Oderin

The island of Oderin lies in the western part of Placentia Bay, at 47o 17' 00" N latitude and 54o 48' 00" W longitude, half a mile northward of Cape Jude and six miles southeast of Baine Harbour, the nearest mainland port.

The island is only 1.82 square kilometres in area and is horseshoe-shaped, with the open end facing southwest. Oderin, originally named "Audierne" by the French, was probably settled in the late 1600’s or early 1700’s by Breton fishermen of the port of Audierne, its namesake.

Oderin Island, once a very prosperous place was one of the oldest settled communities in Placentia Bay, but it too was resettled during the 1960’s.

After the War of Spanish succession and signing of the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713 English Interests took over fishing stations vacated by the French under treaty obligation. Of these there was the fort of Placentia and stations of Burin, Oderin, St. Lawrence, and Petit Fort in Placentia Bay.

The original French settlers were shipped to Saint Pierre and Cape Breton, and the English and Irish merchants soon took over the established fishing premises. Records of servants in Newfoundland from 1700-1900 shows Oderin references to Anthony Harper, John and Richard Cooper from 1730-1735 and Richard Butler in 1774 (possibly one of the pioneer Butlers of Flat Islands). Of course there were more servants than the few listed here over the years, but records were either lost or never taken over the years.

Religious Reasons for Moving (Flat Islands)

Catholicism emerged as the predominant religion of Oderin Island. Initially Oderin Island was mainly Protestant. The issue of religious difference isn’t a major issue in Newfoundland today, but during the early years of settlement Newfoundland was segregated by community based on the plague of religious intolerance which still affects a lot of the world today. This phenomenon was known as residential segregation.

There was a fair amount of intermarriage between the men and women of Oderin and Flat Islands and some of the couples decided to settle on Flat Islands. The Baileys, and possibly Butlers (there were also Butlers in Burin), Clarks, Monks, Seniors and Smiths originally settled in Oderin before they themselves or their offspring moved to Flat Islands. (Note: a Eliza Senior married Cyrus Beck; they were the parents of Rachel Beck who married Edward Clarck.)

Settlers may have come from Oderin to start their own fishing premises as well. Indentured servants were often brought to Oderin from Ireland and England to work for the merchants who ran the fishing business on the island.

A Brief History of Flat Island, Newfoundland (Written by Lettie Bland, October 12, 1969)

I was born on Flat Island on December 18, 1893, baptised and given the name Letitia Collins. As I am the only one of our family who knows how this little island became inhabited, I will try to put it down so that others will know too. Cousin Phoebe has requested (she was born there, also her two brothers). I know my Daughters and Son would like to know, so here goes.

The following are names of the then young men who left Durham, England, with their Brides by sailing ship and crossed the Atlantic Ocean. Henry Peddle, John Loughlin, Richard Gosling, Henry Crann (his descendants, a Crann and his sons went to the Grand banks and never returned in 1892.) Walter Parsons, John Kenway, David Broomfield, John Collins and William Butler (our ancestors), Charles Senior, Charles Smith, John Moulton, John Frampton, Gabriel Collins (Joe's Dad's ancestor, no relations of ours until Joe's Dad married Aunt Caroline), Mark Bishop (teacher), J. Peace.

In the early 1800's they left Durham, England with their new Brides and sailed across the Atlantic. After much hardship, landed on an Island in Placentia Bay and named it Flat Island. Only one large hill (Osmond Hill) and a few smaller ones. They divided the Island among them, the lease for 999 years. Mr. Bishop was a teacher and Justice of the Peace. It was a safe harbour for many ships when there were storms of wind for many, many years. People kept coming and settled. John Diamond from Trinity Bay, he married Mary, a girl that our Grandpa brought up with his own family, her Mother was Grandpa's sister. William Reeves my Mother's Dad, a Frenchman from Calais, France, in 1850's. He was a trader and used to sail to other places and take cottons and thread and other necessities. They paid with fish (dry) cod oil. He picked up a Mr. Chollet on the Banks of Newfoundland in a dory, who had excaped from Military Service in France. Chollet settled on Clark's Point. The Dicks, Mondons, Jarvis, came as the years passed around 1860 and settled on the Island.

The Island was re-named Port Elizabeth in 1952. A year before that Jim and I went to Newfoundland and visited all over the Island for six months and saw our relatives who were still living there and enjoyed it very much.

Now it is deserted. Only the graves of our loved ones are left, may their spirits guard it well.

Lettie Collins Bland.

PS - My Grandpa, Captain John Collins told me the story when I was nearly eleven years old. As he passed away over at Trepassey Bay on August 16th, 1904. He had a heart attack. This is a true story. L.C.B.

(With thanks) . . .

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