted as stating that at the end of the sixteenth century islanders were saved from starvation by the arrival of a cargo of fish from the colony.

17th century

• 1600-1603 Sir Walter Ralegh Governor of Jersey. At the Tercentenary of Ralegh's death, the following extracts were quoted from official letters "He certainly encouraged the trade nascent between Jersey and Newfoundland". "Assisted very materially" in its "Carrying and shipping trade with the Newfoundland and Labrador fisheries".
• 1600 Sir Walter Ralegh obtained a "grant of application" in Newfoundland, and induced seamen from Jersey to start a fishery in that part of the colony he had been granted. As Governor he not only encouraged trade with Newfoundland, but also with Virginia, New England States and Caribbean Islands. Jersey seamen braved the ocean to bring back cod fish and oil, skins, furs, sugar, tobacco, etc. The following three families are named as "master traders": d'Auvergne (St Ouen), Lempriere (St Helier), Le Breton (Lily Langtry branch).
• 1611 St Brelade and other parishes had fishermen who sailed to Newfoundland.
• 1618 Privy Council ordered Governor not to allow "stores from the Castles" to be sold to the fishers.
• 1625 Captain Pierre d'Auvergne captured by pirates on his way to "Terre Neuve".
• 1650 Two Actes des Etats regarding the impoverishment of St Brelade by "the numbers of men who sail to Newfoundland. In future a licence must be obtained from the Governor or Captain of the Parish. Also no cod liver oil imported in the island must be sold out of it without the express permission of the Governor.
• 1667 Hudson Bay Company, one of the founders was Sir George de Carteret. His share was £600-£700.
• 1699 There were Seigneurs in Gaspé. A Monsieur Rivers in Mont Louis in 1699 set the industry on a permanent basis, but lack of government support led to failure. Finally a Monsieur Maillet circa 1750 got the fishing industry profitable.

Drying cod at Perce

18th century

• 1700s Ships built in North America and Newfoundland for fishing trade and registered in Jersey.
• 1713 Newfoundland ceded to Great Britain under the Treaty of Utrecht. 1717 John Janvrin established on Magdalon Island.
• 1723 Ile Royale (Nova Scotia) employed 14,000 sea people in the fishing industry, value 3,212,900 livres per annum.
• 1740 Captain David (Le Vavasseur dit) Durell of Poole, Dorset, an expatriate Jerseyman, is first recorded as trading between Newfoundland and Lisbon, in his vessel Tito. In March 1741, the same vessel sailed, once again, from Poole to Newfoundland. In 1744, he was a signatory in a petition to the Government of Newfoundland. His vessel Sally is recorded as sailing annually between Poole and Newfoundland as late as 1766. His fishery was at Burin: John Jean, Jersey Ships and Railways, (Jersey: La Haule Books, 1989), 128.
• 1758 Gaspé became British property.
• 1763 Canada became British property.
• 1764 Charles Robin aged 21, youngest son of Philippe and Anne, nee d’Auvergne, of Robin Pipon and Co, sailed as their agent from Jersey in Seaflower, a 41 ton brig to explore the possibility of establishing a fishery there.
• 1765 Mr Munn , a Newfoundland historian, writes "But they ceased to occupy the prominent positions held by their forefathers, merchants of Jersey origin, during the eighteenth century when Jersey firms dominated at Havre de Grace up to the year 1765 when the Canadian fisheries commenced.
• 1765 onwards. As the French and Quebec merchants moved away from the Gaspé coast, Jersey firms moved to the probably more profitable fisheries off the Gaspé coast.
• 1765 Robin, Pipon and Company of Cape Breton Island founded. This firm established fishing posts as far north as Baie des Chaleurs, under the auspices of their kinsman, Charles Robin, who formed his own company in 1783.
• 1766 Charles Robin returned to the coast with 41 ton brig. About this time Robin, Pipon and Co established at Bay des Chaleurs.
• 1767 Charles Robin describes himself as agent for John Robin at Arichat, Coast of Acadia and Paspebiac. Agent for Coast of Canada for Robin, Pipon and Co. [aged] 23 years, salary £150 per annum.
• 1767 Charles returned with Recovery, the Seaflower and shallop Neptune.
• 1768 Jersey Chamber of Commerce makes provision to "relieve distressed families of seamen".
• 1768 The Janvrin firm in existence by this date.
• 1766-1809 "The building of a commercial monopoly by this family (Robin) during that period is such that they can be called the biggest exploiters of this coast".
• 1769 Chamber of Commerce takes successful action to relieve Jersey vessels requiring British Customs Clearance (Navigation Act).
• 1770 Jerseymen began to settle --not merely trade--on the Gaspé Coast. Janvrin arrived at Grande Greve.
• 1778 Charles Robin (then aged 36), returned to Jersey in the Bee, 16 guns, with 40 crew and 40 passengers.
• 1780s Clement and Company established a fishery at Harbor Grace, Newfoundland. This firm did not survive the two wars between 1793 and 1815.
• 1783 Charles Robin forms his own firm Charles Robin and Co.
• 1785 59 vessels left Jersey for Newfoundland with 957 seamen and 743 passengers.
• 1786 Firm of David de Quetteville founded at the Avalon Peninsula, engaged in the cod trade and owning fisheries. During the wars of 1793-1815, this company moved to the east coast and finally to Labrador. It was ruined by the Jersey bank crashes of 1873.
• 1789 Ship Elisha Tupper, 280 tons, built at Bel Royal for Janvrins, She was named after a Guernsey merchant.

Jersey`s maritime historian, the late John Jean lists, from local newspapers and almancs, the following firms engaged in the Newfoundland trade: Jersey Sailing Ships, (Chichester: Phillimore and Company, 1982)

• 1790 Pierre Mallet, with the vessels Liberté, (69 tons), Magdaleine, (38 tons), Mary, (60 tons) and, in partnership with Fiott, Angelicque.
• 1790 J and C Hemery, with the vessels Jenny, (54 tons), Resolution, (70 tons) and Queen, (144 tons).
• 1790 [James] Poingdestre and [Aaron] de Ste Croix, with the vessels Success, (110 tons) and Vine, (129 tons); the latter owned also in partnership with Robinson, with whom Poingdestre also owned Corbet, (68 tons), in the same trade. De Ste Croix also owned with Ingouville Kenton, (113 tons). Of these vessels, Poigdestre and de Ste Croix had owned the Success from 1783. De Ste Croix was the son of Jean de Ste Croix, one of the founder members in 1768 of the Jersey Chamber of Commerce, who was the owner in that year of a 30 ton ship. This firm is known to have started in business trading with Newfoundland. They tansferred their interest, however, from Newfoundland cod to Honduras mahogany and were soon Jersey`s leading traders in Honduras mahogany. Note: This firm has often been needlessly confused with that of Messrs. F and G de Ste Croix, originally trading from 1838 as Gautier de Ste Croix, see below.
• 1790 Pierre Le Brun [St Aubin?], with the vessels Prudent, (57 tons) and Nancy, (64 tons).
• 1790 Brun Benest [St Aubin], master and owner, with the vessel Preference, (59 tons).
• 1790 Francis Janvrin, with the vessels Peirson, (90 tons), Neptune, (131 tons), Cornhill, (192 tons) and Elisha Tupper, (280 tons). His brother, Philip Janvrin, owned in 1790 Industrie, (68 tons) and in 1792 Anne, in the same trade.
• 1790 Mathew Gosset, with the vessels Angelicque, (42 tons), Kingfisher, (57 tons) and Hercules, (161 tons).
• 1790 Geo. Rowcliffe, with the vessel La Concorde, (126 tons).
• 1790 Jacques Remon, from a long-standing family of St Aubin merchants, with the vessel Beaver, (38 tons).
• 1790 Philip Ahier, with the vessel Anne, (45 tons).
• 1790 Edouard du Heaume, with the vessel Jupiter, (58 tons).
• 1790 Jean Kirby, or Kerby, with the vessel Gaspé.
• 1790 Jean Roissier, master and owner, with the vessel Providence, (72 tons).
• 1790 Jean Le Vesconte, with the vessel Lynx, (183 tons).
• 1790 Francis Amy, with the vessel Good Friends, (58 tons).
• 1790 Jean Le Feuvre, with the vessel Friendship, (51 tons).
• 1790 Edward Coombes, with the vessel Betsy, (77 tons.
• 1790-1792 Charles Robin, with the vessels Expedient, (49 tons), Peace, (72 tons), Bacchus, (80 tons), Paspébiac, (133 tons), St Lawrence, (145 tons), Major Pierson, (172 tons), Hilton, (178 tons), St Peter, (210 tons), which fleet of eight vessels was Jersey`s foremost, with the Janvrins in second place. By 1800, however, David Lee in The Robins in Gaspé, 1766 to 1825, (Ontario: Fitzhenry and Whiteside, 1984), 63, states that Robin had only four ships, which demonstrates the fluctuations in fortune experienced, in times of war, by those engaged in this trade.
• 1790 Missed by John Jean in the above list, David de Quetteville had, in that year, the 126 ton vessel Swift engaged in the Newfoundland trade: Almanach Historique (1790). In 1792, he had two vessels so engaged.
• 1790 Also missed by Jean, Thomas Anquetil, a master/owner and Merchant, had the 71 ton vessel Two Friends in the Newfoundland trade, sailing there from Jersey in the spring of 1790: Ibid. He was in partnership with his brother, Francois Anquetil.
• 1792 Former Wool merchant, Philip Nicolle, enters the Newfoundland trade in cod. In 1821 he owned fishing posts and 5 ships; in 1828 he owned 18 ships and added banking to his interests. The effect on trade of the American Civil War was said to have caused this firm to withdraw in 1863 from banking and from most of their fisheries. The firm was largely replaced by de Gruchy, Renouf and Clement.
• 1798 Janvrin worked first for Robin and then started his own business at Grande Greve, North Coast. Admiral Ph. d'Auvergne proposed that naval vessels convoy Jersey ships for Newfoundland trade to Longitude 300 West.
• It should be noted from John Jean`s list, above, as augmented, the part played by families of Huguenot origin, in Jersey`s 18th century commercial expansion. These included the Gossets, Hemerys, Fiotts, Anquetils and Pierre Mallet who, from his surname, might be mistaken as being of Jersey stock, and afterwards the Le Croniers and Amirauxs, among others. Furthermore, John Jean`s list of forty-two Jersey ships engaged in the Newfoundland trade in the years 1790-1792, represents a mere `drop in the ocean` in comparison to Jersey`s 19th century involvement in the trade.

Henry Clement's depot at Burgeo, Newfoundland

19th century

• 1766-1842 Jersey profited by the British conquests in Canada. It almost transformed the Gaspé coast between these years into a Jersey colony.
• 1806 4,000 tods of wool were imported into Jersey.
• 1819 Firm of Philip Godfray and Peter Duval founded at Bonaventure Island and elsewhere, with fisheries. Forced to close by creditors in 1838.
• 1820 William Fruing in Gaspé employed by C Robin and Company. He married Jane Alexandre at Miscou. Fishermen signed against the Americans.
• 1821 First permanent shipyard of Geo. Deslandes, set up in Jersey.
• 1822 Firm of William Le Brocq junr. and Company formed, in the New Brunswick carrying trade.
• 1822 Firm of Le Vesconte and de Carteret, otherwise de Carteret and Le Vesconte, founded at Arichat and elsewhere, in Cape Breton Island, owning both fisheries and trading vessels. Isaac Le Vesconte was also a shipbuilder; Peter de Carteret became, furthermore, a Jersey banker.
• 1826 Firm of F and J Perrée founded at Point Saint-Pierre, Gaspé, where his fishery adjoined in the 1830s that of Abraham de Gruchy. The Perrées sold to their agents, Collas, in 1851.
• 1827 Abraham de Gruchy starts trading with Gaspé.
• 1829 Philippe Robin wrote of W. Fruing that "his valuable presence" was replaced by "my nephew John Gosset".
• 1830 Recorded that "a Jersey company Les Fandouines was formed which would dominate the fishing industry at Shippagan for a long time". W. Fruing signed a petition.
• 1830 Firm of John Le Boutillier founded at Gaspé Town, with fisheries along the north coast of Gaspé. This firm and that of his cousins, David and Amy Le Boutillier, became prior to 1873, Jersey`s third largest combined shipping concern, behind only that of the Robins and Nicolles. John Le Boutillier became insolvent in 1873, following Jersey`s bank crashes in that year. His firm was taken over by cousins, Le Boutillier Brothers.
• 1830 William Fruing (Robin's orphan protege) chief agent for Robin at Paspebiac.
• 1831 Firm of Philip Le Vesconte founded. Closed in 1863 [John Jean].
• 1832 Firm of William Fruing and Co formed, in the fisheries, at Miscou. A brother-in-law Capt. Joshua Alexandre was manager at Caraquet.
• 1834 Firm of R. and E. Falle founded at Burin, Newfoundland, in the fisheries, based upon Jersey Shipping lists. However, J. Jean has 1826 and G.R. Balleine 1832.
• 1835 William Fruing, son of William, bought 36, La Colomberie, St. Helier.
• 1836 Janvrins owned three branches, plus Grande Greve.
• 1836 Abraham de Gruchy at Point Saint-Pierre, Gaspé, with "large fishing establishment", sold in 1854 to John Fauvel, a former Robin mamager; and fishing posts in Malbaie and Newfoundland.
• 1837 1,200 vessels used the port of St Helier to carry the trade of the Island.
• 1838 David Le Boutillier founded, with his brother Capt. Amy Le Boutillier, Le Boutillier Brothers. Jersey almanacs` description of this firm as "Le Boutillier and Company" between the years 1847 and 1860, has resulted in its being confused frequently, even by the maritime historian, John Jean, with "J. Le Boutillier", above. This firm, which had numerous fishing `posts,` took over, in 1873, the John Le Boutillier firm but became bankrupt, following Jersey`s 1886 bank crashes.
• 1840 The heirs of John, Francis and Brelade Janvrin withdraw from the cod trade.
• 1841 1,541 ships, tonnage 95,200 arrived laden. The total movement was 2,582 ships with a tonnage of 192,997. Trade was with Newfoundland, Gulf of St Lawrence, Honduras and London.
• 1842 The Robin monopoly finally ended with the death of Philippe in Berne and the reluctance of his two brothers to reside in Gaspé.
• 1843 Thomas Renouf went to Newfoundland as a Nicolle employee. In 1851 he was a Nicolle agent and manager, and was also a Justice of the Peace. In 1854, he founded his own firm.
• 1849 James Alexander, or Alexandre, starts a fishery at Point Saint-Pierre, Gaspé, taking as partner, 1857-1867, John Le Gresley. This firm was afterwards Alexandre and [Charles] Le Marquand: Doug Ford, Chasing the Cod, 15.
• 1850 William Fruing, a man of great ambition left `Les Robins` and was taken on by Janvrin, married the only daughter and founded his own business from the Janvrin base.
• 1851 Firm of J. and E. Collas founded at Point Saint-Pierre, Gaspé, by purchase from John Perrée, whose agents they had been.
• 1853 Firm of J.P. Tocque founded, which ultimately took over William Fruing and Company
• 1854 Firm of John Fauvel, a former Robin manager, founded, on purchasing Abraham de Gruchy`s fishery at Point Saint-Pierre, Gaspe. The maritime historian, John Jean, has this firm listed until 1872. It was perhaps a victim of Jersey`s 1873 bank crashes.
• 1857 Death of Philippe Fruing.
• 1858 Capt. John Clement buys into Thomas Renouf`s firm, founding Renouf, Clement and Company
• 1863 De Gruchy, Renouf, Clement and Company founded, merging Abraham de Gruchy`s fisheries on the west coast of Newfoundland, with Renouf, Clement and Company of La Poile. Posts were in Gaspé and the south and west coasts of Newfoundland. After 1873, this was Jersey`s leading Newfoundland firm, with a fleet in 1874 of twenty-two ships.
• 1863 Cantell and Company founded, in the Newfoundland trade. This firm consistently owned five or six `Banks schooners` and cutters.
• 1867 Firm of Nicolle, de Quetteville and Company founded. The partners were Joshua Mauger Nicolle, former managing owner of Nicolle and Company, that had experienced substantial losses during the American Civil War, and his nephew, Clement Augustus de Quetteville. They traded with Newfoundland, where some Nicolle assets had been retained.
• 1873 Jersey bank crashes, occasioned by an international trade depression. Bankruptcy of John Le Boutillier, David de Quetteville and Company, Nicolle, de Quetteville and Company and William Fruing and Company. The former taken over by Le Boutillier Brothers, and the latter by others.
• 1880 Frederick Janvrin retired to near Bath, and sold to Fruing and Co to J Perree and others.
• 1882 Charles Robin and Company, Jersey`s leading Gaspé firm, reaches optimum expansion with numerous posts, interests, and a fleet of 33 ships.
• 1886 Jersey bank crashes caused by another, this time more severe, international trade depression. Bankruptcy of Messrs. Le Boutillier Brothers and Charles Robin and Company.
• 1886-1916 End of monopoly by Jersey-named partnerships on the Gaspé Coast.
• 1889 Charles Robin and Co amalgamated with Messrs. J and E Collas to form Charles Robin, Collas and Company
• 1895 Former firm of Le Boutillier? bought by Fruing (late Janvrin) including five branches.

Robin and Company's Sea Flower

20th century

• 1906 Fruing (Janvrin) sold out to Jacques Alexandre.
• 1914 Robin and Collas sold out to Robin, Jones and Whitman with HQ in Halifax, being no longer a Jersey company.
• 1916 Jacques Alexandre, bankrupt, sold to Hyman Robin and Millen. 1917 W Fruing and Co properties sold.
• 1916-1977 Jersey-based Charles Robin, Collas and Company survived by transforming into a Canadian company, Robin, Jones and Whitman Ltd. of Halifax, Nova Scotia.
• 1950s Clement and Company becomes the last Jersey company trading in Newfoundland cod.

It would appear that the first fisheries were established in Labrador, later Newfoundland and then moved to Gaspé in 1765, though at least one firm , de Gruchy, Renouf and Clement continued to trade in Newfoundland shipping animal skins to London, but Fruing continued in Labrador and Gaspé, as shown.

It is documented in St John's Newfoundland, that Robin Pipon was reputedly the first Jersey settler in the Bay des Chaleurs.

Notes and references

1. ↑ Please note that although the correct spelling of the word is Gaspé, using the accented character can make life very difficult for users (the vast majority) whose keyboards do not include this character and who use the site's search engine. The use of one example without the accent within the text of this article will help them with their searches - Editor