Stories from the Station: Nicholas Avery, Newfoundland Royal Naval Reserve

 Nicholas Avery (1898-1992)

Seaman Nicholas Avery.
Image courtesy of Shannon Eddy Andrews and
the Southwest Arm Historical Society. 

Date of Birth: 1 January 1897 or 4 February 1898 (as per Baptismal record)

Place of Birth: Long Beach, Southwest Arm, Trinity Bay, Newfoundland 

Date of Death: 1992

Burial Place: United Church Cemetery, Little Heart’s Ease, Newfoundland

NRNR ID: 1977x

Enlistment Date: 6 December 1915

Demobilized: 1 May 1919

Served at HM Wireless Station: 6 December 1915- December 1918

Duty: Guard

Appearance (as described in Service Record). 

Height: 5’5

Hair: Fair

Eyes: Blue

Complexion: Fresh

Early Life

Nicholas Avery was born on February 4, 1898 in Long Beach, Newfoundland. He was the seventh child of James and Sarah Elizabeth (Spurrell) Avery.

Long Beach is a small community along the Southwest Arm, Trinity Bay. The settlement had a recorded population of 69 in 18841 and remained small throughout the early 20th century (its peak population of 156 was reached in 1945). Long Beach was primarily populated by the Veys, Barfitts, Averys and Gosses and their extended families.

Views of Long Beach, Newfoundland.
Images courtesy of Google Maps

When Nicholas was 5 years old, his father, James, died from tuberculosis at the age of 412. Tuberculosis was peaking in Newfoundland at the turn of the century and killed nearly 1000 people in 19063. Nicholas’s mother was now a widow, 35 years old, pregnant, and with seven children ranging from 2-16 years old. 

Death registration for James Avery in 19032

This early loss would have impacted the family significantly and Nicholas and his siblings would have to step up and help support their family. 

Only two years after his father passed away, Nicholas’s eldest brother, Thomas, was lost to tuberculosis at the age of 18. 

When Nicholas was 13, his brother Abraham (765x) enlisted in the Newfoundland Royal Naval Reserve4. This started the trend of the Avery brothers serving with the Naval Reserve. Robert Avery (1073x) joined in 1913 and Nicholas followed in their footsteps in 1915. 

Service in the Newfoundland Royal Naval Reserve

Nicholas Avery’s application to the Newfoundland Royal Naval Reserve. Image courtesy of the Southwest Arm Historical Society.

When Nicholas enlisted with the Newfoundland Royal Naval Reserve, he was 17 years old. On his application his birth was incorrectly recorded as 1 January 1897.

Nicholas was assigned service as a guard at HM Wireless Station in Mount Pearl from December 6th, 1915 until December 1918. Nicholas would have performed guard duty alongside William Alcock (2072x). He also was serving at the station when Warrant Telegraphist Henry Candey was killed at the station in 1917.

Following his service at HM Wireless Station in Mount Pearl, Nicholas was posted to HMS President III5, a Royal Naval Reserve shore establishment in London, England6.

Nicholas Avery. 

Image courtesy of Christine Drover and the

Southwest Arm Historical Society.

Albert Eddy and Nicholas Avery. 

Image courtesy of Sharon Eddy Andrews and

Southwest Arm Historical Society. 

Nicholas’s overseas posting was not long-lived. A notice of the return of several naval reservists, including Nicholas Avery, was posted in the St. John’s Daily Star on March 22, 19197,8. A few days later, a letter from two unidentified friends in Long Beach was published in the Evening Advocate. The service of Nicholas and his brothers, Abraham, and Robert, as well as seven other members of the Long Beach community was extoled. Excitement levels were high with the Long Beach boys on their way home. 

Published in the Evening Advocate, March 26, 1919.

Image courtesy of the Memorial University Digital Archive Initiative. 

Family and Later Life

On October 10, 1927, Nicholas Avery was wed to Martha Anne Soper. The wedding took place in House Cove in the home of Benjamin Price, Nicholas’s brother-in-law. The couple remained living in House Cove for the next three decades. House Cove provided access to family, with Martha’s parents, and Nicholas’s sister and brother-in-law, living in the community10.

House Cove was a very small community on the south side of the harbour at Little Heart’s Ease11. Over the years the settlement had between 20 and 40 residents, mainly members of the Price, Soper and Avery families11. 

In 1928, Martha and Nicholas welcomed the arrival of their first child, Martha Roosevelt Avery. In 1929, Elizabeth Vera was born, followed by Bertha (1930), James (1931), Margaret (1933), Marina (1935), Charles (1937), and Susie (1939). In the 1940s, the family expanded to include Pearl (1941), Maxwell (1943) and F. Eldred (1944)12,13. 

A family of 13, the Avery family represented 30% of the population of House Cove by 1945. 

While living in House Cove, Nicholas took on a variety of employment opportunities to support his family. In 1935, he was working as a cod fisherman12 alongside the other adult men in the community. In the 1950s, Nicholas worked as a lumberman and logger alongside his son James13,14. 

Nicholas Avery called Long Beach, House Cove and Little Heart’s ease home over the course of his 94-year life. 

Image courtesy of Google Maps.

In the early 1960s, the community of House Cove was abandoned, and a now-retired Nicholas moved to Little Heart’s Ease with his family15. In 1986, Nicholas was widowed. He survived Martha for 6 years, passing away in 1992 at the age of 94. He was buried in the United Church Cemetery, Little Heart’s Ease and is remembered with two markers in the cemetery.

Images courtesy of the 
Southwest Arm Historical Society.

Family Tree

Parents: 

1. James AVERY (b. 14 Feb 1862, d. 9 April 1903) of Grate’s Cove

2. Sarah Elizabeth (Spurrell) AVERY (b. 18 Sept 1868) of Butter Cove

Siblings:

1. Thomas AVERY (b. 1887, d. 1905), died of Tuberculosis

2. Susanna (Avery) PRICE (b. 1888, d. 1959)

1. 7 November 1907, Married Benjamin PRICE

3. Abraham AVERY (b. 3 December 1890, d. 1969), Fisherman

1. 13 June 1911, Married Phoebe GREEN (b. 1892) of Northern Bight

2. Enlisted in NRNR (765x) in 1911 

1. Invalided for epilepsy in 1918

4. Mary (Avery) PRICE (b. 14 March 1893, d. 1911-12)

1. 24 February 1911, Married Simeon PRICE (b. 1890), Fisherman of Long Cove

5. Robert James AVERY (b. 28 June 1894, d. 1966)

1. Married Louise DUFFETT

6. Bertha Jane (Avery) PRICE (b. 29 October 1896)

1. Married John PRICE

7. Eliza Gladys AVERY (b. 11 November 1901)

8. Elias Avery (b. 23 June 1903, d. 1981)

1. Married Jemima KING

Wife:

1. Martha Anne (Soper) AVERY (b. 22 July 1912, d. 1986) of House Cove

1. Married on 10 October 1927

2. Parents: 

1. Jonah SOPER (b. March 1848), Fisherman of Dildo

2. Margaret “Maggie” SOPER (b. January 1879) of Lourbourn, NL

3. Siblings:

1. Sarah Elizabeth SOPER (b. 10 June 1901)

2. Samuel Hatcher SOPER (b. 2 February 1906)

3. William Thomas SOPER (b. 20 September 1908, d. 1983)

1. Married Mimie

4. Elijah Chas SOPER (b. 1 June 1915, d. 1991)

1. 2 January 1935 married Annie

5. Lydia Susannah SOPER (b. 28 December 1917, d. 23 November 1918)

Children:

1. Martha Roosevelt AVERY (B. 1928, d. 1985)

2. Elizabeth Vera (Avery) SMITH (b. 1929, d. 1997)

3. Bertha AVERY (b. 1930, d. 1998)

4. James AVERY (b. 1931)

1. Worked as a lumberman (1953), logger (1957)

5. Margaret AVERY (b. 1933)

6. Marina AVERY (b. 1935)

7. Charles AVERY (b. 1937)

8. Susie AVERY (b. 1939)

9. Pearl AVERY (b. 1941)

10. Maxwell Avery (b. 1943)

1. Worked as a Flight Services Attendant (1965), Little Heart’s Ease

2. Worked as a Linesman (1972 & 1974), Little Heart’s Ease

11. F Eldred (b. 1944)

    
    

    
    

    References: 

    1. Smallwood, Joseph Roberts, Cyril Poole, and Robert Cuff, eds. “Long Beach.” In Encyclopedia of Newfoundland and Labrador, Volume 3., 365. St. John’s, Nfld., Canada: Newfoundland Book Publishers, 1991.

    2. 1903 Death Registration, District of Trinity, page. 245. James Avery. Newfoundland death records, 1891-1949, Newfoundland. Vital Statistics Division; Provincial Archives of Newfoundland and Labrador, Provincial Archives (Newfoundland & Labrador), Newfoundland, Canada. Online copy available at ancestry.ca

    3. Collier, Keith. “History of Tuberculosis and Its Prevalence in Newfoundland.” Heritage Newfoundland and Labrador, 2011. https://www.heritage.nf.ca/articles/society/tuberculosis-newfoundland.php. 

    4. Green, Lester. “Avery Brothers Contribute 19 Years of Naval Service.” Southwest Arm Historical Society, 2017. 9. http://swahsociety.com/military/wwi-records-and-photos/royal-navy-naval-reserve-ww1/where-once-they-sailed-2/avery-brothers-contribute-19-years-of-naval-service.

    5. Service Record, Nicholas Avery. Provincial Archives of Newfoundland, and Labrador, GN 182.13, Reel 3.

    6. Dittmar, F.J, and J.J. Colledge. British Warships, 1914-1919. First Edition. Ian Allan, 1972. Index accessed at https://www.naval-history.net/WW1NavyBritishShips-Dittmar1.htm#num.

    7. Newspaper Clipping from the St. John’s Daily Star, (St. John’s, N.L.), 1919-03-22, “Reservists are Returning Home.” Newspaper scan courtesy of the Memorial University of Newfoundland’s Digital Archive Initiative, http://collections.mun.ca/cdm/compoundobject/collection/daily_star/id/16905/rec/18

    8. 1919 Passenger List, SS Baltic, 20 March 1919. Passenger Lists, 1865–1935. Microfilm Publications T-479 to T-520, T-4689 to T-4874, T-14700 to T-14938, C-4511 to C-4542. Library and Archives Canada, n.d. RG 76-C. Department of Employment and Immigration fonds. Library and Archives Canada Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

    9. 1927 10 10, Marriage of Nicholas Avery. Southwest Arm Historical Society, United Church Marriage Records, 1927-1935. https://swahsociety.com/religion/church-records/united-church-marriage-records-random-south-parish-1927-1935

    10. 1935 Census, District Trinity, Section from Garrett’s Cove to Rocky Harbour, page, 390. Newfoundland. Department Of Tourism, Culture, And Recreation, Newfoundland, Canada.

    11. Southwest Arm Historical Society. “Little Heart’s Ease and Surrounding,” n.d. https://swahsociety.com/communities/histories/little-hearts-ease-and-surrounding.

    12. 1945 Census, District Trinity North, Community of House Cove, pg. 225 Newfoundland. Department Of Tourism, Culture, And Recreation, Newfoundland, Canada.

    13. 1953 Voter List, Trinity, Polling Div. 56. Voters Lists, Federal Elections, 1935–1980. R1003-6-3-E (RG113-B). Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

    14. 1957 Voter List, Trinity, Polling Div. 58, Voters Lists, Federal Elections, 1935–1980. R1003-6-3-E (RG113-B). Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

    15. 1962 Voter List, Polling Div. 56, Voters Lists, Federal Elections, 1935–1980. R1003-6-3-E (RG113-B). Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

    16. 1965 Voter List, Trinity-Conception, Polling Div. 59, Voters Lists, Federal Elections, 1935–1980. R1003-6-3-E (RG113-B). Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

    17. 1972 Voter List, Bonavista-Trinity-Conception, Polling Div. 101, Voters Lists, Federal Elections, 1935–1980. R1003-6-3-E (RG113-B). Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

    18. 1974 Voter List, Bonavista-Trinity-Conception, Polling Div. 1010, Voters Lists, Federal Elections, 1935–1980. R1003-6-3-E (RG113-B). Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

    19. Find A Grave: Nicholas Avery https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/197900720

    20. 1921 Census, Martha Soper, House Cove https://swahsociety.com/records/census-records/1921-census-records/nggallery/page/2