The town of Little Bay is planning a memorial plaque to honour those who lost their lives working Little Bay Mines. I’ve been asked to find the men killed there in the 19th century. I have two deaths that are proving difficult to name. I’m missing the first name for a Mr. Young from Bay Roberts and a man from Little Bay Islands has no name at all. I’ve had no luck matching their DODs to burial records or headstones (thanks go to Doyle Wells and The Rooms for helping!). My latest idea is finding the journals of Little Bay’s first minister Rev. Gunn so I tracked him to a church in New Brunswick where an archivist is checking the vaults for them. He could have noted Young’s death but it’s a long shot. I’m fresh out of ideas for the other gentleman. I’m hoping someone reading has superior research tactics or spots an ancestor listed below. I’ve included what few details I have on these men to help any genealogists reading.

Mr. Young – June 10th 1879

During his Tuesday shift Mr. Young was tasked with watching the cars as they transported ore. One of the loaded cars ran off of its track and collided with an empty one. The accident caused Mr. Young’s death. He had come to work Little Bay mines from his home in Bay Roberts. His wife and their three children were left to mourn. I’ve put together the references I have to this family name in Little Bay with the hope that it could aid in locating this man’s first name. You can find those – here.

William Madigan – August 20th 1880

Few details are reported on William Madigan’s death. I only know that he was killed underground in an accident on a Friday. Details found on a MyHeritage page put his age at 22 and his hometown as St. John’s where he was buried.

John Appleton – September 2nd 1880

John Appleton’s death was a result of falling. He fell down one of the mine shafts – a distance of one hundred and sixty feet. Death was instantaneous.

William Williams – November 19th 1880

William Williams also died by falling down a shaft. He had come from Trinity and was roughly thirty years old. His body was brought to St. John’s on the S.S. Hercules the following week.

Unnamed man from Little Bay Islands – August 13th 1881

The unknown man from Little Bay Island’s death is reported in some detail despite the lack of name. He started a car descending without realizing that the brakeman had gone to dinner. The descending car accelerated causing another car to ascend at the same speed. He saw his mistake and tried to jump out of the way but tripped on the line wire and was crushed. He left a wife and several children.

Luke Madden – February 29th 1884

Luke Madden died because material fell on him. On a level above William Conway was working when his tram tipped over spilling its contents. The rocks rained down on several men working below. Luke Madden’s leg was broken in the incident which occurred around 10pm. The doctor was called for but failed to save him. He died in his home at 1am. Luke had come from Petty Harbour with his brother John. John Madden blamed his brother’s death on the foreman William Foran. Sergeant Wells investigated but did not find Mr. Foran to be at fault.

Joseph Goudie – February 19th 1886

Joseph Goudie is the only person listed here who was not killed in the mine itself. He worked above ground at the smelter. He was digging ore out of a burning heap in the morning of his Thursday shift when a large piece fell on him. It burned his lower body badly. The doctor operated on him but Mr. Goudie could not be saved. He died on Friday at 1:30pm. His funeral was held on Sunday the 21st. The procession walked over the ice from Loading Wharf to St. Andrew’s church in the Bight. Mr. Lind officiated. A MyHeritage account puts his age at 33 and his home in Labrador.

William Gorman – September 20th 1886

William Gorman was working underground on Friday when he was struck by a hammer. The tool had fallen from a tub one hundred feet above. He survived until Friday after being insensible for a period of seventy two hours. He had come to Little Bay from Harbour Main.

Peter Sinnott – October 10th 1887

Peter Sinnott was working on a ladder on Monday morning when the surface beneath gave way causing him to fall a distance of six hundred feet down a shaft. His body was carried home on a stretcher by his coworkers. He was married with three small children. Father O’Flynn buried him that Wednesday. He had come from Placentia and was 37 years old.

Nicolas J. Cantwell – December 10th 1890

Nicolas Cantwell was leaving work at the end of the shift. He was the last man to ascend the ladder to the surface. When he got to the top he fell back down into the mine and died. I believe there is enough evidence to suggest this was a suicide as I’ve outlined in my piece on this family.

James Fahey – November 9th 1891

James Fahey was the son of Johanna and Maurice Fahey. He had come to Little Bay from Western Bay. He died by falling into the mine at the age of 32. He left a wife and three children. The family was Catholic and two of them shared the first initial of M.

George Moores – August 24th 1893

George Moores died in a mining accident at the age of 41. He had worked there as a miner since at least 1886 but the family name was present as early as 1879 suggesting a longer career in mining. George was the son of Elinal and Mary Moores and had come to Little Bay from Twillingate. His wife Maria was left to mourn. The family were Methodists.

John Joseph Swain – February 27 1894

John Swain was killed on either February 27th or 28th 1894. He was a 35 year old smelter worker. This may mean he didn’t die underground but as his death is called a “mining accident” it remains unclear. I have no further details on his death. He was from Caplin Bay and the only son of Robert Swain. Left to mourn were his wife Mary (McLean) Swain and their three children Catherine, James, and Mary. They were Catholics.

I have likely found most of the men killed in the mine during this period but I have no way to know if this list is exhaustive. If you are familiar with another life lost that I’ve missed please reach out and let me know. As always I’m on the hunt for original sources from 19th century Little Bay and would also love to find pictures of the men being remembered here. Thanks to everyone who has helped and thanks for reading.

Sources:

• Mr. Young (Carboneer Herald, June 17th 1879)
• William Madigan (Evening Telegraph, Aug 27th 1880)
• John Appleton (Twillingate Sun, Sept 9th 1880)
• William Williams (Evening Telegraph, Dec 1st and Dec 10th 1880)
• Unnamed LBI (Twillingate Sun, Aug 18th 1880)
• Luke Madden (“All Quiet” Diary of Sergeant Wells)
• Joseph Goudie (Diary of Sergeant Wells)
• William Gorman (Daily Colonist, Sept 20th 1886)
• Peter Sinnott (Evening Telegraph Oct 11, Harbour Grace Standard Oct 15, Twillingate Sun, Oct 22th 1887)
• Nicolas J. Cantwell (Altoona Mirror, Dec 15th 1890)
• James Fahey (Evening Telegraph, Dec 18th 1891)
• George Moores (Vital Records Death Register)
• John Swain (Vital Records Death Register, St. John’s Weekly News, Evening Telegraph)