Grandois (pronounced GRAND-swah) is a harbour on St. Julien's Island that has been a fishing station from the early 1500s. It is believed that town's name come from the French "Les Grandes Oyes" meaning "Great Geese".

Items from the past, such as bricks from bread making ovens, gravesites and engravings have been found in the area and are now located in the French Shore Interpretation Centre in nearby Conche.

One of the earliest year-round residents was George McGrath, an Irishman by birth, who was hired, much like Bromley in Fischot, to be year-round caretaker and when he married the Irish Newfoundland population, not surprisingly increased over time.

In documents of that period, the "mainland" part of the Grandois station is referred to as "English Harbour".

By 1874 census, 25 settlers where listed as living in Grandois and another 17 at English Harbour (for 2016 population see Fischot). With the closure of the fish plant in the area after the fishing moratorium passed in 1992 basically ended the cod fishery, a tradition of 400-years of inshore fishing came to an end.

Used with permission from "Uncovering the Origin of 1001 Unique Place Names in Newfoundland and Labrador" 2021 Jennifer Leigh Hill

Address of this page: http://nl.ruralroutes.com/Grandois