Welcome to the Town of Lumsden

On the east coast of Newfoundland, just 123 km from Gander, along the Kittiwake Coast, you will find a small town called ALumsden@, known for its raging seas and miles of beautiful sandy beaches. The Town of Lumsden was Incorpoarated in April 16, 1968. Lumsden has its own elected town council, consisting of a mayor, six councillors, a town clerk/manager, part time town clerk, a maintenance man and a part time maintenance to help with the smooth running of the town.

Lumsden has always been associated with the fishery and, today, still thrives on the ocean=s marine life. Every year crab, shrimp, lobster, lump and caplin are harvested. Lumsden is also a town full of tourism potential. It has three beautiful beaches that offers a perfect place to swim, sunbathe, play volleyball or relax.

In the Lumsden area, there are great ponds for trouting in the summer and ice-fishing in the winter. For those who love the sport, there are four salmon rivers that are just minutes away. There are opportunities for hunting big or small game, as well. Throughout the spring and early summer, Lumsden is a great place for sighting icebergs. If you wish to take a closer view of these icebergs, there are local fishermen who would take you out in their boats. Berry-picking is also available, in season, or you may wish to just Abuy a gallon or two@ instead. Other attractions in the area AThe Crows= Gulch@, a granite mine, Queen=s Head, northern and southern islands, and the kind and friendly people of Lumsden.

Community Profile

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Population
In 2001 the population of Lumsden was 622.

Municipal Services
~   Water and Sewer
~   Garbage collection on weekly bases
~   Fire Protection Services - Lumsden Volunteer Fire Department
~   Snow clearing
~   Street lighting
~   Street Maintenance

Churches
~    Wesley United Church
~    Kingdom Hall of Jehovah Witness

Health Care
~    Brookfield Hospital (Brookfield)
~    Bonnews Lodge (Valleyfield)
~    Otterbury Manor (Wesleyville)

Other Services

~   Windmill Bight Park, fresh and salt water beaches, camps sites, some electrical hook ups.

~   Post Office

~   RCMP (Pound Cove)

~   Lumsden School Complex (K to 12) Students are bussed in from two outside communities, Cape Freels and Deadman=s Bay, to attend Lumsden School Complex, it has good academic programs as well as many extra-curricular activities.

~   Softball field, playground, basketball court, tennis
                                             court, part owner of Beothic Arena (Pound Cove)
~   Telephone, Internet, Cable TV, Cellular Phone
                                             service.
~   Gander Beacon (local paper weekly delivery service)

Local Businesses

~    Advantec Cleaners
~    Barbour's Bed & Breakfast/Cabins
~    Beothic Fish Processors
~    Butt's Store (grocery)
~    Chester Fried Chicken
~    C. Robbins Red & White Store (grocery)
~    Deborah Goodyear (Newfoundland Insurance)
~    Goodyear's Carpentry
~    Goodyear's Trucking
~    Goodyear's Variety (grocery)
~    Guys & Gals Hair Design
~    Morison's Lounge
~    Rich's Enterprises (Ultramar)
~    Robbins' Trucking
~    Wanda's Beauty Salon
~    Woodcrafters (wood craft shop)

Groups and Organizations

~    United Church Women (UCW)
~    Explores (United Church group for girls from Grade Four

to Grade Six)

~    Canadian Girls in Training (CGIT)
~    Eagles Nest Youth Center
~    Merry Meeting Senior Citizens

~    Tadpoles (Church group for Kindergarten to Grade Three)

From Cat Harbour to Lumsden

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Lumsden was originally named Cat Harbour, until the arrival of the Rev. James Lumsden, a minister (clergy) of the Newtown-Lumsden Pastoral Charge.  When this minister left the area, in 1885, the citizens decided to rename their community "Lumsden", in his honour.

For years, the people there lived in two separate areas:  Lumsden South and Lumsden North.  Around 1956-57, the people of Lumsden South started to resettle further inland and, in 1967, the people of Lumsden North also joined resettlement.

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Lumsden Had Its Very Own Pirate

The Legend of Billy Murne

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In the mid 1880's, it is said that Lumsden (then known as

Cat Harbour) had a pirate settle on our very own beach.
Where he came from or how he got here no one knows

for sure.

Stories have been told that he escaped from a pirate ship,
stealing gold from his fellow pirates and somehow made
his way to Cat Harbour.  He settled midway between
Lumsden North and Lumsden South by a huge rock.  For
Many years the burnt side of this rock gave evidence of
Billy Murne's fireplace, even though only few has said to
         have seen this rock.

People say that a young girl by the name of Helen gray
took care of Billy Murne, probably hoping for some
financial reward before he died.  On one occasion, when
Billy was trying to recuperate from an evening of heavy
drinking he call Helen to his bedside.  "Helen", he
murmured, "Can you keep a secret?"  "Yes, Mr. Murne,"
replied Helen, beaming with excitement, hoping that he
         would tell her his hiding place for all of his gold.  But,
         turning his head to one side, said: "And, so can I".

No one really knows what happened to Billy Murne.  He
either died on the beaches of Lumsden or in the town of
Ladle Cove where people say he later moved after settling
in Cat Harbour.  But it has been told that his treasure is
         buried somewhere in the beaches of Lumsden.

Shipwrecks

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The Atlantic Ocean around the area of Lumsden is known for fierce storms and raging seas.  Years ago it was not unusual for ships to fonder on the rocks in the unprotected harbour, during stormy weather.

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The first recorded wreck at Cat Harbour was the schooner "Unicorn".  The schooner was carrying mail between St. John's, Greenspond, Fogo and Twillingate.  On The fatal voyage the schooner had on board as passengers Mr. Knight, Member of the House of Assembly for Twillingate and Sergeant Chancey of the St. John's Police Force.

The Unicorn left St. John's on Wednesday, October 5, 1859.  The next day, because of a gale, was forced to seek shelter in Cat Harbour.  That night the wind changed suddenly so the Unicorn was hurled upon the breakers and foundered.  Sergeant Chancey and the Captain's son were drowned.

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On the night of September 15, 1891 the Amazon (James Noble, from Fair Islands, Bonavista Bay) anchored between Inner Cat Island and Cat Harbour Point (Lumsden North and Lumsden South) the vessel began to drag, so the crew decided to abandon ship.  Skipper Noble put his crew in two boats.  Him and two other men would make the landing in the dark and then place a light to guide the other men in.  When the men saw the light they sailed for the light.  When the men landed safely there was neither boat nor neither light on the stage where they landed.

That night Susanna Goodyear was in labour.  The light that the men had seen was her husband, Esau, with his lamp lit to go for the mid-wife.

Later that day, the body of Skipper Noble was found on the beach.  Not far from where the second crew landed.  While his coffin was being built his body was laid out in Esau Goodyear's stage.  While preparing his body for burial a pipe full of tobacco fell from the Skippers pocket.  One of the men who were building the casket wanted a smoke and remembered the pipe.  Two other men followed behind him and crept under the stage.  When the man reached for the pipe the other men pretending to be the spirit of the Skipper said "Don't you touch that pipe!"  Uncle William replied, "Dat's alright Skipper, I only wants the baccy, I'll bring the pipe right back."

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One of the greatest storms talked about in Lumsden is the boisterous gale that occurred on June 7, 1885.  It is known locally as the seventh of June gale.  Several schooners met their fate on Cat Harbour beaches during that storm:  Corkum, sixty tons;  Lady Winsor, twenty tons;  Julie B., thirty tons;  Coquette, fifty tons;  Gibbons, thirty tons;  and the Lolanthe.  These vessels were on the way to Labrador for a season's fishing and were literally blown upon Cat Harbour sands.

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The most recent wreck talked about in Lumsden was that of the S.S. Tackery on December 27, 1946.

The Tackery was bound for Botwood.  Just after passing Cat Harbour Island she was caught in a gale and drifted ashore on the Queen's Head.  All of the crew was safely landed.  The ship did not suffer much during the winter, and on the first high tide of the spring she was re-floated and towed to St. John's for repairs.

Many say that was a memorable Christmas in Lumsden.  The population was boosted by thirty odd men, who brought from the vessel two hundred and fifty bottles of rum and whisky.

click here to visit the Lumsden Festival Webpage