John Newhook of New Harbor, Trinity Bay was one of the last of the real old families that made shipbuilding in Trinity Bay famous for one hundred years.
We find mention of the Newhook family in the very earliest records. They were originally of French Huguenot extraction, and the real name Niuehook. They were prominently connected with shipbuilding, and many a sealer has been turned out by Charles and Robert Newhook.
Trinity Bay has been famous for shipbuilding for over 200 years, notably at Trinity, Hants Harbor, New Perlican, but none of them ever came up to New Harbor when extra good foreign-going vessels were required.
They will show you the stockyards at New Harbor where the Newhooks built the barque "Queen" for Punton & Munn, Harbor Grace. The "Queen" was a barque of 240 tons, and beat all competitors on foreign voyages. A few years ago some firm in Brazil compiled a list of all vessels that had reached there in the codfish trade during 30 years - from 1855 to 1885. These were the days that the Harbor Grace vessels went regularly to Rio de Janeiro, and often took cargoes of sugar and cotton thence to Liverpool, England, in payment of their cargoes of fish.
On this old record the "Queen" is mentioned as having made two trips from Harbor Grace to Brazil in 20 days. Another barque of Punton & Munn, the Fleetwing, made three trips to Brazil in 21 days. The Newhooks also built the Tasso, for the firm of Stabb, Rowe & Holmwood, St. John's, the great rival of Kearney's barque Rothesay. Also the famous Henry Thomas in which Capt. Joe Houlahan brought in 11,000 seals one spring. Robert Newhook built the Maggie, a splendid brig for the firm of W. J. S. Donnelly. She was lost with all hands in the Mediterranean in 1868. Capt. William Keefe, brother of Capt. James L, the sealkiller, was master. Charles Newhook built the brig Charles for C. F. Bennett & Co., St. John's. She left St. John's at 4 o'clock one Friday evening in 1834 and on Sunday week Mrs. C. F. Bennett attended morning Divine Service, in Bristol Cathedral. There are scores of other vessels built by the Newhooks that were noted for their great sailing qualities.
Those quoted above were wonderful quick voyages, and our friend John Newhook would never tire of telling about the Queen, or how his brother was passenger on her very first trip to Liverpool with John Munn and his wife, also his son William P. and nephew William M. Allan, afterwards so well known as Doctor Allan.
The death of John Newhook marks the passing away of a landmark. I had the
pleasure of his acquaintance for 60 years. He was one of those real old Newfoundland gentleman
of the old school with whom it was a pleasure to meet, and with whom rich and poor liked to
associate. Mr. Newhook was about 80 years of age. Well may it be said he had not an enemy in
this world, but hosts of friends who sincerely regret his passing, and sympathize with those
after him in their bereavement.