Carbonear
The salt fish trade has been an integral part of Carbonear history from the beginning. Since the 1600’s the families of fishermen caught and dried cod during the summer months. The salted cod was then traded with the local merchants to procure what they needed to survive the coming harsh winter months. Merchant schooners traded the dried cod in Europe, Brazil and the West Indies. The merchants obtained salt, molasses, coal and manufactured items. The merchant ships then resold the goods obtained in other ports or brought it back for the people of Newfoundland. During the 19th and early 20th century People living in the outports ( any port other than St. John’s) depended on the goods brought from overseas. Ocean trade of this kind was called “Going Foreign.” This form of trade was the backbone of the Carbonear economy at this time.
John Rorke was a prominent merchant in Carbonear. Beginning in the mid 1800’s he built a very successful financial empire based on a fleet of ships involved in “going foreign”, fishing and sealing. The Rorke family also began a shipbuilding business and extended their trading interests to the West Indies and other far flung ports.
In 1859 a devastating fire razed most of Carbonear, icluding the Rorke commercial buildings and the Rorke homestead. Recovery involved the building of the Stone House. Built of fieldstone it housed a mercantile store on the first floor, the Rorke residence on the second and sleeping quarters for servants and apprentices on the third.
In the 1870’s the east and west storehouses were built across the street, on the water’s edge. Although a fire destroyed the east storehouse in 1917, it was rebuilt.
In 1978 the Rorke enterprises came to an end after 140 years of business. The storehouses were donated to Carbonear.
In 1999 a heavy gale took the eastern store house to the ground. Although it has not been rebuilt the remaining west store was restored and now serves as the Rorke Store Museum.
The Stone House was recently renovated and now houses the Stone Jug, a restaurant and pub. The food is fantastic and the interior of the building is a sight to behold. Whether you go for a draught or an oven baked pizza, make sure you go up the stairs to see the work that has been done.
