Bay Bulls: Located on the east coast of the Avalon Peninsula about 29 km (18 mi) south of the city of St John's, Handcock suggested that the use of the names Bay of Bulls (1592) and Bay Bulls (1630) make Bay Bulls to be the oldest name of English origin in Newfoundland.

According to him, the derivation is thought to be a reference to the abundance of the "bull bird" (also known as the "ice bird") - the Common Dovekie- a bird that overwinters in Newfoundland. However, not all agree with this derivation.

According to the Explore NL website, Bay Bulls is a corruption of the French Baie de Bois, which translates into "Wooded Bay".

Bay Bulls has had a very turbulent history - it was "attacked, sacked and burned" to the ground five times between 1696 and 1796 by the French - all part of the century long war with England. There are numerous shipwrecks at the bottom of the bay and cannons can be seen on the headlands.

Bay Bull is now part of metropolitan St. John's, and becoming more and more a "bedroom community" for people who work in St. John's. In 2011 there were 1,500 people living in Bay Bulls (and increase of an amazing 16.9% over 2011).

As mentioned earlier, there are some who believe the rightful "discoverers" of the area should be recognized as the Jersey fishermen from the Channel Islands. Le Messurier (1916) specifically suggested that St. John's, Petty Harbour and Bay Bulls were named by them: there is often a record left in the names of places which tells us of the people who first discovered the harbors, capes, rivers, etc., of a new country, although it may not be chronicled in history.

As Canon Taylor says, "the name of a district of a town may speak to us of events which written history has failed to commemorate." That many of the names of places in Newfoundland were given by the people of the Channel Islands proves that it was very early known to, and occupied by, these adventurous fishermen.

.... On the northeast coast of the island of Jersey there are three places lying near each other and in the order named, viz: -St. John's Bay, Petit Port, and Bouley Bay. Can it be mere coincidence that in Newfoundland we have St. John's Bay, wherein the harbor of St. John's is situated, Petty Harbour, and Bay Bulls (formerly written Boulee Bay and so appearing on the old charts), all contiguous and following in the same order as the Jersey places?

I submit that this evidence is strong enough to warrant the opinion of Channel Islanders that a Jerseyman named these three places St. John's, Petty Harbour, and Bouley Bay.

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/BayBulls