The Cartier Connoisseur ~ New York to Montreal on Oceania Insignia: Two Tiny Towns: Sydney, Nova Scotia and Corner Brook, Newfoundland ~ September 21

Sydney, Nova Scotia

September 21, 2024

Sydney, founded in 1785 by the British, is located on the east coast of Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia. It served as the colonial capital of Cape Breton Island until 1820 when the colony merged with Nova Scotia and moved the capital to Halifax. Sydney was a major steel manufacturer and a significant staging area for England-bound convoys during both world wars. Steel mills were closed in 2001, and the city's population has steadily declined since the early 70s.

At dinner, one of our table mates called it a "sad little town," wondering aloud why Oceania would even stop there. I believe we stopped there because it is more convenient (and probably cheaper) to dock there than in Baddeck, where there is much more to see and do. Instead, we dock in Sydney, and people book pricey excursions to Baddeck (and even more expensive full-day excursions that tour Cape Breton).

Jeff and I got off the ship shortly after breakfast for a leisurely walk about the historic district.

The Big Fiddle

The world's largest fiddle is located on the waterfront, just steps from where our ship was docked. I later learned that it is made of solid steel, weighs ten tons, and is 60 feet tall! It is dubbed the fidheal mhor a'ceilidh (Gaelic for the "big fiddle of the visit").

A couple of blocks away is the historic district of Sydney. Our first stop was St. Patrick's Church Museum. Although closed for a private event, I was able to find the following story of its history:

"Captain John Butler Wilson arrived in Sydney in 1785 and became the first captain of the Sydney Garrison. Soon thereafter, Captain Wilson met and married an Irish Catholic named Margaret Caverly. Unlike his wife, Captain Wilson was an Anglican. The difference in their religions and nationalities normally would have been an insurmountable obstacle, but not for these two. Wilson and Caverly were married but on the agreement that they would raise their children as Catholic. When their first-born son died soon after birth, however, there was no Catholic graveyard in Sydney in which to bury his little body. During the 18th century, under the Penal Laws, Catholics in the Maritimes were not permitted to own land and could not establish churches, only chapels. So, Captain Wilson purchased a property, and his wife found a priest, Father Henry MacKeagney, to consecrate the land and perform Catholic burial rites. In 1805, Wilson had a wooden chapel constructed on the site. After his death in 1823, Captain Wilson was buried in the graveyard next to his son.

The growing population of Catholics in the area created a need for a larger place of worship for the community. Margaret Wilson gave the property to Father MacKeagney to expand the original chapel into a larger stone structure. In 1828, the Penal Laws were relaxed enough to allow the new construction to be deemed a church. Part of the expanded church covered the graves of Captain Wilson and his infant son; this was considered a great honor, placing the pair closer to God.

Until the early 1960s, St. Patrick’s Church continued to be used as a place of worship. When the Old Sydney Society began to restore the church in 1966, they discovered the bodies of Captain John Butler Wilson and seven others under the floorboards. All the bodies were reinterned and given full Catholic burial rites – all except Captain Wilson, who was Anglican. St. Patrick’s Church now serves as a museum devoted to preserving and promoting the culture and heritage of Sydney, Nova Scotia, and Cape Breton Island."

From there, we walked up Charlotte Street to the Cossit House. Cossit House built in 1787 and is one of the oldest surviving houses in Sydney. It is named for its original owner, Reverend Ranna Cossit. After the American Revolution, Reverand Cossit was assigned to the British colony in Cape Breton. He was accompanied by his wife, Thankful, and their growing family. He became the region's first Anglican minister and assumed as key role in Sydney's social and political development.

We loved the costumed docents, who gave us a great deal of information about the house and the Cossit family.

Basement of Cossit House

Bedroom

Another Bedroom

Just down the street, we found the Jost House. There were no docents, but we could tour the house on our own. Thomas Jost, a Halifax merchant, bought the property in 1836. His descendants lived in the house until 1971. 1910, the roof was raised, and the second floor was extended to include bedrooms and a bath to accommodate the growing Jost family.

The Jost House exhibits collections assembled by prominent Cape Bretoners. The apothecary room preserves a local doctor's collection including an assortment of medicinals and apparatus used in making medicines in the early 20th century. The Victorian room showcases a local woman's collection of various items, including a shawl that was given to her great-grandmother by Queen Victoria. The Jost family room has many items donated by the Josts, a family history and a map of the local area from the mid-19th century. The marine room reflects Sydney's maritime heritage with a display of historical texts and artifacts, along with a collection of model vessels.

Corner Brook, Newfoundland

September 22, 2024

This was our only stop in Newfoundland, a part of Canada we have not visited before. I remember hearing our son-in-law, Jeremy talking about "Newfie Poker," indicating that Newfie/Newfy is a colloquial term used for someone from Newfoundland. Many Newfoundlanders consider "Newfie" a slur. The term is associated with jokes from the mid-to-late 20th century that depicted "Newfies" as foolish, particularly when told in Canadian French, leading to a belief in the derogatory nature of the term. Anyway, it's a small industrial town without much to see or do, but there IS a railway museum!

The Railway Society of Newfoundland was created in 1987 when Baldwin Steam Locomotive #593, “Newfie Bullet,” was removed from Bowater’s Park to the historic train site at Humbermouth, Newfoundland. The Railway Society of Newfoundland acquired the rolling stock, trackage, and freight shed. The museum was closed, but Jeff could see the exhibits outside.