STEPMOTHER TO HEROES

I think most of us have heard of the famous Captain Arthur Jackman and his equally famous brother, Captain William Jackman.  Well, did you know that there is a special connection to the brothers and our own St Patrick's Convent?  Read on for an interesting little bit of history.

Henry Goodridge of Paignton, Devon, founded his business at Renews sometime in the early 1800s.  In 1828, Henry’s youngest son, Alan, arrived in Renews and stayed there to run the business.  

The Jackmans worked for the Goodridges skippering their ships that crossed the Atlantic or carried freight up and down the Shore. Captain Thomas Jackman was master of one of Goodridge’s vessels. Captain Thomas and his wife, Catherine Johnson, had five sons and one daughter.  When Alan Goodridge decided to move the headquarters of the business to St John’s, Thomas Jackman followed and his young sons grew up there.

Several of Thomas Jackman’s sons followed in their father’s footsteps and became captains out of St John’s. Two sons, Arthur and William, became famous for their brave and heroic deeds.  Captain William was a true hero. He rescued 27 people from a sinking ship at Spotted Islands, Labrador, in the Autumn of 1867. Captain Arthur was a famed whaler, sealer and navigator.  In 1886 Arthur took the arctic explorer, Robert Peary, on his first trip to the Arctic.  

William and Arthur’s mother, Catherine Johnson, died and eventually their father, Captain Thomas, remarried. His new wife was another Catherine, Catherine White.

Catherine White was born in Wexford, Ireland, in 1820. Catherine and Captain Thomas lived on Brine St, St John’s, in the kindly shade of St Patrick’s Church. Sadly, on 19 July, 1870, the old Sea Dog, Captain Thomas, passed away at his home.  

Two years after the demise of her husband, Catherine White Jackman joined the Presentation Congregation at St Patrick’s Convent. This was on 1^st August 1872. After a year as a Postulant, Catherine was received into the Congregation on 1^st  August 1873.  Catherine, who was 52 years old, was given the name of Sr Mary Monica.

It seems that Catherine White/Sr Monica Jackman had not been forgotten in her native County Wexford either. On 4^th September 1897, two Wexford Newspapers, The Enniscorthy Guardian and The New Ross Standard reported that “a day of great rejoicing had taken place at the Presentation Convent of St Patrick’s, Newfoundland” as Sr Monica Jackman celebrated her Silver Jubilee.

Catherine White Jackman, stepmother to heroes

Sr Monica spent her entire Religious Life at St Patrick’s Convent, Riverhead.  She passed away at St Patrick’s Convent on 27^th December 1899 at the age of 79. The stepmother of two famous seamen, William and Arthur Jackman, and the step grandmother of a Priest of St Patrick’s Parish, Fr William H Jackman, Sister Monica Jackman was laid to rest in the Nuns’ Cemetery behind St Patrick’s Convent.

HORRIFYING POSSIBILITIES

In the previous post I mentioned  the Fishermen's Hall on Queen St and people were surprised when they saw the photo of the building as it is today.  So, I thought I might post a little bit about the amazing history of this historic building. It certainly has had an interesting life!

FORMER ST PETER'S CATHOLIC CHAPEL, 1873-1883

Erected in 1861, Fishermen's Hall at 16 Queen Street is the oldest theatre in St John's.  Surprisingly, it is also the second oldest Catholic Church in St John's.  The cornerstone was laid on 23 May 1861 and Fishermen's Hall opened a mere five months later, on 28 October 1861.

Fishermen's Hall was the venue for many and varied entertainments, including visiting trapeze artists, Flower Shows, musicians, shows, and plays by visiting dramatic troupes. 

On 28 February 1871, a meeting took place at Fisherman's Hall.  Captain William Jackman and several other prominent citizens met together and The Star of the Sea Society was founded and formally instituted.

In 1873 Bishop Power purchased the building.  Internal renovations converted the single story building to a two story one.  The upstairs was consecrated as St Peter's Chapel while the ground floor became a school.  Four Sisters of Mercy came every day from Mercy Convent, Military Road, to teach the boys and girls.

(Picture taken from the Centenary Souvenir Book, 1955)

When St Patrick's Church opened in 1881 there was less need for St Peter's Chapel so, in 1883, it ceased to be a church.  The former chapel was utilized by the good Sisters as part of the school.  The girls' school now occupied the upper floor and the boys' school the floor below.  The R C School Board reported in 1882 that the school had 4 teachers and 360 pupils!  Eventually, two ladies, Miss Maher and Miss Nugent, were employed to assist the Sisters at St Peter's School.

The Sisters of Mercy operated St Peter's School until 1903. In 1903 the building became the commercial premises of Frank McNamara.  In 1967 it was taken over by J B Hand & Sons who occupied the building for a number of years. After J B Hand, 16 Queen St was home to several more enterprises.  You will find the plaque pictured below informative, I have no doubt.

Sign on side of building at 16 Queen St

Now, I am thinking about the churches that are being sold to pay off a debt they didn't personally incur. In particular, I am thinking of St Patrick's. I can't help wondering what fate awaits this venerable and well loved church. What indignities will be visited upon it in the years ahead? The possibilities are too horrifying to contemplate.

St Patrick's Church in 1991 (The Deanery Avenue School is partly visible behind the Deanery)

*Some of the information about St Peter's Church and School was found in the two excellent books;

'The Oldest City', Paul O'Neil

'Weavers of the Tapestry', Sr Kathrine Bellamy R S M

CAPTAIN WILLIAM JACKMAN

Renews, on the beautiful Southern Shore, was the birthplace of William Jackman.  William, born on 20 May 1837, was the eldest of the four children of Captain Thomas Jackman and Catherine Johnson.  At an early age, William, like his father before him, went to sea.

Birthplace of Captain William Jackman, Renews

About 1858, when William was 21, he married Trepassey native, Bridget Burbridge.  William and Bridget had six children, four sons and two daughters.  One son, William Henry, became a priest. Fr Jackman died on 16 July 1908 at the age of 44 years.  At the time of his death, Fr Jackman was serving in St Patrick's Parish.

October 1867 found the 30 year old William Jackman, by now Captain, at Spotted Islands on the coast of Labrador. That October night, a fierce gale was raging and Captain Jackman and some friends were on the Headland looking out to sea. Different accounts of this story give differing reasons for Captain Jackman's presence on the Headland at that time but it was certainly fortuitous, whatever the reason. 

Looking out to sea Jackman saw that a small schooner was being battered on the rocks by the raging gales.  Captain Jackman was a vigorous man and, luckily, a strong swimmer.  He immediately stripped off most off his clothes and dived into the maelstrom.  His companions raced back to the community for ropes to aid in the rescue.  Reaching the stricken boat, William took a man on his back and swam to shore  with him.  Again he plunged into the icy waters and swam back to the vessel.  By the time his fellow rescuers returned with ropes, Captain Jackman had already rescued eleven men in this manner.  They then tied a rope around his waist and, with the men on shore helping by pulling the ropes, the brave Captain battled his way through the treacherous waves to rescue fifteen more men.  He had saved the lives of twenty-six men but, upon being told that there was a dying woman still on board in the cabin, William Jackman struck out once again for the battered ship.  He brought the ailing woman safely to shore.  The woman, said to be one Myra Batten, did not live long and died a day or two later. The whole rescue operation took just over two hours and the schooner, named either the 'Sea Clipper' or 'Sea Slipper', broke up about an hour after that.

Captain William Jackman, 1837-1877

In 1868, Captain Jackman and his fellow rescuers were awarded medals by the Royal Humane Society. Jackman received a silver medal and a diploma and his companions received bronze medals.

William Jackman was a founder member of the Star of the Sea, a social organization for Roman Catholic seamen, which was founded in 1871. Heroic Captain William Jackman passed away in St John's on 25 February 1877. On 28 February, his funeral was conducted at  St Patrick's Church. The church was still unfinished but Captain Jackman's funeral was immense. He was laid to rest at Belvedere Cemetery, St John's.  Captain William Jackman was just 39 years old.

I return now to William's father, Captain Thomas Jackman and to a direct link to St Patrick's Convent.

Thomas Jackman's wife, Catherine Johnson, died and Thomas eventually took another wife, **Catherine White.  Catherine White was born in County Wexford, Ireland circa 1820/21. 

On 19 July, 1870, Captain Thomas Jackman passed away at his home on Brine Street. Two years later, on 1 August 1872, his widow, Catherine White Jackman, entered the Presentation Congregation at St Patrick's Convent.  She was received on 1 August 1873 when she was 52 years old and received the name of Sr Mary Monica.

Sr Monica Jackman spent the whole of her religious life at St Patrick's Convent.  On 4 September 1897, two Wexford newspapers carried short articles about Sr Monica. Both the 'Enniscorthy Guardian' and the 'New Ross Standard' reported that "a day of great rejoicing had taken place at the Presentation Convent of St Patrick's, Newfoundland", as Sr M Monica Jackman celebrated her Silver Jubilee.  Catherine White/Sr Monica Jackman had not been forgotten in her native County Wexford.

Captain William Jackman's stepmother, Sr Monica, passed away at St Patrick's on 27 December 1899.  She was laid to rest in the Nuns Cemetery behind the Convent.

Captain William Jackman's stepmother, Sr Monica Jackman

**I owe this interesting little snippet about Catherine White Jackman/Sr M Monica, to the lovely little book, "KEEPING THE BOND ALIVE, SHARING THE MEMORIES", Renews-Cappahayden Come Home Year 2008.