The Dock

This page presents a continuation of the History of Bareneed 1949-1969 section. It provides a snapshot of “The Dock” (the southwestern part of Bareneed). The area covered and location of houses during the 1950s and 60s is shown in the following map.

I am using the point where the Dock Road, now Otterbury Road on Google maps, joins the main road through Bareneed as the demarcation for the eastern end of the Dock (upper right on previous map). In the 1950s amd 1960s the Bareneed United Church was situated between the two roads just west of where they joined (see photo).

Behind the church was the United Church Cemetery (see below).

A little further west on the opposite (south) side of the road and extending up the side of the Dock Mountain is an older United Church Cemetery.

Continuing west past the Dock Mountain (on the left) and before you reach the next rock outcrops to the west there is a valley with fertile fields sloping towards Bay De Grave which is the core of “The Dock”.

House #1: William Thomas [Tom] French (b. 1876) and his wife Ethel (from Shearstown) owned the first house on the north side of the Dock Road just east of Tom French’s Lane (now called Petten’s Lane). In the 1935 census he was listed as a merchant (no professions given in 1945 census) and this was also the location of his store.  The store was later moved to Bareneed and became Bob Bartlett’s store.  William Thomas was the son of Abraham French (b 1839) and Julia nee Bussey.

House #2: This house was situated on the south side of the Dock Road immediately west of the Dock Mountain. At the start of the 1950s Selina Hampton nee French (b 1886, Coley’s Point) lived here (Selina is listed on 1948 Voters List). My sister can remember this house but in my earliest memory this was an empty field. In the 1935 Census Selina was listed as the wife of Edward Hampton (b. 1881). There is no evidence that Edward and Selina had children. There were two families of Hamptons in the same area of the Dock in 1911 but Edward is not listed in either; however, he was most likely the son of John (b. 1866) who was a widower at that time.

The Hamptons moved to the Dock from Port de Grave before 1897 (see Will below).

Last will and Testament of Robert Hampton of Port de Grave, Blockmaker deceased… I leave to my son Malcolm Hampton my dwelling house and stores and all my tools and all my land in Bareneed road and a garden back of the dwelling house and all my money or whatsoever I holds in my possion as furniture. I leave a strip of land to the Salvation Army not to go any further back to the westard where the grave yard his now for a burying ground this is to certify it is my last will and testament on the eighteenth day of September in the year of our lord 1897.

It is possible that Robert Hampton, being a Blockmaker, moved to the Dock since this area had a history of shipbuilding.

These Hamptons were members of the Salvation Army (see Religion Section). Some members of the Hampton family are buried in an old French Family Cemetery south west of this location.

In the late 1950s fishermen from Port de Grave would dry their nets in a field behind this property (before synthetic nets). This was likely a continuation of an earlier tradition since there was an old Barking Kettle at the bottom of this area.

One last comment related to this property is that I can remember that in the 1950s there was an old iron cannon on this property (possibly the one described below).

Immediately west of this field, just beyond Tom French’s Lane (now called Petten’s Lane) there was an old lane (the original road through the Dock) that runs southwest from the main road towards Bay de Grave.

West of this lane there was at least one property belonging to the Seeley family and several belonging to members of the French family, I am still trying to sort out the order of #3 and #4..

House #3: This property belonged to Abram E. Seeley (b. 1905) son of William and Sarah was listed in the 1935 Census for the Dock . There were no Seeleys listed in the 1945 Census for the Dock; however, an Abram E. “Suley” was listed in the 1948 Voters List along with Laura (his sister) and Margaret L. (his wife). In addition, A.E. Seeley was listed at Bareneed in the 1969 phone book. Abram E. Seeley died 1986 and is buried with Margret L. (1907-1990) in the U.C. Cemetery in the Dock. They had the following children: Marjorie Louise (1946-2002), William and Christine.

House #4: This house belonged to a French family, likely William T (b 1875) and Ethel who were both in 1948 Voters list.

House #5: This property belonged to Walter S. (b 1910) and Minnie French. Walter was the son of Walter Sr (B 1882) and Rosanna.

House #6: This house belonged to Selina Batten (born Clarke’s Beach 1879) and her son Rev Harris (see below).  Selina was the widow of William Batten(b. 1863 died before 1935). There other children were John, Bertram and Ida.

House #7: This house was situated immediately east of another laneway that ran south towards the water and joined the old east west road that ran along the waterfront. In the 1950s this was the retirement home of Canon J.T. Richards who died in 1958 and is buried next to St Marke’s Church, Bareneed.  Before this the house belonged to James S. Batten (b. 1872) and his wife Mary P.

At this point we return east to just north of house #3 and do the north side of the Dock Road.

House #8: This was the property of Lemuel (1903-1979) and  Rebecca Batten.  Lemuel was the son of Isaac (b 1869) and  Jessie (nee Snow born Clarke’s Beach).  Their children were:   Wilfred, William, Ralph and Muriel. Maxwell R.W. Batten was Lemuel Batten’s brother.

House #9: This was the property of George Batten (b 1914) and his wife Ella nee Dawe.. They had a son Rupert who lived in house after his fathers death and daughter Glenys. George was the son of Abraham (b 1879) and Elizabeth. Abraham was the son of  Moses (b 1854) and Priscilla. Some more information on this family comes from a letter Rupert wrote to another Batten in 1999.

House #10: This was the property of Jesse Richards (b 1882 in Shearstown) and Bertha (born Coley’s Point) and their sons Gerald and Perrin. Perrin provided a taxi service in the 1950s. Jess was the son of  George Henry Richards and Elizabeth Ann Newell. Elizabeth Ann was the daughter of Richard Newell (b 1816) and Wilmot Dawe. This property was originally part of the land owned by James Newell son of Philip (see Plantation Book).

House #11: This house was built in 1912 and was listed as an Heritage Property (see photo). In the 1950s it was the home of Naomi Richards 2nd wife of Abram Richards (b 1863). The Richards family occupied the house until the death of Abram’s second wife, Naomi Richards, in 1963. It was the birthplace of Isaac Allan Richards, their youngest child who was Registrar of Deeds for Newfoundland in the 1950s and 1960s. Naomi Richards had been the sole occupant of the house for approx. 30 years. The house was sold in 1964 

House #12: In 1950s this was the house of John (1880-1960) and Jessie Newell, house later owned by John’s son Varick (1932-2019). Their other children were: Ruby, Evelyn, Florry, Ellen, Wilmot and Lorne. John’s parents were Henry (b 1839) and Susanna.  This house was built around 1900 when the existing Dock Road (now called Otterbury Road) was built and people moved up from the old road along the waterfront.

House # 13: In 1950s Vera Newell (b 1914) daughter Abram (b 1880) and Mary J Newell.  In the 1930s Vera was a School Teacher possibly on Bell Island . In 1955 she married Leaman Richards.

House # 14: This was the house of Walter (1913-1983) and Ada Batten. Nathaniel Newell (b 1869) sold this land to Walter Batten after 1935.

The road in front of Walter Batten’s house (previous photo) descends into a small valley. At the bottom of the valley a laneway (old road) runs south to the water.

House #15: This property originally belonged to Nathan (1869-1955) and Priscilla Newell. Their children were Thomas Roy (b. 1903) and Ruby (b. 1908). Some time after 1950 a Mr Pike purchased the house.

House # 16: In 1950s this was the house of Herbert Lacey (b 1883) a widower, his wife Mary had died prior to 1945.  I remember this house since he had a crab apple tree in front and local kids would steal them.

House #17: This house which was on a laneway north of the road belonged to the Richards family.