Lady Pond is a historic mine site located near the town of Little Bay, Newfoundland. The copper deposit was discovered in 1880. A more exact date eludes me as I’ve yet to find an original source for the discovery. The year 1880 comes from Martin in “Once Upon a Mine” (1983) and from Hillier at the Newfoundland National Convention (1946-1948). I suspect Martin confirmed it with the Stewart Papers but I’ve been unable to track those beyond the death of Frederick Stewart, their last known owner.

I can tell you that the Lady Pond find was made by a Mr. John Wilson from New Glasgow, Nova Scotia. From the 1923 obituary of Thomas Colbourne we get further context for the event. Wilson and Colbourne were on a prospecting team working for the mining company surveying the area. Wilson was therefore working for the Germans as a prospector which suggests he may have followed them to Newfoundland from Nova Scotia.

I cannot give you many details about John Wilson. My first reference for him comes from December 1880 when he can be found renewing a mining license. What few sources I have placing him in Little Bay are all associated with his ownership of the Lady Pond claim. He is absent from the 1882 elector’s list but I wonder if this is due to the nature of his employment. I know from Rev. Whittier’s correspondence with the Presbytery that Little Bay’s prospecting parties ventured far into the wilderness and could be hard to reach.

John Wilson travelled from Newfoundland to his home in Nova Scotia. Perhaps seeking investors for developing Lady Pond from among his countrymen. He was said to have dedicated most of his life to mining by 1884 which if taken literally suggests an age of at least 40. It also implies he worked mining in Nova Scotia before venturing to The Rock. His perseverance is praised and credited for Lady Pond’s eventual success.

The first media coverage of the Lady Pond mine I’ve found comes from January of 1881. On the 20th the Twillingate Sun reported that a find of 59% was being worked. This claim is repeated by the Evening Telegram on February 1st and by the Harbour Grace Standard on the 12th where it is credited to the Sun. On March 17th the Montreal Daily Witness prints it and on the 23rd of April we find the story in the Standard again but now credited back to the Witness.

Next reporting jumps us ahead to the spring of 1883 with John Wilson returning from Nova Scotia to start working the claim. He sunk two shafts. Another find of copper is discovered on the site that November. Over the next year we see Wilson expanding his operations with ore reported to be between 25 and 30% copper. The main lode connecting Lady Pond’s copper veins is found that September with 75 tonnes ready for shipping. Problems arise the following month as low copper prices impact the operation’s financing and employee wages.

John Wilson appears to be absent after this. His friend James Walsh kept contact and took responsibility for showing the Lady Pond property. By 1890 Lady Pond had been worked by the Little Bay Company for ten years with Wilson still credited as owner. By this time there were several shafts in operation with ore being processed at a mill on site and transported by tramway. In the fall of 1897 the Newfoundland Copper Company took over operations. A thousand tonnes of ore had been shipped from Lady Pond by 1899. 

In 1900 a review of Lady Pond by the Newfoundland Copper Company concluded to disappointing results with only 276 tonnes produced over the previous 18 months. Later that year a Canadian company expressed interest in acquiring the property from John Wilson. The Newfoundland Copper Company was absorbed by Carmen Copper Mines, Ltd. the following year in 1901 and from then onward Lady Pond sat idle. 

There was occasional interest in the property afterward. Lady Pond’s ore was tested by a Boston firm in 1924 and found to be 29.9%. The Lady Pond shafts were again investigated in 1947, this time by Maclean. In 1981 the government starts publicly seeking information regarding Wilson’s ownership but I’d guess nothing was found as the following year the grant for Lady Pond reverted to the Crown. As it had been over 100 years since its discovery it’s a safe bet that John Wilson had long since died.

Thanks for reading! I hope it wasn’t too dry. I muddle through this work without a background in history or geology so feel free to point out errors or suggest  improvements. I’d like to think my cultural approach offers a fresh insight or two. For an example I’ve managed to narrow in on the location of the Notre Dame Mine (which I believe is missing). I’m hoping to get a drone over the area before the snow falls. If it works and I manage to find a lost mine by cross-referencing historical media it’ll make a case for a cool, new prospecting method. I’ll keep you posted.

Sources:

1880 – Discovery of Lady Pond deposit (Martin).

1880, Dec – The renewal of a license held by John Wilson

1881, Feb – Find of rubisite at Lady Pond being worked. It is the richest discovered on the island at 59% (ET, Feb 1, 1881). This is repeated by the Harbour Grace Standard on February 12th where reporting is credited to the Twillingate Sun.

1881, April – The Lady Pond find is being worked. It is said to be the richest copper ore discovered on the island at 59% (HGS, April 23, 1881 as reported in the Montreal Witness).

1883, June – Mr. Wilson arrived from Nova Scotia and sunk two shafts. The shafts were 7 feet in length and 6 feet in width (EM July 29 1884).

1883, Nov – The was a copper find on the famous Lady Pond grant held by Mr. Wilson which the writer says was suppose to be kept secret (ET, Nov 30, 1883).

1884 – Lady Pond mine reports favourably. Yielded ore is at 25% to 30% copper. The deposit is said to be large. J. Wilson of Nova Scotia is said to be Lady Pond’s owner. He is engaged in testing the claim and is so far satisfied with the results. He was expected to push its production and employ a number of men there by the upcoming winter (Engineering and Mining Journal Vol. 38, P.236).

1884 – The road from Lady Pond to its place of shipping is said to rich with timbre making the construction of a tramway an easier undertaking (EM July 29 1884).

1884, June – In the last year Mr. Wilson had expanded the two shafts to 12 feet each. They had produced 80 tons of ore. It is claimed that one piece of pure copper took ten men to hoist (EM July 29 1884).

1884, July – Lady Pond is described as a famous claim. It is owned by J. Wilson of Nova Scotia. Here is it said that this mining license is one of the greatest copper deposits found on the island and that it eclipses Little Bay Mines proper. While Little Bay’s ore is 10% copper, Lady Pond’s is 25% copper and so one ton from Lady Pond is worth 2 1/2 tonnes from Little Bay (EM July 29 1884).

1884, August 30 – Thomas Long, the government surveyor records a conflict between a claim by Monroe with a claim by Wilson & Bent

1884, Sept – J. Wilson of Nova Scotia holds the mining claim for Lady Pond. He has for some years now but has only started developing it this season. The ore is 25% to 30% copper. A new discovery of copper was made there a few days prior. This belt of copper ore is 10 feet wide and is believed to be the main lode connecting all other veins. Wilson is expected to move forward with working the property and a tramway is under construction. 75 tons of ore are already ready for shipping (ET, Sept 13, 1884, in respond to the Halifax Herald).

1884, October – Lady Pond Copper Mine is owned by a Mr. Wilson of Nova Scotia. It is thought to be a large and valuable deposit of copper ore. Here is it referred to as the mine of the future which could surpass Little Bay mine’s capacity. However, the low price of copper is hindering attempts to procure the capital necessary to work the claim. This has also impacted wages (ET, Oct 6, 1884).

1890 – Lady Pond Mine has been worked by the Little Bay Company for the last ten years. It is composed of a dozen small shafts and a mill where ore was crushed and concentrated by jigs on site (Newfoundland National Convention, 1946-1948, P342, Hillier).

1892 – Howley’s geological report sees Lady Pond being worked by the Little Bay Mining Company (Kean, Evans, and Jenner, 1995).

1897, Aug – The Newfoundland Copper Company takes over after being shown Lady Pond by James Walsh (ET, Aug 21, 1897).

1898 – Newfoundland Copper Co. took over Little Bay and Lady Pond mines

1898 – Howley’s geological report sees Lady Pond being worked by the Little Bay Mining Company (Kean, Evans, and Jenner, 1995).

1898, June – The Newfoundland Copper Company Limited started exploring Lady Pond and Sleepy Hollow mines for further development (ET March 1900 as reported by Mining Engineer Roskilley).

1899 – 1000 tons of ore from Lady Pond were transported by road to Little Bay for shipment to Britain (Martin).

1899 – Howley’s geological report sees Lady Pond being worked by the Little Bay Mining Company. There are seven shafts sunk to 35m. Jigging was being done on site. Ore production was not known owing to Lady Pond inclusion with Little Bay Mine’s production data (Kean, Evans, and Jenner, 1995).

1900, Jan – The Newfoundland Copper Company Limited finished their review of Lady Pond after exploring 23,000 feet by sinking seven shafts and opening up levels at different points. The results were disappointing with Lady Pond producing only 276 tons during this 18 month period (ET March 1900 as reported by Mining Engineer Roskilley).

1900, August – Lady Pond’s ore is described as copper pyrite with bornite found in pocket (The Engineering and Mining Journal Aug 11, 1900).

1900, Sept – It is reported that owing to the high price of copper a Canadian company is interested in acquiring Lady Pond if they could take over its titles. John Wilson of New Glasgow, Nova Scotia is its owner. It is thought that they could easily negotiate for it with him (ET, Sept 12, 1900).

1900, October – While Little Bay is now owned by Mathieson & Co. out of England, Lady Pond’s proprietors are Mackay and Wilson of New Glasgow, Nova Scotia (ET, Oct 2, 1900).

1901 – The Newfoundland Copper Co. was absorbed thereby securing the title for Lady Pond. Afterward owned by Carmen Copper Mines, Ltd. but as an idle property (Mines Register).

1924 – Boston firm finds Lady Pond ore at 29.9% (ET, May 15, 1924)

1947 – Lady Pond Mine’s shafts are described (MacLean).

1981, Feb – The Newfoundland Government starts seeking information about Lady Pond’s ownership through local newspapers. Information provided gives John Wilson as the grantee and its area as 640 acres (Western Star, Feb 28, 1981)

1982 – Lady Pond’s Fee Simple Grant (Vol. A, Folio 85) reverted from John Wilson to the Crown (Kean, Evans, and Jenner, 1995).

Mr. Wilson was prospecting with Thomas Colbourne for the Little Bay Mining Company when they discovered the Lady Pond mine. This mine subsequently produced several thousand tons of high grade copper ore (ET May, 10 1923 as reported by Thomas Wells in the obituary of Thomas Colbourne).

Mr. Wilson has been devoted to mining for most of his life. He understands the mining business. He is dedicated to developing this claim. Nova Scotia capitalists are behind this enterprise (ET, Sept 13, 1884).