All Things St. Jacques, NL

Alex Hickey 11/01/24

I didn’t set out to write a book. I went looking for people I never knew. In the process I dived in deeply and got to know five generations of a family – the Fitz-Gerald family of St. Jacques origin. Like most people on the north side of Fortune Bay I grew up with the revered name of Dr. Fitz-Gerald. It was spoken as commonly as those of my neighbours, even though he and his wife were long deceased and none of their descendants were known to us.  My search for them led me to Tom Fitz-Gerald.

It eventually led to Misfortune Bay: The Loss of the Albatross which tells the story of Dr. Conrad Fitz-Gerald, Tom’s great-grandfather, and the tragic loss of his medical schooner, the Albatross in 1916. I had known the basic threads of the story for many years and had always wondered about the lives lived by the people involved. As my research grew, so too did my interest in telling the story.  That’s where my relationship with the Fitz-Gerald family began.

I found a post by Tom while seeking information on a genealogy bulletin board regarding the Fitz-Gerald family – that is, Fitz-Gerald with a hyphen which sets it apart from the regular spelling of the name. Through a lengthy effort I found an email address and made contact. That was in the late fall of 2011. The following summer Tom, along with his oldest daughter and son, walked into my house. I shall never forget the smiles on their faces as they approached. We were all excited with the anticipation of members of the Fitz-Gerald family returning to St. Jacques after almost a century. Within minutes of arrival the daughter stated. “I want to walk on the ground my great-great grandfather walked upon.” A short while later she walked through green grass, moistened by famous south coast fog, and brushed away a tear as she followed the pathway to where he, and his wife Keturah, lived for half a century. The town hosted a dinner along with presentations to commemorate the visit. That was the first visit. During the next one Tom brought his middle daughter, his baby grandchild, and his oldest daughter again. On the third visit to St. Jacques Tom’s youngest daughter and his sister accompanied him.

Conrad and Keturah had two sons – Conrad Jr. and Reginald. Reg moved to western Canada, while Conrad Jr. remained in Newfoundland. Having located Reg’s descendants I sought Conrad Jr.’s. A photograph in a 1947 magazine, Atlantic Guardian, led me to Conrad and Keturah’s grand-daughter who was ninety-two at the time. That summer, during Tom’s second visit, both sides of the Fitz-Gerald family met for the first time.

I talked with Tom about writing this story of his ancestor and he agreed to be a beta reader for the process, reading excerpts along my journey. He was in St. Jacques when a near-final draft was complete. He often sat at the Kitchen table and read with a ‘Do Not Disturb’ expression on his face. His children told me later how he would find a secluded space, sometimes the back seat of their parked car, and read the draft document. When the time came to publish I asked Tom if he would contribute an endorsement for the book. This is what appears on the back cover:

The bravery of my Great Grandfather, Conrad Fitz-Gerald, and his deep love of Fortune Bay was known to me through a tattered copy of his biography, The Albatross.  Misfortune Bay recounts the sinking of his schooner, the Albatross, and brings to life what happened that night. This retelling of the events surrounding that tragedy, combined with my own experiences as a sailor, has enriched the magnitude of my appreciation for who he was.  This book brings out the depth and heroism of my ancestor. I have never been more proud to be a Fitz-Gerald. (Tom Fitz-Gerald, 2024)

Sadly, for all of us, while on vacation Tom Fitz-Gerald passed away quite suddenly on October 6th, 2024. at age 73.

During our time together Tom was able get his indigenous ancestry recognized and embraced it with gusto. He expressed it through the elaborately beaded earrings he generously bestowed upon friends. He loved the sea and sailing his treasured Peregrine on the Pacific with family. That sailboat was a family’s labour of love, for everyone invested their hearts and sweat into it. The Atlantic Ocean was fascinating to him. During his last visit we spent time touring around the north side of Fortune Bay, jigging for cod and sometimes simply drifting with the tide, savouring the moments. We visited the location where the Albatross was lost and later reflected on the experience.

Tom loved storytelling and regaled friends with many tales, tall and true. As he got into a story his infectious smile, laughter and enthusiasm was contagious. When his voice boomed throughout a room, all listened. Stories of family, travel, sailing, hiking, and of his life-long engagement with the Scouting movement, entertained us all. Sometimes, late into the evening, he could also be convinced to pick up a guitar. The South Coast Arts Festival was a favourite event where he met hundreds of people and enjoyed the breadth and depth of south coast music. He made sure he timed his visits to coincide with the Festival.

During the last Come Home Year celebrations he made sure he ate a meal in the community halls of every town between Belleoram and Wreck Cove. Between visits, Tom made video calls, texted, and sent photographs to keep us in his family loop. We got to witness the two grandchildren grow month by month. In the same vein, Tom’s children stayed in touch – a phone call, a social media message, a photograph, a hand-written letter and an occasional visit.

Tom Fitz-Gerald had many gifts to share, not the least of which, his family. They have become part of the social and emotional fabric of our lives. That he chose to bring them all to St. Jacques to stand where his ancestors stood, to sit in a church pew they once occupied, to stand on the foundation of their home, to glide over the waters sailed by the Albatross, and to visit their graveside to share a few private moments, speaks volumes about the integrity of the man and his value for heritage. He left us stories and when his children next visit St. Jacques we shall sit around and trade ‘Tom Stories’ until there isn’t a dry eye in the room.