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Dear Mr. Hiscock, Re: Your article - HERE SAY: Language and Folklore in Newfoundland - Lots of Rocks in Bonavist' Harbour. As a student of surnames in the Bonavista area I am reasonably certain that neither Georgie Snooks nor Granny Snooks had ever lived there. Keough/ Kehoe, as in "Keough's parlour", was also a rare name in Bonavista having been noted in the King's Cove parish register. As these two personal names are more prevalent in the Trinity & Conception Bay areas, I would suggest that "Canaille" in the song, "A Great Big Sea Hove in Long Beach" does not refer to Bonavista at all [Heaven forbid]. From the will of Henry Barnes of Canford Magna, Dorset, c1750 ...I give and devise unto my said son Thomas Barns my Plantation lying at or near Bay de Verde in the Newfoundland called Carnail to have and to hold the same... Might this plantation be the "Canaille" or "Carnail" in the song? Did the Snooks and Keoughs live there? Is there a Long Beach near Bay de Verde? Answer these questions and I am sure you will be able to pinpoint where the song originated. The word Canaille - variously spelt, is an English surname, but they were not permanently settled at Bonavista.
Letter dated 23 August 1995 from Philip Hiscock, Memorial University of Newfoundland: Folklore and Language Archive (MUNFLA) Thanks very much for your informative letter about the placename "Canaille". It took over a month to reach me as the people at the Downhomer have been on holiday. I imagine the letter sat for not a few days in Etobicoke. Just over a month ago I got a call from Mr. Lloyd Brown in Edison, New Jersey. He pointed out to me some of the same things you did about the will of Henry Barnes of Dorset. Mr. Brown suggested that the Barnes/Barns family whose plantation was at Carnail is in fact his own Brown family. My knowledge of Newfoundland dialectology and linguistics makes me think he could be right. "Barn" can easily be changed into "Brown" over a couple of hundred years, especially when several generations of near illiteracy intervene. Mr. Brown thought, too, that although it seems unlikely it is not entirely impossible that the Barnes' Carnail "lying at or near Bay de Verde" could in fact be at Bonavista. The unlikelihood stems from the fact that Bonavista was a thriving fishing town of its own in the mid-eighteenth century and there should be some reason why one would not write "at or near Bonavista". On the other hand, Bay de Verde is only twenty five or thirty miles from Bonavista, across Trinity Bay; from the distance of Poole such a distance might seem small if local commercial connections were at that time to Bay de Verde. I also appreciate your opinion that, given the paucity of Kehoes (or Keoughs) and Snooks (or Snookes) in Bonavista, the song "Great Big Sea" may actually refer to a Trinity Bay location -- Bay de Verde being as good as any! There is a Long Beach about ten miles south of Bay de Verde, immediately north of Northern Bay. I have been given the name of a man living in Bonavista who seems to know something of the history of the song and I think I will contact him for details. If I hear anything new, I'll let you know. Thank you for your help. Yours truly. Philip Hiscock
Ref: your reply dated 23 August 1995 to mine of 18 July 1995. Apparently Thomas Barnes, son and heir of Henry Barnes, had no interest in Newfoundland: ..."whereas I have sold my Plantation in Newfoundland for the sum of forty pounds, which I intended for my said son Thomas, I do therefor give unto my said son Thomas the sum of forty pounds to be paid him within one month after my death".... There may be a relationship to Barnes at Canford Magna to the family Brown (and Henry Barnes had a son-in-law named Henry Brown in Dorset), but Barnes is not a derivative of Brown or vice versa. The original William Brown was well established at Bonavista by 1760 when he was appointed Deputy Governor in Newfoundland, and his descendants would hardly be referred to as near illiterate. A son or grandson, William Brown, was also a member of the "Bow Wow" Parliament. From: Colonial Secretary's Office, Outgoing Correspondence, PANL G.N.2/1/a: pg 78, 79. 19 May 1760 Westminster. William Brown appointed Deputy Gov. or Surrogate at Bonavista, Placentia, Ferryland, etc and Commander of HM schooner "Surprise". signed by Gov. James Webb. Professor Seary also confused the two Canailles. Note his reference to Thomas Stone who, I believe, bought Cornaille from Henry Barnes. Thomas Stone was never situated in Bonavista; He was the Poole/ Trinity Bay man who took the Beothuck child Obee back home to Poole. TC.
From Lloyd Brown Jun 1987: November 1784 Bonavista Document Know all persons whom it may concern that I Joshua Foguet (TC NOTE- Folquet??) of Bonavista in the Island of Newfoundland for and in Considerations of the Sum of Fourteen Pounds Bills of Exchange to be paid me the sd Joshua (Foquet) of Lawfull Money of Great Britain & Thirty Pounds Twelve Shillings to be paid Messrs. Jeffrey & Street of the Produce of the Said Island as being Debt due from said (Joshua Foquet) to the aforesaid Jeffrey & Street to be rec'd of Wm. Brown of Bonavista in the Island of Newfoundland the receipt whereof I hereby acknowledge have bargain'd, sold and delivered by these presents according to the due form of Law do Bargain, Sell and Deliver unto the said (Wm. Brown) all my Plantation situate & Laying Between --- at Cornail call'd Saunder's Room & a Room occupied byRobert Dugdale to have and to hold the said bargain'd Premisses unto the said William Brown his executors, administrators & Assignes forever from the Date hereof and I the Said Joshua Foquet will Warrant for myself, my Heirs, executors, administrators and assignees and will Warrant and defend the said William Brown, his exec, administrators, & Assignees against all persons shall and will warrant? and forever defend by these presents. In witness whereof we have to these presents all parties have interchangably set their hands & affixed their seals thereon -- day of November and in the year of Our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty Four & in the twenty fifth year of the Reign of Our Sovereign Lord George The Third, King of Great Britain France and Ireland Defender of the Faith. Signed sealed and delivered where no Stamp Paper is to be had in the presence of us. Buckler Sheppard. Gerrard Ford. Abraham Akerman. Signed: Joshua Foguett William Brown [TC NOTE: This William Brown herein is probably William the second]???
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