Review of Vignettes of a Small Town in Evening Telegram October 26, 1997 To Order Book (Go to site) Robert Parsons - Newfoundland Author

Robert C. Parsons, the author, is a well-known Newfoundland writer who had, in his four previous books, chronicled a good deal of the history, especially the marine history, of the south coast.

In his latest publication, Parsons tells (in a very unique way) the story of his hometown and the people and the events that have shaped its history. Also included in this volume are the writings of other Grand Bankers who have written about their home town.

The book has eight chapters, each of which is divided into a number of short sections.

The first chapter, Historical Overview, has four sections which introduce the reader to the town's long history. The article by Philip Forsey — The Old Home Town — is a delightful look at how little Grand Bank changed from the turn of the century to the 1840s. It is well written and will evoke many pleasant memories of life in a Newfoundland some 50 years ago.

Chapter two deals with prominent Grand Bankers from the recent past. George Forsey, an innovative business man, the paternal grandfather of Senator Eugene Forsey, had the first telephone in Grand Bank in 1883. Another native son, Hon. A. E. Hickman, founded A. E. Hickman Co. And served for a short time as prime minister of Newfoundland. As well there is the English lady (possibly a Mrs. Hickman) who, in 1781, saved the lives of five captured American privateers.

The third section in vintage Parsons. It describes the marine history of Grand Bank, the ships and the men who sailed them. My favorite selection in this section is the story about the last schooner built in Grand Bank and how it heralded the end of an era.

The fourth sections tells of the beginning and the growth of soccer, Grand Bank style, and uses photographs to recount many memorable events. Section five is dedicated to Grand Bank landmarks, including the lighthouse, Fidelity Lodge and its legacy of the sea, and the War Memorial. There's even a piece about E. J. Pratt's connection to the town.

The sixth section features local tales of Grand Bank trivia. The Policeman on the Bride recalls the civic turmoil of 1944, when Grand Bank was incorporated as a municipality. Back Home or Else recalls an unfortunate fishing voyage to Greenland in the "Dirty '30s".

Section Seven contains odds and ends of Grand Bank history: descriptions of major fires, banking schooners, and biographical information about the two Rhodes scholars born in Grand Bank.

Les Stoodley's wonderful recollections — both the good and the bad — of growing up in Grand Bank make up the eighth section.

With this book, Parsons has produced a vibrant and living history of his hometown. It is a marvelous book that will be read and reread, and treasured, not only by native Grand Bankers, but by Newfoundlanders from all over.

The stories are well-written and the book is filled with photographs, many from private collections, never before published. There are also 12 appendices listing valuable information. There's just a gold mine of information.

Vignettes of a Small Town is a good read for anyone interested in Newfoundland history.

Review written by Michael McCarthy of the Evening Telegram