Along the Shore From Birchy Head to Silver Point

Along the Shore From Birchy Head to Silver Point (Doug Halfyard, Cyril Hedge, The Rounder Magazine and Roy Osmonds book)

Silver Point is said to have been named after Henry Silver, a Nova Scotian trader, and John Silver, a merchant at Woody Point until 1898. The Silvers are believed to have had fishing premises at Silver Point before the 1860’s. It’s said to have first been settled by Billy Raike, an Englishman who came to the island in the 1850’s and to Silver Point by 1871. He is credited with building the Tory Road, the first road in the area, which still exists today. He was soon followed by the Osmonds, the Halfyards and the Parsons, some of whom fenced large tracts of and from the beach where they lived, up over the hill.

Over the following years, many families made the shoreline between Shoal Brook and Birchy Head their home. Everyone lived along the shore because the only means of transportation at that time was by boat and most of them were

fishermen. (Everette Osmond, who grew up on Silver Point, told me, Charlie Payne, that when he was a boy in the 1940’s and 50’s, he would go to Woody Point on Saturday mornings in the boat with his father or Uncle Harry to get supplies like kerosene, molasses and other items from the shops along the waterfront. He said that they would be sure to leave early in order to find a good place to tie up their boat! It was so busy down around the wharfs with boats from all parts of the bay, that it was hard to find a place to tie up!)

Many of the families who lived from Birchy Head down below Silver Point were Norm Hann, Benny Osmond, Harry Halfyard, Hayward Stickland, Billy Stickland, Mac Boyd, Jack Parsons, Chess Parsons, Lemuel Osmond, George Raike, Mary Ann Raike, Tom Raike, Bill Upwards, Everette Osmond, George Osmond, Sim Parsons, Harvey Parsons, Walt Parsons, ? Thomas, Henry Follett, Ruby Belben and Ruby Moores. There were also some big fishing sheds built there like the one owned by Hayward and Billy Stickland.

People lived along the shore until the late 50’s, when some houses were either moved elsewhere or abandoned. The house that Lemuel Osmond lived in is still on Silver Point. George Raike’s and Ruby Moores’ houses were moved to Glenburnie on the ice. (Chess Burden sang the “Jolly Poker” when Mrs. Moores’ house was being moved!) Henry Follett’s House was moved on the ice to Birchy Head, Billy Stickland’s house was moved straight up over the hill, above where the road is today, (still there) and Tom Raike’s house was moved to Shoal Brook and later moved again to Birchy Head. Mac Boyd’s house burnt after being bought by Roland Hedge. Many places were torn down after being abandoned and several places were burnt by bonfire night vandals!

By Charlie Payne