POUCH COVE COD LIVER OIL MEMORIES

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You are about to experience an audio-visual trip which will stimulate your imagination concerning the cod liver oil factories and production which took place in Pouch Cove, Biscayan Cove and Shoe Cove from the mid-nineteenth to the mid-twentieth century.

 

As members of the communities recall their memories you will learn about the location of the factories, the process of extracting the oil from the cod livers, the collection and use of the oil, as well as the importance of this supplementary income to local fishermen and their families. You will also hear about various incidents which our storytellers experienced as they reflect on this historical era in our community.

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Click here to read more about cod liver oil and the Northern Avalon.

 

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Preserving Cod Liver Oil Memories

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The impressive multi-level stages of Pouch Cove were testimonies to the perseverance, architectural ingenuity and courage of the fishermen who set out to sea to catch codfish on a dangerous but prolific coast. The stages are now gone, and disappearing too are most of the physical vestiges of the cod liver oil factories that once dotted the landscape.

 

Fortunately memories of the era remain among older members of the community. Their recollections of our cod liver oil heritage have been captured in a sound archive. Their voices and further information may be accessed through an App that can be downloaded on either an iPhone or an Android device.