Work Through Time: Cape Breton Stories of Land & Sea

Bay St. Lawrence

Bay St. Lawrence Lobster Factory Crew.
North Highlands Community Museum.

The first lobster processing factory in Bay St. Lawrence began in approximately 1908, and was run by Joe O'Brien. There are no records of earlier factories in the area.

In 1944 the Co-Op Factory opened. The lumber for building the factory was cut locally from the back of Duncan H. MacDonald’s farm by Joe Alex MacNeil, Dan James MacNeil, John C. MacNeil, and John Alex MacNeil. The lumber was refined at Johnnie Wilkie's mill. Johnnie Edward MacNeil and Pat LaRusic were the head carpenters in the building of the factory. Tom MacLean was the manager and was also the manager of the Co-Op Store.

The equipment used in operating the Co-Op Factory was owned by Joe Asseff and had been taken over from White Point. Pat LaRusic was the foreman in the factory, a position later taken over by Leslie MacInnis.

Neil's Harbour Factory crew, with foreman Johnie Edward MacNeil.
North Highlands Community Museum.

Lobsters were bought from local fishermen who anchored their boats by the old wooden wharf built by Reddy MacDonald. Factory workers would haul the lobsters from the end of the wharf to the factory by hand barrows t were carried together by two men.

Several people had the job of cracking the claws of the lobster. The claws were placed on the counter and cracked with a sharp knife and the meat was removed. Others were responsible for stamping the cans with a number. The pay was 25¢ per hour. A large steel drum was placed in the middle of the room and used to cook the lobsters. After the claws and tails were cracked, they were sent into the packing room where five or six women would line the cans with white paper and pack the claws and tails neatly inside. The cans were then put through a machine that sealed the lids. In the final stage, the cans were put in a steam boiler to ensure that all the seals were air-tight. After their processing, the lobsters were purchased by U.M.F. and shipped out by truck to various locations.

A whistle that signaled the start of the work day was blown at eight o'clock each morning.. If everyone did not report it was blown twice more.

This factory was in operation for approximately four years and closed in 1948.

Dingwall Lobster Cannery permit, 1944.
North Highlands Community Museum.

White Point

Throughout the 1880’s and in the early 1890’s, Jim Chandler operated a fish business out of the old settlement near the Lower Point graveyard. At times there were as many as twenty-five families living in early settlement and a cook house was established for people who worked at the fish plant. Victoria Dunphy, now Mrs. Annie Morrison - still living and 104 years old - cooked there for three years. Chandler's fish business closed in 1897 and the old settlement was deserted shortly thereafter. Residents slowly moved to where the present settlement is.

The first lobster factory in White Point was owned by Velvon Theriault, who arrived from the Magdalene Islands on a trading vessel. The factory was built in 1891 and located near the pier. In 1898, Theriault sold the factory to Mr. Williams of Neils Harbour. Mr. Williams operated the factory for Moulton Ltd., in Halifax. These latter owners did not can lobsters, but operated a fish business.

Lobster Factory crew in Dingwall, in the early 1920's, at the MacDonald Brother's Factory.
North Highlands Community Museum.

In 1910, Neville Canneries Ltd also of Halifax moved in and built a new lobster factory which operated until 1922. They used Mr. Williams’ factory on another site as a can house. In 1922 a storm swept away the factory and Neville Canneries lost everything.

In 1923, Joseph Asseff bought the Williams factory. Willie Briand acted as foreman from 1923 until the factory closed in the early 1940's. Joseph Asseff bought lobsters from fishermen in White Point, Smelt Brook, and in his last years from New Haven and Neils Harbour.

This account of lobster canneries in Bay St. Lawrence and White Point was provided by the North Highlands Community Museum & Archives.

© 2009 North Highlands Community Museum & Archives