"Fairvale Reminisences" (Author Unknown)
Fairvale was at one time a part of Rothesay Parish. It was called Fairleigh when there was a Post Office from 1889-1892. The post master was Mr. Pearson who lived in one of the oldest houses in the area. When Mr. Pearson died the Fairleigh Post Office was closed and apparently the residents had to get their mail in Rothesay. In 1909 there was a Post Office once more in the area but the name was now Fair vale. Two words, to distinguish it from Fairville. Miss Catheline was the post mistress.
The shipyard owned and operated by Richard Titus was situated at the foot of the present Shipyard Road and was called the Rothesay Shipyard.
There were quite a few buildings at the yard. An old map shows- “double dwelling house, store and dwelling, barn and molding loft, paint shop, trun-mill (treenail) sheds, blacksmith shop, steam box and boiler furnace (where beams and planks were softened for bending to the required shape), two buildings for ropes, blocks, augers etc.. There were also saw-pits where two men worked sawing the beams- one down in the pit, the others above. The one below wore a veil to protect his eyes and nose from the sawdust.”
The “trunnells” or treenails were made up from juniper and were used in shipbuilding but were also used in building houses. The beams in the buildings were dovetailed and the wooden nails (treenails) were used to fasten them together. The “old” houses on the Gondola Point Road were of this type of construction.
There were also ways at the yard for launching the vessels.
Many ships were built at the Rothesay Shipyard. Some were 3 and 4 masted schooners. Two of these were the St. John, 248 tons, built in 1881 and the Adelene, 193 tons, built in 1885. The St. John was destroyed in 1894 by a severe storm on her way to Grenada with a cargo of planks, boards and shingles. The Adeline was abandoned at sea in 1906- cargo unknown.
There was a boarding house at the head of the Shipyard Road and smaller houses on the other side of the road. They were all for the employees of the yard. The boarding house was later used as a summer hotel. Another summer hotel “Hillhurst House” was owned and operated by Mr. T. B. Robertson. There was a store next to the hotel.
The Kennebecasis River was an excellent source of transportation because of the river boats. There were two wharves in the Fair Vale area- Roberts’ Wharf and Flewellings’. The former. . .[illegible]. . . proprietor of “Hillhurst House”. Two of the boats which stopped at the wharves were the Clifton (built at Clifton) and the Hampton. These boats ran between Saint John and Hampton.
Hillhurst House and the other summer hotel were only about a mile from the railway station and Fair Vale Station.
The train service was excellent. Many people spent their holidays, others the entire summer at one of the hotels or boarding in private homes and commuting to Saint John.
There were a few small stores- in the area- one in the large house at the entrance to the Vincent Road; another store was situated a short distance from this one but on the main road. At Fair Vale Station there was a larger grocery store. Mr. McElwaine was the proprietor. He had a delivery service.
The Baptist Church which was known as Rothesay Baptist was built on land donated by the Hon. D.V. Roberts, ancestor of the owners and developers of the Hillhurst Subdivision. This is now a Pentecostal Church and no longer in Fairvale since the boundaries have been changed. The name of the church shows that Fairvale was at one time a part of Rothesay Parish.
A long time ago there was also a Methodist Church. This was the building at the top of the hill form the underpass on the way to Gondola Point on the right side. It has a very steep roof and used to have an interesting little triangular window high in the end wall. For many years this has been a private dwelling and at one time contained a store.
Up until 1916 the children attended the “Old Red School House” which was situated over two miles above the Shipyard Road. Of course then, there was no transportation so all the children had to walk. A photograph owned by a former pupil shows a very large class- all grades from 1 to 8.
In 1916 the Rothesay Consolidated School opened and the “Old Red School House” was closed. The children traveled by horse-drawn vans which were painted red and black. There were two long seats down the sides, on fine warm days the windows were open but on cold rainy days the windows had leatherette covers fastened down, then the only light came from a small window in the door. There were 3 steps up to the narrow door.
The winter vans were low to the ground on runners. There were no windows except for a tiny one in the door. It was dark inside. There was straw on the floor and blankets were provided, but it was a very cold ride. Some of the children left home about seven in the morning and did not return until nearly five o'clock.
The Fairvale River Road was a summer resort. Many people had cottage for the summer. There were also year-round residents for the summer. There was an excellent beach and an “unpolluted” river for swimming. The “Club House” was a busy spot with its Saturday night dances. There were 2 tennis courts which were well used. On Sunday mornings the children attended Sunday School in the “Club House” and in the afternoons there would be a church service conducted by ministers who came out from Saint John.
A bus service starting the mid-20’s. It was well patronized. The buses ran 7 days a week The Sunday schedule was slightly different that the other days- no early morning runs. But the rest of the week they ran from 7 in the morning until midnight. Low fares, excellent service.
There was an interesting delivery service in the area bringing a variety of products to the residents. A daily milk delivery was provided by Mr. Roberts of Hillhurst Farm. At first he had a horse and wagon, then later he had a truck.
Dwyers Bakery came every day from Saint John with bread and cakes, etc.
Once a week, Mrs. Roberts and Mrs. Waddell from Reeds’ Point brought fresh home made butter.
Mr. Puddington who lived in Clifton had a large market garden. He came along once a week with his horse and wagon bringing all kinds of vegetables which he measured out in peck and half-peck containers. His wagon was equipped with a large umbrella as protection against rain and sun.
Two men had fish deliveries- Mr. Gilliland- a local resident and Mr. Melanson who came out from Saint John.
At that time people had to depend on ice to keep food- there were no refrigerators but many people had ice-boxes. Some people cut their own ice from the unpolluted river and stored it, covered with sawdust in sheds. Those people who had to buy ice were supplied by Mr. Scribner who lived in Rothesay and had a delivery service. This “ice truck” was used on Sundays as a means of transportation to the Baptist Church.
The shipyard owned and operated by Richard Titus was situated at the foot of the present Shipyard Road and was called the Rothesay Shipyard.
There were quite a few buildings at the yard. An old map shows- “double dwelling house, store and dwelling, barn and molding loft, paint shop, trun-mill (treenail) sheds, blacksmith shop, steam box and boiler furnace (where beams and planks were softened for bending to the required shape), two buildings for ropes, blocks, augers etc.. There were also saw-pits where two men worked sawing the beams- one down in the pit, the others above. The one below wore a veil to protect his eyes and nose from the sawdust.”
The “trunnells” or treenails were made up from juniper and were used in shipbuilding but were also used in building houses. The beams in the buildings were dovetailed and the wooden nails (treenails) were used to fasten them together. The “old” houses on the Gondola Point Road were of this type of construction.
There were also ways at the yard for launching the vessels.
Many ships were built at the Rothesay Shipyard. Some were 3 and 4 masted schooners. Two of these were the St. John, 248 tons, built in 1881 and the Adelene, 193 tons, built in 1885. The St. John was destroyed in 1894 by a severe storm on her way to Grenada with a cargo of planks, boards and shingles. The Adeline was abandoned at sea in 1906- cargo unknown.
There was a boarding house at the head of the Shipyard Road and smaller houses on the other side of the road. They were all for the employees of the yard. The boarding house was later used as a summer hotel. Another summer hotel “Hillhurst House” was owned and operated by Mr. T. B. Robertson. There was a store next to the hotel.
The Kennebecasis River was an excellent source of transportation because of the river boats. There were two wharves in the Fair Vale area- Roberts’ Wharf and Flewellings’. The former. . .[illegible]. . . proprietor of “Hillhurst House”. Two of the boats which stopped at the wharves were the Clifton (built at Clifton) and the Hampton. These boats ran between Saint John and Hampton.
Hillhurst House and the other summer hotel were only about a mile from the railway station and Fair Vale Station.
The train service was excellent. Many people spent their holidays, others the entire summer at one of the hotels or boarding in private homes and commuting to Saint John.
There were a few small stores- in the area- one in the large house at the entrance to the Vincent Road; another store was situated a short distance from this one but on the main road. At Fair Vale Station there was a larger grocery store. Mr. McElwaine was the proprietor. He had a delivery service.
The Baptist Church which was known as Rothesay Baptist was built on land donated by the Hon. D.V. Roberts, ancestor of the owners and developers of the Hillhurst Subdivision. This is now a Pentecostal Church and no longer in Fairvale since the boundaries have been changed. The name of the church shows that Fairvale was at one time a part of Rothesay Parish.
A long time ago there was also a Methodist Church. This was the building at the top of the hill form the underpass on the way to Gondola Point on the right side. It has a very steep roof and used to have an interesting little triangular window high in the end wall. For many years this has been a private dwelling and at one time contained a store.
Up until 1916 the children attended the “Old Red School House” which was situated over two miles above the Shipyard Road. Of course then, there was no transportation so all the children had to walk. A photograph owned by a former pupil shows a very large class- all grades from 1 to 8.
In 1916 the Rothesay Consolidated School opened and the “Old Red School House” was closed. The children traveled by horse-drawn vans which were painted red and black. There were two long seats down the sides, on fine warm days the windows were open but on cold rainy days the windows had leatherette covers fastened down, then the only light came from a small window in the door. There were 3 steps up to the narrow door.
The winter vans were low to the ground on runners. There were no windows except for a tiny one in the door. It was dark inside. There was straw on the floor and blankets were provided, but it was a very cold ride. Some of the children left home about seven in the morning and did not return until nearly five o'clock.
The Fairvale River Road was a summer resort. Many people had cottage for the summer. There were also year-round residents for the summer. There was an excellent beach and an “unpolluted” river for swimming. The “Club House” was a busy spot with its Saturday night dances. There were 2 tennis courts which were well used. On Sunday mornings the children attended Sunday School in the “Club House” and in the afternoons there would be a church service conducted by ministers who came out from Saint John.
A bus service starting the mid-20’s. It was well patronized. The buses ran 7 days a week The Sunday schedule was slightly different that the other days- no early morning runs. But the rest of the week they ran from 7 in the morning until midnight. Low fares, excellent service.
There was an interesting delivery service in the area bringing a variety of products to the residents. A daily milk delivery was provided by Mr. Roberts of Hillhurst Farm. At first he had a horse and wagon, then later he had a truck.
Dwyers Bakery came every day from Saint John with bread and cakes, etc.
Once a week, Mrs. Roberts and Mrs. Waddell from Reeds’ Point brought fresh home made butter.
Mr. Puddington who lived in Clifton had a large market garden. He came along once a week with his horse and wagon bringing all kinds of vegetables which he measured out in peck and half-peck containers. His wagon was equipped with a large umbrella as protection against rain and sun.
Two men had fish deliveries- Mr. Gilliland- a local resident and Mr. Melanson who came out from Saint John.
At that time people had to depend on ice to keep food- there were no refrigerators but many people had ice-boxes. Some people cut their own ice from the unpolluted river and stored it, covered with sawdust in sheds. Those people who had to buy ice were supplied by Mr. Scribner who lived in Rothesay and had a delivery service. This “ice truck” was used on Sundays as a means of transportation to the Baptist Church.