Forgotten labrador

From Lower North Shore

The Forgotten Labrador

This book is definitely a must read for anyone from the Lower North Shore, or anyone interested in the history of the area. Cleophas (Bob) Belvin did a great job of digging up historical information that had been long forgotten. It was interesting to find out how this remote region has been impacted by many of the major historical events since the arrival of Jacques Cartier. Until I read the book, I did not know that the war of 1812, and the Rupert's land decision had such a big impact on the coast. It was also interesting to find out how wealthy some of the original settlers had become from their fishing camps along the coast.

Publisher's Description

The Forgotten Labrador recounts the history of a remarkable area of Canada - the Quebec part of the Labrador coast that extends eastward from Kegashka to Blanc Sablon.

Cleophas Belvin describes the arrival of the Aboriginals and the activities of the Breton and Basque fishermen and French-and English-speaking merchants from Quebec City who controlled the region for more than one hundred and fifty years. He paints a vivid picture of the lifestyle and living conditions of the early French- and English-speaking pioneers and their descendants, offering an analysis of why they settled in the region and how they dealt with the precariousness of the seal, salmon, and cod fisheries. The Forgotten Labrador also explores the role of the Anglican and Catholic missionaries, the establishment of educational, medical, transportation, and communication services and the various government and local initiatives that were undertaken to provide the people with some form of economic prosperity.

Cleophas Belvin, a former teacher, archivist, and historical researcher, is a writer and editor with the Department of National Defence.