| Bristol's Hope
The community of Bristol’s Hope, off Route 70 between Carbonear and Harbour Grace, has a picturesque harbour with many beautiful homes.
Bristol's Hope
Mosquito, as Bristol's Hope was called until 1910, has a long history. The legendary Princess Sheila was said to have settled there with her husband Gilbert Pike in 1603. Abbé Jean Baudoin, the priest who accompanied Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville on his raids in 1697, referred to the community as Mosquit. He said it had 3 planters, 5 boats, and 2500 codfish. He described it as: “a little harbour between Harbour Grace and Carbonear.”
Mosquito School
Heritage Foundation of
Newfoundland and Labrador
The Mosquito School Heritage Structure is a rare example of what wooden schools in outport communities looked like in the 1800s. In June 1988 the building was recognized as a Registered Heritage Structure. Today it is used for a variety of purposes including social events. It illustrates what small community schools looked like a century ago.
Newfoundland Stamp
Issued for Tricentenial of
Cupers Cove Colony - 1610-1910
In 1910, during the celebrations of the John Guy's Cupers Cove Colony Tricentenial the name of the community was officially changed from Mosquito to "Bristol's Hope" in honour of the original Bristol's Hope Plantation.
Bristol's Hope
History of Bristol's Hope
John Guy's Cupers Cove colony was started in 1610 by merchants from London and Bristol. Possibly because of John Guy's dispute with the London Bristol Company, the Bristol Society of Merchant Ventures decided to begin a new colony. By 1618, they had started what they called the Bristol's Hope Plantation.
The Plantation was much larger than the present community of Bristol's Hope. It was centered in Harbour Grace and extended north and south, including what is called Bristol's Hope today, and parts of Carbonear.
Governor Hayman
Not much is known about the first years of the Bristol's Hope colony. However, Robert Hayman may have become governor in about 1618. During his first visit he spent fifteen months in Newfoundland and he seems to have spent several summers there as well.
While in Newfoundland he spent much of his time writing and translating poetry. His book of poetry Quodlibets, lately come over from New Britaniola, Old Newfound-land was printed in 1628. Much of the poetry in the book praised and encouraged Newfoundland settlers. It was the first book of poetry written in English in the New World. He tried to raise royal support for the colony and suggested that the name of Newfoundland be changed to New Britainiola.
"Harm I bare not"
Robert Hayman's Anagram of his name
from Quodlibets
Robert Hayman's Poem about Newfoundland
Although in clothes, company, buildings fair,
With England, New-found-land cannot compare.
Did some know what contentment I found there?
Always enough, most times somewhat to spare,
With little pains, less toil, and lesser care,
Exempt from taxing, ill news, law, and fear,
If clean, and warm, no matter what you wear,
Healthy, and wealthy, if men careful are,
With much-much more, then I will now declare,
(I say) if some wise men knew what this were,
(I do believe) they'd live no other where.
Bristol's Hope
Robert's Poem about Winter in Newfoundland
To a worthy Friend, who often objects the coldness of the Winter in Newfound-Land, and may serve for all those that have the like concern.
You say that you would live in Newfound-land,
Did not this one thing your dignity withstand;
You fear the Winter's cold, sharp, piercing air.
They love it best, that have once wintered there.
Winter is there, short, wholesome, constant, clear,
Not thick, unwholesome, shuffling, as it is here.
Arctic Ice -
Bristol's Hope
Photo: Clyde Barrett
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