In late August 1935, Newfoundland was gripped by a series of storms that took a particularly heavy toll on the shipping and fishing communities. Numerous incidents were reported, and overall it was estimated that the gales resulted in $45,500 worth of damages and thirty-one lives lost [Equivalent to almost $850,000 in 2020 according to the Bank of Canada]. Included in this estimate is the loss of the Annie Young, a schooner from Ramea.

Owned by Penny & Sons and skippered by George Hayman, the Annie Young carried a cook named Bennie Hayman (a first cousin, according to a correspondent, Cal Warren) and six other crewmembers: John McDonald, John Warren, John Marks and “three men named Coley from Fox Island near Ramea.” Annie Young was heading to the Labrador Grounds and on August 24, the day she was last seen, and was travelling near another vessel – the Man Alone. A storm suddenly came upon them and both ships, faced with no other option, tried to ride it out as explained by Parsons in Toll of the Sea: Stories from the Forgotten Cost:

In the morning hours during the gale Captain George Warren of Man Alone saw the distressed schooner’s mainsail torn off. Later Warren lost sight of Annie Young and the next morning Man Alone made it to harbour to report the Ramea schooner would probably not survive the storm

In response to the numerous incidents reported, ships were often sent out to investigate, as was the case when the government ordered steamers to look into wrecks that were reported near Cape Pine and Long Harbour. The Annie Young, however, could not be located.

Several weeks later, the Natural Resources Department received a message that one of Annie Young’s dories had washed ashore near Cowhead. This confirmed the suspicions of most: that the Annie Young and the eight souls that had been aboard her at the time had been lost at sea and would never be seen again.

Sources:

Parsons, Robert C. 1995. Toll of the Sea: Stories from the Forgotten Coast. St John’s: NF, Creative Publishers.

Unknown. 1935. “31 Lives Lost $45,500 Damages In August Storm,” The Western Star (Corner Brook). October 2, p. 1. Accessed January 4, 2021.

Unknown. 1935. “Storm Damage,” The Daily News (St. John’s). August 27, p. 4.

Unknown. 1935. “Pick Up Dory From Missing Schooner,” The Daily News (St. John’s). September 13, p. 3.

Tags: 1935 Annie Young