Snug Harbour: Such a nice sounding name! The following excerpt from the ENL is a typical description of many of the harbours that dot the coasts of Labrador.

Snug Harbour is located at the bottom of a sheltered inlet at the south entrance to Martin Bay, approximately 22 km northeast of Charlottetown [Labrador).

In 1993 the major summer station of the Ward family of Norman Bay, Snug Harbour was previously the year-round home for many of the Wards, a destination for summer crews from the Island and a "post harbour" and supply centre for other stations in the area.

"A placid basin surrounded by great rocky walls" (Browne), Snug Harbour has the advantages of a sheltered anchorage for large vessels and close access to fishing grounds. But shore space is at a premium.

It was mentioned as being occupied as early as 1820, although tradition has it that the "room" at Snug Harbour was established in the 1850s by a Captain Ryan of Harbour Grace.

In the 1860s the Harbour Grace firm of Munn and Co. purchased Snug Harbour and made it the base for supplying "stationer" crews out of Conception Bay who established fishing premises at nearby coves, such as Tub Harbour.

It was also at about this time that the Ward family moved to Snug Harbour from Styles, perhaps as resident caretakers for Munn's room. The community first appears in the Census in 1884, with a population of 10, although summer residents numbered over 100 in some years.

In the 1960s, although the Labrador fishery was by this time a shadow of its former self. Snug Harbour still had a store and fishing premises, owned by Bay Roberts Fisheries, and was occupied by 17 stationers from Carbonear and Greenspond, in addition to the Wards.

The year-round residents subsequently "relocated" to Norman Bay, previously a winter place, about 6 km to the northwest. In 1990 there were seven crews fishing out of Snug Harbour.

Today, Snug Harbour is described as an “abandoned” town, having no permanent population. Fishermen might visit the site periodically. It is only accessible by water.

Norman Harbour (sometimes written as Norman's Harbour): Mentioned above, Norman Harbour still "survives" due to the Ward Family settling there when others were leaving and relocating elsewhere.

In 2016 there were 25 residents, a 26.5% decrease from the 38 of 2011 - most of them being Ward's. Norman Harbour is at the head of Norman Bay, which is an extension of Martin Bay on the eastern coast of Labrador, and originally was a winter settlement for the fishing stations of Snug Harbour and Venison Tickle.

Very isolated, the residents have to get services from nearby Charlottetown, however, as there is no road access and only limited ferry services between Norman Harbour and Charlottetown the community must feel really "remote" to some.

Research was not able to uncover why the harbour was named Norman Harbour - could easily be possible that a there was a Norman Ward that lived there in the early days.

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/SnugHarbour