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14 years old, that is, in 1923. NONIA had been formed by Lady Constance Harris, whose husband was the governor, and its aim was to place nurse/midwives in Newfoundland outports in order to improve health care. The program was later expanded by Lady Elsie Allardyce to include knitting and weaving, the profits from which supported these community nurses. Dr. Wilfred Grenfell sent a trained weaver to Poole’s Cove, and Myrtle Riggs went there for special instruction. For 15 years she knit, did weaving and hooked mats for NONIA and was designated one of six persons to do fancy knitting and crocheting. When she had difficulty with the intricate and demanding requirements of the instructor, she would dream during the following night about how to do it and that always resolved the difficulty! In 1942, at age 33, she came to Rose Blanche as housekeeper for Henry Hatcher, a successful fisherman. Henry’s wife Elizabeth had died and left four children. Myrtle looked after the children, “did a little flake work at the beginning” (i.e., curing fish), and cooked and washed for the sharemen. She said, “They were good times. No one was rich; everybody was friendly and helped one another.” Myrtle eventually married Henryand they had three children. Myrtle and Henry bought the 23-ton
Minnie & Joan
in 1946 from Robert Allan Newman, merchant at Petites. Myrtle and Henry were joint owners; each owned 32 shares, and with a successful fishery they paid for the vessel in 10 months and operated it for 10 years. When I asked how Myrtle became a joint owner of their ship, Henry explained that it was “for the protection of my wife.” Myrtle was still living in 2005.
    Mary Boone was born in Bareneed on November 5, 1912. Before moving to Mose Ambrose in 1949, she taught school for more than 20 years at Daniel’s Harbour, Bellburns, Brig Bay, Savage Cove, Herring Neck, Shoal Cove West, and then moved to St. John’s to teach at Springdale Street School and the Anglican orphanage. Chesley Yarn was a merchant in Mose Ambrose. His wife Stella was from Harbour Grace. She had a tubercular knee at age 17 and wore an artificial leg. By the time Mary Boone moved to Mose Ambrose, Chesley had long been a widower. They married in 1954. Chesley was a merchant with a business in Mose Ambrose, and with Mary’s cooperation they started a new business in nearby English Harbour West for which Mary became responsible. She drove her car every day to the new location. Chesley had gone into “the ship business” about 1952 and operated the
Hilda M. Tibbo
as a passenger boat for several years until it burned. For six years Mary owned the 15-ton
Wagaymack
in her fishing business. When Chesley bought the vessel in 1956 the ship registry noted: “Mary Yarn of Mose Ambrose, NF., the person to whom the management of the vessel is entrusted by or on behalf of the owner. Advice under the hand of Chesley Yarn received 17 September 1956.” In other words, Mary was appointed as managing owner of the vessel. In Mary’s own words: “He made me part owner to provide for me as a partner.” She operated the business in English Harbour West for 12 years and then assisted with Chesley’s business at Mose Ambrose. When I mentioned to Mary that my reason for visiting her was that she had been a shipowner, she said she had not owned a ship. Then I reminded her of the
Wagaymack
and she said, “Oh, that was a boat. I thought you meant a big ship.” She was not about to take undue credit. The fact remains that it was a decked vessel and therefore required to be registered at St. John’s. In praise of her husband, who had only a Grade 9 education, Mary said: “I hadthe book learning, but Chesley was able to go around me in everything else. He was keen. An adding machine was no good to him; it just slowed him down.” Mary was an intelligent, well-read, well-spoken woman, a gracious host for my visit with