CAPE BROYLE

                                     page 17

Cape Broyle is not as old as Ferryland or Renews as being permanently settled but being used as a port or harbour, Cape Broyle is older.  The first known record of Cape Broyle was when Sir William Vaughan formed the seat of  a colony here in 1618.  Sir William Vaughan came with emigrants to Trepassey in 1617.  Captain Whitbourne brought some more people to the colony of Sir William Vaughan at Trepassey.  In 1618 some of these people who came out with Captain Whitbourne were sent to Cape Broyle. 

Sir William Vaughan having obtained a grant of land in the north (including Cape Broyle) from John Guy & Company so with headquarters at Trepassey  Sir William Vaughan set-up a part of  his colony at Cape Broyle thereby taking in the South and North part of his colony or territory.   Sir William Vaughan being a Welsh man of French descent, named the north part on the north harbour “Cambroil” now Cape Broyle.  Sir William Vaughan remained in Newfoundland until 1623 but before going back to England he sold his north part of the colony, including Cape Broyle, to Lord Baltimore and for five or six years Cape Broyle was known as Baltimore Harbour.  Lord Baltimore’s agents at Ferryland sent some men and boats to fish at Cape Broyle in the years 1627-1628.  After the departure of Lord Baltimore from Ferryland and Newfoundland in 1629 there is no record of Cape Broyle for many years.  There is a record of  Cape Broyle in 1715.  It is said that 12 families were living in Cape Broyle and 6 families at Brigus South.  Those families must have left Cape Broyle again, as those families that came here in the early 1780s reported no families living here when they came.  Those people that came to Cape Broyle in the 1780s were permanent settlers whose descendants are now living here in 1972.

The first families that came to Cape Broyle in the 1780s were the Kelly family, Grant family, Aylward and Walsh family in 1785, the O’Brien’s in 1792 from County Waterford.

The fishery  was the only industry at that time.  This was at first in small boats or punts, they could bring in 6 or 7 quintals of dry fish or about 3000 pounds of round fish.  Fish at first was caught by the fish jigger and the hook and line when bait was around.  Herring nets and salmon nets were also in use in the first of the fishery at Cape Broyle.

This way of catching fish at Cape  Broyle lasted until 1840. Cape Broyle is a safe harbour for a ship to run for in a storm, the only danger is a rock named “O Harry”.  This rock is outside the harbour.  It is about three quarters of a mile SE 1/2 E of the bill of Cape Broyle head.  There is only 14 to 16 feet of water on this rock at low tide.