Calvert, Newfoundland and Labrador
Encyclopedia
Calvert is an unincorporated Canadian
settlement in the Ferryland
District of Newfoundland and Labrador
, on the Irish loop, 72 kilometres south of the provincial capital St. John's
. It is 7 kilometres south of Cape Broyle
, and 3 kilometres north of Ferryland. The population in 2001 was 355, a decline of 17% since 1996.
that were fished by early settlers there. As several other Newfoundland communities had similar names (Capelin Cove, etc.), and in light of the necessities of the postal service, the Newfoundland Nomenclature Board, in the early 20th century, made efforts to reduce duplication of place names. It responded favourably to a petition collected by the parish priest of Ferryland, Father Alfred Maher, in 1922, to change the name of the settlement in honour of Sir George Calvert, First Baron Baltimore
, and founder, in the early seventeenth century, of the Colony of Avalon at what is now nearby Ferryland.
Loyola Sullivan
, the former provincial Minister of Finance and Member of the House of Assembly for Ferryland District, and current Canadian Ambassador for Fisheries Conservation, is from Calvert.
A history of the town was written by Gerald Pocius, in a book titled "A Place to Belong: Community Order and Everyday Space in Calvert, Newfoundland".
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
settlement in the Ferryland
Ferryland, Newfoundland and Labrador
Ferryland is a town in Newfoundland and Labrador on the Avalon Peninsula. According to the 2006 Statistics Canada census, its population is 529. Addresses in Ferryland use the alphanumerically lowest postal codes in Canada, starting with A0A....
District of Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
, on the Irish loop, 72 kilometres south of the provincial capital St. John's
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
St. John's is the capital and largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador, and is the oldest English-founded city in North America. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. With a population of 192,326 as of July 1, 2010, the St...
. It is 7 kilometres south of Cape Broyle
Cape Broyle, Newfoundland and Labrador
The Town of Cape Broyle is an incorporated community located on the Avalon Peninsula in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. During King William's War, the village was destroyed in the Avalon Peninsula Campaign....
, and 3 kilometres north of Ferryland. The population in 2001 was 355, a decline of 17% since 1996.
Origin of name
Prior to January 30, 1922, Calvert was known as Caplin Bay, sometimes spelled Capelin Bay, said to be named for the large number of capelinCapelin
The capelin or caplin, Mallotus villosus, is a small forage fish of the smelt family found in the Atlantic and Arctic oceans. In summer, it grazes on dense swarms of plankton at the edge of the ice shelf. Larger capelin also eat a great deal of krill and other crustaceans...
that were fished by early settlers there. As several other Newfoundland communities had similar names (Capelin Cove, etc.), and in light of the necessities of the postal service, the Newfoundland Nomenclature Board, in the early 20th century, made efforts to reduce duplication of place names. It responded favourably to a petition collected by the parish priest of Ferryland, Father Alfred Maher, in 1922, to change the name of the settlement in honour of Sir George Calvert, First Baron Baltimore
George Calvert, 1st Baron Baltimore
Sir George Calvert, 1st Baron Baltimore, 8th Proprietary Governor of Newfoundland was an English politician and colonizer. He achieved domestic political success as a Member of Parliament and later Secretary of State under King James I...
, and founder, in the early seventeenth century, of the Colony of Avalon at what is now nearby Ferryland.
History
Settlers were recorded at Cap(e)lin Bay, what is now Calvert, as early as the 1670s.Loyola Sullivan
Loyola Sullivan
Loyola Sullivan served as Canada's Ambassador for Fisheries Conservation from 2007 until 2011 and is a former Member of the House of Assembly in Newfoundland and Labrador. Sullivan represented the district of Ferryland from 1992 till 2006.Sullivan was Leader of the Official Opposition between 1996...
, the former provincial Minister of Finance and Member of the House of Assembly for Ferryland District, and current Canadian Ambassador for Fisheries Conservation, is from Calvert.
A history of the town was written by Gerald Pocius, in a book titled "A Place to Belong: Community Order and Everyday Space in Calvert, Newfoundland".
External links
- Google Maps satellite image of Calvert Bay
- Demographic, Economic, and Social profile of Calvert from the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador
- Family Names of Calvert (Caplin Bay), Newfoundland
- Genealogical information on Ferryland District (including Calvert) from Newfoundland's Grand Banks
- Folksongs of Calvert collected by MacEdward Leach
- Photo of Calvert, 1933