The settlement of St.Alban's, like most of Newfoundland's communities, was a long and slow process. The very settlers were probably work crews that stayed over winter to cut logs. For example, in the 1830's Newman & Company of Jersey Harbour who had crews at Swanger's Cove.

Of course, people did not only come to St.Alban's to cut logs. Many fishing families in the mid-1800's were constantly visiting the area in the winter. They came from the communities at the mouth of the bay. Few of these families began to settle in the area. Tradition has it that the Collier and Hoskins families settled at St. Alban's in 1851, followed by the Organ family in 1853.

St.Alban's, or Ship Cove as it was once known, appeared in the 1869 Census for the first time. It stated a population of 39. In 1872 it listed the community as having 45 people, with two schooners trading such items as barrel hoops, rinds, game and beef to Gaultois and St.Pierre. By 1890, St.Alban's had grown to consist of 178 people. It had also been able to develop a modest fishery for salmon, turbot and herring.

As stated above, St.Alban's was once known as Ship Cove. There are a number of stories as to the origin of the name. One version states that Ship cove came about because of American banking vessels mooring offshore in order to purchase bait. Another version is that Captain James Cook named the area in 1765, when he was forced to careen and rummage(haul up and clean the bottom of) his vessel, "The Grenville." The change to St. Alban's from Ship Cove is less controversial. At the suggestion of Father St. Croix, the name of the community was changed to St.Alban's, in commemoration of an English martyr. As the town was one of few in Newfoundland where the majority are Catholics of English or Welsh(rather than French or Irish) descent.

The population grew increasingly in the 1880's and 1890's when more families, mainly from Great Jervis began settling here. Great Jervis was mainly a Catholic community. So when the families of Crants(at Swanger's Cove), Farrells, Howses, McDonalds, morris and Willcotts came. it made St. Alban's a Catholic community.

With the influx of people, a Roman Catholic school/chapel was built in 1885. In 1902, the start of St.Ingnatius began. These first schools/chapels were one room structures used for both church and schools, and other social functions. They were built and financed by the parishioners. By 1911, father St. Croix had arrived to become the first resident priest in St.Alban's. St.Alban's was on its way to becoming a complete town.

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Work History