| It was customary in the latter half of the last century, and up
until very recent times, for the different societies in Harbour
Grace to have a big parade at least once a year in which they were
joined by their brethren from Carbonear, Bay Roberts, Spaniard's Bay
and other places nearby. Protestant societies, such as the Loyal
Orange Association and the Conception Bay British Society, would
parade on their day, while the Benevolent Irish Society and its
affiliates would parade on St. Patrick's Day.
And so it was on Wednesday, the 26th day of December, 1883 the
members of the Loyal Orange Association, numbering between 400 and
500, of Harbour Grace and nearby towns formed up at the British
Hall, attended Divine Service in the Methodist Church on Water
Street (each year the service was held in one of the Protestant
churches), and then proceeded to parade around the town before
returning to their hall. When near Pippy's Lane, situated in the
west end, they were stopped by a body of from 100 to 150 men from
the River Head whose objective, it was said, was to prevent them
from passing through the lane from Harvey Street to Water Street, as
they felt the Orangemen were encroaching on their territory. Tempers
were aroused, shots were fired and the serious disturbance which
followed resulted in the death of five people and injuries to
seventeen, as follows:
The Victims:
William Jeans, aged 21 years of Carbonear, an
Orangemen.
William French, aged 40 years of Courage's Beach,
Harbour Grace, an Orangeman.
Patrick Callahan, aged 56 years of
Southside Harbour Grace, a Catholic.
John Bray, an aged man of
Courage's Beach, Harbour Grace, a bystander.
Thomas Nicholas, of
Otterbury, an Orangeman.
The Wounded:
John Webber and William Henry Anthony, both of Death Hill,
Harbour Grace; William Brown and Moses Nicholas, both of Mayne's
Brook, Harbour Grace; Solomon Martin, Martin's Brook, Harbour Grace;
Reuben Courage and James Bray, both of Courage's Beach, Harbour
Grace; Thomas Luffman, Noad Street, Harbour Grace; Patrick Dormady,
Edward Callahan, Thomas Walsh, all of Riverhead, Harbour Grace;
William George, Southside, Harbour Grace; Robert Lilly, The Marsh,
Harbour Grace; William Best, Harvey Street, Harbour Grace; Henry
Noseworthy, Bryant's Cove; William Cleary and Philip Vatcher, both
of Carbonear.
The Accused (all were later acquitted):
Arrested for the "wilful murder" of Patrick Callahan were: Edward
Doyle, Head Constable; Josiah Bray; Edmund Butt; Edward Ash; Ambrose
Williams; James Courage; and Charles French. Arrested for the
murders of William Jeans and others were: Michael Coady; James
Quirk; John Walsh; Patrick Harper; Richard MacKay; Nicholas
Shannahan; William Russell; Thomas Duggan; Thomas Bradbury; Jeremiah
Lee; Robert Donnelly; Patrick Smallcombe; Pierce Wade; Thomas
Morrisey; Patrick Walsh; John McCarthy; John Flemming; Richard
Flemming; and Nicholas Bradbury.
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