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Gisbourne Electric Telegraph Construction Employee List

While we have endeavored to be as correct as humanly possible, there may be typographical errors. Submitted by an anonymous researcher.

Gisbourne Electric Telegraph Construction (1850)
List of Employees
Section 1-2

The following is partial list of workers employed during the construction of the 1850 Trans-Newfoundland electric telegraph line from St. John’s to Cape Ray, under the supervisory direction of Chief Engineer Frederick Newton Gisbourne, and principal funding from the Newfoundland and London Telegraph Company. This phase of the construction consisted primarily in laying the telegraph line or cable, erecting connecting poles, clearing, maintaining and/or repairing the line of road or path, and erecting repeater stations at each section junction. Primary emphasis of the employee lists included herein will be limited in focus to sections 1-2 of telegraph line construction from St. John’s to Long Harbour River, the details of each section are outlined as follows:

i.) Section 1, from St. John’s to Piper’s Hole, covering a distance of app. 122 ½ miles (Gisbourne 1850:12), with a total of 27 men employed (Gisbourne 1850:181);

ii.) Section 2, from Piper’s Hole to Long Harbour River, covering a distance of 34 miles (Gisbourne 1850:12), with a total of 28 men employed (Gisbourne 1850:183)

181

South Line
Section A

Melville Jack Superintendent

Name	Occupation	Wages
1. M. Jack	Superintendent	7/6
2. Wm Mulloney	Skipper	5/
3. Mic. Brennan	Carpenter	"
4. Thos. Phanlon	"	"
5. Pat. Buckley	Solderer	4/.
6. John Furlong Sr.	Cook	5/.
7. John Furlong Jr.	Asst. Cook	2/8
8. Thos. Mills	Labourer	4/.
9. John Walsh	"	"
10. Thos. Brine	"	"
11. John Walsh	"	"
12. Abram Adams	"	"
13. Ricd Frizzle?	"	"
14. Simon Clarke	"	"
15. Dan Clarke	"	"
		181
16. Jas. Clarke
17. Mic. Doyle
18. Thos. Murphy
19. John Landrigan
20. Richard Frachen?
21.
22.
23.
		182
24.
25.
26.
27.

Southern Line
Section 2 Station A
Michael Allen Superintendent
28 men

183

Name	Occupation	Wages
1. Mar. Allen	Superintendent	12/6
2. Phil Jackman	Skipper	6/3
3. Thos. Melville	Carpenter	5/.
4. Dennis Murphy	"	"
5. Jas. Mennions?	Solderer	4/.
6. Michl Whelan	Cook	5/.
7. William Whelan	Assist. Cook	2/16
8. John Riely	Labourer	4/.
9. Dennis Merner?	"	"
10. James Dooling	"	"
11. Pat. Cummins	"	"
12. John Donald	"	"
13. Michl Toop	"	"
14. Thos. Cogan?	"	"
15. Thos. Barron	"	"
16. Wm Terry	"	"
17. Richd Brophy	"	"
		183
18. Pat. Hurley	"	"
19. Jas. McMann	"	"
20. Jas. White	"	"
21. Thos. Forristal	"	"
22. Mic. Dillon	"	"
23. Anr Dinn	"	"
24. Ed. Knox	"	"


25. John Murphy Lab.	4/.
26. Jas. Cannes	"	"
27. Martin Cullins	"	"

Name	Occupation	Wages
1. Mr. Allen	Superintendent	*
2. John Whiteway	Skipper	6/3
3. Jas. Furlong	Carpenter	5/.
4. Mic. Wall	"	"
5. Ed. Milligan	Solderer	4/.
6. Martin Langden	Cook	5/.
7. Thos. Venahly	Asst Cook	2/16.
8. James Walsh	Labourer	4/.
9. Jas. Canaly?	"	"
10. Pat. Walsh	"	"
11. John Whiteway	"	"
12. Richd Whiteway	"	"
13. Pat. FitzGibbon Sr.	"	"
14. John Purcell	"	"
15. Pat. FitzGibbon Jr.	"	"
16. Thos. Hunt	"	"
17. Jas. Barron	"	"
18. John Riely	"	"
19. Lawr Power	"	"
20. John Polk? ¹	"	"
21. Mr. Toop	"	"
22. Andr Murphy	"	"
23. Jas, Shram?	"	"
24. Jas. Handlan
25. John Couddihee?	Labourer	4/.
26. Pat. Everrett	"	"
27. Jas. FitzGibbons	"	"
28. Pat. Casey	"	"

14. Pat. Hurley	"	"
		189

	John Walsh Superintendent
1. John Walsh	Superintendent
2. Pat. Walsh	Skipper
3. Pat. Dunphy	"
4. Peter Kehoe	Carpenter
5. John McGrath	"	"
6. Jas Neil	"	"
7. Francis Mullowney	"	"
8. Thos. Traverse	Cook
9. Mic. Power	"	"
10. John Buckley	Black S. & Sr
11. John Armstrong	Labourer
12. Pat. Fitzgerald	E. Carpenter
13. Thos. Hickey	Labourer	4/.
14. John Toole	"	"
15. Jas. Barrett	"	"
16. Jas. Macnamara	"	"
17. John Cant?	"	"
18. Wm Bennett	"	"
19. John Walsh (1)	"	"
20. John Walsh (2)	"	"
21. Wm Boyle	"	"
22. John English	"	"
23. John Walsh (3)	"	"
24. John Macdonald	"	"
		190
25. Chrisr Kelly	Labourer	"
26. Pat. Kavanagh	"	"
27. Mat. Brine	"	"
28. John Gready	"	"
29. Mic. Sullivan	"	"
30. Ed. Aid	"	"
31. Geo. Noseworthy	"	"
32. John Noseworthy	"	"
33. John Nowland	"	"
34. Mic. Hearn	"	"
35. E. Power	"	"
36. Mat. Power } Blk. Rvr²	"	"
37. John Power	"	"
38. Dy. Cullen	"	"
39. Mic. Murphy	"	"
40. Wm. Carroll	"	"

2. ___
18. John Savage	"	"
12. John Moran	"	"
29. Geo. Roberts	"	"
30. Walr Keating	"	"
40. Mic. Keating	"	"
P John Walsh	Boy	4/0
		191
	Section 2 Station B
1. John Dunn	Superintendent	7/6
2. Jas. Long	Skipper 07	__
3. Martin Keough	"	4/6.
4. Wm Allen	Carpenter	5/.
5. Geo. Allen	"	"
6. Mic. Mackey	"	"
7. John Smith	"	"
	Labourer	4/.
9. Tim Sleeson?	Cook	5/.
10. Jas. Sullivan	"	"
11. Robt Mercer	Solderer	4/.
13. Alphons Squiers	"	"
14. L. Murphy	"	"
15. Pat. Redman	"	"
16. Wm. Bayley	"	"
17. Robt. Walsh (1)	"	"
18. Robt. Walsh (2)	"	"
19. Ric. Sheehan	"	"
20. Jas. Heffernan	"	"
21. Thos. Callenan?	"	"
22. John Brine	"	"
23. Mic. Roach	"	"
24. Pat. Dennis	"	"
		192
25. Thos. Murphy	Labourer	4/.
26. Mic. Dennis	"	"
27. Geo. Allen	"	"
28. Gregory Griffen	"	"
29. John Masey	"	"
30. John Murphy	"	"
31. W. McCarthy	"	"
32. Jas. Conan	"	"
33. Jas. Ryan	"	"
34. Thos. Cloony	"	"
35. Ric. Gain	"	"
36. Pat. Hennessy	"	"
37. John Keough	"	"
38. Jas. Brine	"	"
39. L. Longrans?	"	"
40. Geo. Smith	"	"
2. __
8. Ed. Allen	"	"
9. Pat. Brown³	"	"
12. E. Hynes	"	"
Source: Record of Frederic Gisbourne March 1st 1850 Chief Eng.r Newfoundland & London Telegraph Company PANL-The Rooms Frederic Gosbourne Manuscript Collection MG 849 Reel 62

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