#29 - Labrador's Fish Cove "Rocks (Study): the "Tub" in distance" - stereoview from ebay listing.

 
 

#30 - Labrador's Fish Cove "Rocks (Study)"- stereoview from ebay listing.

 
 

#34 - Labrador's Rigolette "View from Flag-Staff"- notice one of the kids sitting on a small canon. Stereoview from ebay listing.

 
 

Labrador fishing village - stereoview from ebay listing.

 
 

Drying fishing nets - stereoview from ebay listing.

 
 

Glacial planed rocks north coast of Labrador near Hopedale - from ebay listing.

 
 

Typical Labrador sod house - Parsons Collection

 
 

Spreading cod fish to dry in Battle Harbor, Labrador - Parsons Collection

Labrador Moravian Missions & Inuit Stereoview Photos

In 1771 the first Moravian Mission station was founded at Nain, which remained the headquarters for the Labrador Mission until after World War II. Moravian missionaries were the first Europeans to settle in Labrador and over a 133-year period, they established a series of eight missions along the coast which became the focus of religious, social and economic activities for the Inuit who gradually came to settle near the communities. Other Mission stations were founded at Okak in 1776 and at Hopedale in 1782, to the north and south of Nain respectively.

Ironically, for the Inuit who had been living off the land and sea for centuries without any European help, they are converted to Christians, educated, told to live in shacks and given the "necessaries of life" in exchange for cod, furs and oil - for which the church profitted enormously during hundreds of ship visits to and from Labrador through the decades.

According to the text in a 1877 missionary map: "A system of barter with the natives is employed in order to ward off, as far as possible, the evil influence of unscrupulous traders, and to maintain the Mission; two vessels visit the Stations year by year, bringing with them the necessaries of life, and carrying away valuable cargoes of fish, oil, and fur. The profits in this trade are entirely devoted to the maintenance of the Mission, the brethren employed in the stores at the Stations regarding their work in this department as indirect Missionary service. The Moravian Missionary Ship has under God’s blessing, been permitted to complete the 108th voyage to Labrador in successive years. The present barque "Harmony," is the eighth vessel which has been employed in this service. "

About 1888 drift ice surrounds the ship at Nain, Labrador at the Moravian mission. From Memorial University of Newfoundland

Captain of the mission ship "Gleaner" on the after-deck at the wheel between 1884 and 1902. From Memorial University of Newfoundland

Men standing on the rope covered deck of the mission ship "Gleaner". From Memorial University of Newfoundland

1904 - Captain Roberts of the "Gleaner," Captain Jackson of the "Harmony," Berthold Lenz, Paul Hettasch, Ingeborg Lenz, and Ellen Hettasch. From Memorial University of Newfoundland

The wooden wharf reaches out into the sea at Nain with a small dory on beached on shore. The docked ship, "Meta" leans akwardly in the shallow water with a partially snow covered Paul Island in the background. From Memorial University of Newfoundland

Two sailboats near the Morvian mission at Hopedale. Manasse and Philippus can be seen in the first boat with the sail up, while Paulus and Robert are in the second boat with the sail down. From Memorial University of Newfoundland

The mission ship "Harmony" floats in the the distance at Hopedale harbor as men and women are load fish onto a boat. From Memorial University of Newfoundland

Theodor Bourquin and an Inuit man and woman with a sled full of wood near Nain. From Memorial University of Newfoundland

Inuit Eskimo dogs gathered outside a house in Hopedale. From Memorial University of Newfoundland

Conception Bay, Newfoundland Stereoview Photos

A professional photographer, likely working for the United Methodist Church took photos in the small communities within what is now referred to as Conception Bay North, like Western Bay, Tackers Cove and Small Point-Adam’s Cove-Blackhead-Broad Cove. However, there is at least one view of Freshwater, Carbonear and of St. Johns.

At the time the photos were made, Methodist Reverend, Charles Lench, Superintendent of Western Bay Circuit, pictured in many of the stereoview images was traveling with the group. The 31 photos taken about 1910, are well over 100 years old and are now part of the public domain.

Stereoview photography was rare and expensive in Newfoundland at the time. It was likely Frederick Stevenson, once an employee of the Underwood and Underwood stereoview company until 1902 and now United Methodist Church Secretary overseeing foreign youth missions was documenting the works of the church among life in small Newfoundland outport villages. This included the missionary travels of Reverend, Charles Lench who was also writing his book titled "The History and Rise and progress of Methodism on the Western Bay Circuit…" published in 1912.

Watch the first story about the stereoviews on October 15, 2024 CBC article and video.

Be sure to see the January 11, 2025 CBC follow up story and videos showing all the stereoviews from the collection and also pictured below.

Conception Bay fisherman loading cod onto stage from boats.

 
 

Conception Bay fisherman loading cod onto stage from boats.

 
 

Conception Bay - young fisherman showing a large cod with Methodist Reverend, Charles Lench, Superintendent of Western Bay Circuit, who is pictured in other stereoview images.

 
 

Methodist Reverend, Charles Lench, Superintendent of Western Bay Circuit was writing his book on the history of Methodism as the photos were taken from St. Johns to Western Bay.

 
 

Conception Bay fisherman loading cod onto wheel barrow from stage.

 
 

Conception Bay boys holding large cod specimen.

 
 

Conception Bay fisherman with capelin fishing equipment.

 
 

Conception Bay fisherman with capelin carrying equipment.

 
 

Fred Thistle, a Conception Bay fisherman laying down capelin on brine soaked pine bough drying racks. The back of the stereoview housed by the similar Memorial University of Newfoundland collection was captioned.

 
 

Mr. Lebron from Broad Cove, throws a cast net for capelin. A Conception Bay fisherman with weighted fishing net, likely in Blackhead Cove.

 
 

A young man and Mr. Lebron, both Conception Bay fisherman with capelin and weighted fishing net likely in Blackhead Cove.

 
 

Conception Bay fisherman boats.

 
 

Conception Bay - fishing boats with a steamer anchored in the distance.

 
 

Western Bay church and town with Methodist Reverend Charles Lench.

 
 

Church in Western Bay.

 
 

Western Bay church kids in the pews.

 
 

Western Bay carriage drivers with same church in the background.

 
 

Western Bay Nathaniel and Emily Follett home with Methodist Reverend Charles Lench.

 
 

Western Bay Follett family home and yard with two women standing in front of the biscuit box house, one being Sarah Ann Whalen, a Follett ancestor.

 
 

Emily and Nathaniel Follett in a studio photos and in the front yard feeding the chickens with similar house or later addition - same white picket fence in front.

 
 

Conception Bay goats graze.

 
 

New church construction in Broad Cove which would burn down in 1937.

 
 

Broad Cove with homes, roads and and crops, taken likely from the top of the church.

 
 

Conception Bay - fisherman in their fishing punt floating next to a schooner.

 
 

Row of anchored ships, likely in St. Johns.

 
 

Fleet of fishing schooners.

 
 

Conception Bay - fishing boats with a spidery stage hanging off the rocks.

 
 

Conception Bay - Flatrock? More precariously hanging stages nestled among the rocks.

 
 

Conception Bay - In the fishing boat with the wharf in the background.

 
 

Conception Bay - Horse driven carriage travels away from the coast.

 
 

Conception Bay - Horse driven carriage travels away from the coast.

 
 

Looking over Freshwater Bay of Freshwater, Carbonear, Conception Bay.

 
 

Looking over Freshwater Bay of Freshwater, Carbonear, Conception Bay - One of the few, if only stereoviews of Freshwater. The photographer or likely the wind shook the camera on the tripod and the image is a bit blurred.

St. Johns Stereoview Photos
 
 

From the wharves with barrels of cod liver or seal oil on the west side of St. John's Harbor.

 
 

St. John's Harbor cod fish drying stages - Parsons Collection

 
 

St. John's Harbor boats at the docks with the city in the distance - Parsons Collection

 
 

St. John's narrows with grazing goats and the lighthouse in the distance - ebay listing.

 
 

With a newspaper in hand, a St. John's resident walks the dirt street with the bay and boats in the background. - ebay listing.

 
 

St. John's town and harbor - ebay listing.

 
 

St. John's town and harbor - stereoview photo from the Library of Congress

 
 

Quidi Vidi Lake - stereoview photo from the Library of Congress

 
 

Quidi Vidi Harbor - stereoview photo from the Library of Congress

 
 

St. John's fishing village and boats, likely Quidi Vidi - Parsons Collection.

Looking over the roof tops beyond the church, fish dries on spidery stages and flakes with small fishing boats lined along the water in an interesting view of the fishing village of Quidi Vidi - Parsons Collection.

See More Features and Travel
Destinations in the Gallery