TRANSCRIPT

The tradition of building ships in Mortier Bay was driven by the many business firms in the area.

Reddy Bros. Ltd. was established in 1896, lasting into the 1980s.

In 1897, Joseph Baker started in business, as well as Michael T. Flynn around the same time.

In 1912, G & A Buffett Ltd. was established; and also in 1912, Marystown Trading Company Ltd. owned by G.C. Harris was started up.

J.W. Wiscombe Ltd. started in 1923 and James Baird Ltd. (a St. John's firm) came to Marystown in the 1930s.

T.F. Murley Ltd. established in the 1940s and is still in business today.

Those businesses were involved in fishing and the processing of fish. They also ran retail stores in the Marystown area. Their proud Mortier Bay schooners traded salt fish and freight goods in many parts of the world.

Also driving the shipbuilding were the shipyards on Brake's Beach, established by government: The Marystown Co-operative Enterprises Ltd. from 1939-41; the Marystown (Longliner) Shipyard 1959-1966; the Newfoundland Marine Works Ltd., from 1967-73; the Marystown Shipping Enterprises Ltd. from 1974-78; the Marystown Shipyard Ltd. from 1979-97; then sold to an American company, Friede Goldman (Newfoundland) Ltd. from 1998-2001; and in 2002, taken over by American company Kiewit Offshore Services Ltd., who currently own the shipyard and Cow Head facility.