Re-examining the lives of an 18th century garrison at Admiral’s/Fort Point, Trinity, Newfoundland

De La Plante, Jake (2022) Re-examining the lives of an 18th century garrison at Admiral’s/Fort Point, Trinity, Newfoundland. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

Located in Trinity Newfoundland, the Admiral’s Point fortifications were constructed by British forces in the mid 1740s. During the British occupation of the site, it underwent numerous changes, being built and improved during King George’s (1744-1748) and the Seven Years (1756-1773) Wars, before being destroyed by the French in 1762. The fortifications were then revived during the Revolutionary period and Napoleonic Wars (roughly 1790s to 1815) before being finally abandoned in the late 1810s. Admiral’s Point represents an important part of Newfoundland’s military and social history as a key defensive feature within the landscape of British settlement on the island; archaeologically, the site contained a significant assemblage of 18th and 19th century material culture. Despite numerous excavations at the site, a comprehensive study of the archaeological features, landscape and artifact assemblage has never been completed. This project entails a detailed analysis of the material culture dating to the military occupation of the site, a review of documentary sources and a study of the site’s landscape and archaeological features with the aim of creating a more complete understanding of the function that this site played in the 18th and early 19th centuries. Special consideration will be given to the agency of individuals, particularly the enlisted ranks who are often neglected in the sources, both primary and secondary. Consideration will also be given to the often-complex relationship between the civilian and military populations of Trinity. Through this study, our understanding of Admiral’s Point will be situated within the larger context of British North America, showing how the garrison participated in the culture and society of their time.

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