'A Large House on the Downs': Household Archaeology
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‘A LARGE HOUSE ON THE DOWNS’: HOUSEHOLD ARCHAEOLOGY AND MIDDLE-CLASS GENTILITY IN EARLY 19TH-CENTURY FERRYLAND, NEWFOUNDLAND by © Duncan Williams A Thesis submitted to the School of Graduate Studies In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts Department of Archaeology Memorial University of Newfoundland February 2019 St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador ii ABSTRACT This thesis uses a household-based archaeological approach to examine changing settlement patterns and lifeways associated with a period of crucial change on Newfoundland’s southern Avalon Peninsula – namely the first half of the 19th century. The period witnessed a significant increase in permanent residents (including a large influx of Irish Catholic immigrants), the downfall of the migratory fishery (and resulting shift to a family-based resident fishery), and radical political/governmental changes associated with increased colonial autonomy. As part of these developments, a new middle class emerged composed mainly of prosperous fishermen and individuals involved in local government. A micro-historical approach is used to analyze a single household assemblage in Ferryland, thus shedding light on the development of a resident ‘outport gentry’ and changing use of the landscape in this important rural centre. Though likely initially built by a member of Ferryland’s elite (Vice-Admiralty Judge William Carter), the major occupation of the structure, as seen archaeologically, appears to be represented by the tenancies of two upper middle-class families. Comparative analysis places this household and its social landscape in the broader community of Ferryland, as well as emergent upper middle-class society in North America. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This thesis owes much to many individuals and organizations, and it will be difficult to properly acknowledge them all in the space of a couple pages. I sincerely apologize to anyone I may have missed. First and foremost, I owe an immense debt of gratitude to my supervisor, Dr. Barry Gaulton. Without his constant advice and encouragement, I would not have been able to complete this project. Long before I began my graduate career, Barry, along with Dr. James Tuck, introduced me to the archaeology of Ferryland. Jim and Barry both recognized and nurtured my love of field archaeology and historical archaeology, and I am forever grateful to them for providing such an amazing opportunity at a formative age. Over the many years since, Barry has been an invaluable mentor to me. His passion for the field is truly inspiring. Without the encouragement of my parents, I would not have discovered the field of archaeology in the first place. They fostered my interest in the subject over the years and provided constant support and opportunities along the way. I am extremely grateful to them for encouraging me to pursue education in a field that I love. Both also provided essential practical assistance in the field and the lab during my MA research. I relied entirely on volunteer labour for the completion of the fieldwork component of this thesis, and I am extremely grateful to all of my hard-working field crew. The lab staff at the Colony of Avalon – Marilyn, Mercedes, Donna, and my mother Charlotte – must be commended for their hard work with the initial processing of the material from the excavations. Without this work, I would not have been able to complete the subsequent analysis of the entire collection. Thank-you also to Donna for assistance iv with conservation and access to materials at the conservation lab in Queen’s College. Amory Missios’ work with the ceramic refits was also extremely helpful in the interpretation of the ceramic vessel assemblages. Colette Boger’s diligence with the digital entry of the catalogued data was much appreciated. Thank you to the faculty and staff in the Department of Archaeology at Memorial University for advice and encouragement throughout the coursework and research component of my Masters. A special thank-you to Dr. Peter Whitridge for his help with a drone survey in the early stages of the project. The graduate students in the department, and especially my MA cohort, deserve special praise for all the camaraderie and assistance along the journey. Les Clowe deserves particular praise for providing permission to excavate his meadow. His keen interest in all things related to Ferryland history was much appreciated, and I enjoyed our chats on the subject. Christopher Morry, Steve Barnable, and Kevin Reddigan are to be commended for their willingness to share their research and expertise on all matters related to the history of the Ferryland area and its people. Their input and advice was invaluable and their enthusiasm much appreciated. Chris was particularly helpful in assisting me in untangling matters related to Carter family genealogy and for putting me in contact with many other knowledgeable researchers. Steve generously donated his time and energy in helping me understand early Ferryland settlement patterns and property history. Thank-you to Sandy Newton and Doug Hill for the hospitality on several trips out to Cupids and Port Kirwin. These excursions were welcome breaks from the writing and v research grind. I will remember them fondly and look forward to future visits. I also made several writing retreats to my parents’ cottage in Aquaforte in my second year, which proved very productive. Many thanks to Bridie and Bob Ryan for ensuring I was well-fed and looked after and for providing warm company during these trips. My thesis examiners – Dr. Stephen Brighton and Dr. Peter Whitridge – provided insightful comments on the initial manuscript, which have been incorporated into the final version. I am extremely grateful for their careful reading and subsequent advice, which has served to strengthen this thesis and has provided me with much food for thought. Financial assistance for this research was provided by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, the J.R. Smallwood Foundation, the Institute of Social and Economic Research, the Newfoundland Provincial Archaeology Office, the Memorial University School of Graduate Studies, and an A.G. Hatcher Memorial Scholarship. Thank you finally to my family and to Wendy Chennette for the love, patience and support over the course of this research. It would not have been possible without them. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 1 - Introduction and Research Objectives ............................................................1 Chapter 2 - Theoretical Background ................................................................................ 10 2.1 Household Archaeology.................................................................................. 10 2.1.1 Consumption ............................................................................................. 17 2.1.2 Archaeologies of Identity .......................................................................... 20 2.2 Landscape Archaeology .................................................................................. 24 2.2.1 Powered Landscapes ................................................................................. 26 Chapter 3 - Historical Background ................................................................................... 30 3.1 Permanent Settlement and the Mode of the Fishery ....................................... 30 3.2 Immigration and Ethnicity .............................................................................. 38 3.3 Labour and Social Structure in a Resident Population ................................... 45 3.4 Developments in Ferryland ............................................................................. 49 3.4.1 Cartographic Evidence .............................................................................. 56 Chapter 4 - Documentary/Archaeological Evidence of the Downs House ...................... 67 4.1 Documentary Evidence ................................................................................... 67 4.2 Archaeological Fieldwork ............................................................................... 91 Chapter 5 - The Material Culture of the Downs House ................................................. 131 5.1 Domestic Group ............................................................................................ 132 5.1.1 Ceramics ................................................................................................. 132 5.1.2 Glass Vessels .......................................................................................... 170 5.1.3 Other Evidence of Food Preparation and Consumption ......................... 175 5.1.4 Faunal ...................................................................................................... 177 5.2 Architecture Group ....................................................................................... 178 5.3 Personal Group.............................................................................................. 183 5.3.1 Smoking .................................................................................................. 183 5.3.2 Personal Adornment................................................................................ 186 5.3.3 Health and Hygiene................................................................................. 191 5.4 Activities Group ............................................................................................ 192 vii Chapter 6 - Discussion ..................................................................................................