History - Quidi Vidi Village

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During the 1870s, Quidi Vidi Village remained a distinct and active fishing community nestled within the larger city of St. John's, Newfoundland. Its history at this time is largely characterized by its continuing traditional way of life and its connection to the sea.

Quidi Vidi's primary industry was, and had been for centuries, the fishery. The sheltered harbor, known as "The Gut," made it an ideal location for small-boat fishing. Fishermen would depart from Quidi Vidi to fish for cod and other species, establishing "fishing rooms" (shore-based facilities for processing fish). While some of the migratory fishing practices from England had lessened by this time, local residents had long since settled and continued to rely on the fishery for their livelihoods.

Despite its proximity to St. John's, Quidi Vidi maintained a strong sense of its own identity as a village. This "place within a place" duality was a defining characteristic, and residents often referred to themselves as living in "Quidi Vidi Village" or simply "the Village." Many families in the area had generations of history rooted there.

Christ Church, a modest Gothic Revival style wood church, was a significant landmark in Quidi Vidi. Opened in 1842 as a "chapel of ease" for St. Thomas's Anglican Church in St. John's, it served the Anglican congregation of the village. While the exact religious landscape of the 1870s isn't detailed, the church's presence indicates a continued role for religious institutions in community life. A bell tower was added to the church around 1890, suggesting ongoing activity and investment in the late 19th century.

The Quidi Vidi Battery, a British coastal battery, was part of a larger defensive system for St. John's. While it was strategically important earlier, British military personnel had largely left Newfoundland by 1870. The battery's history as a military installation would have been a significant part of the village's past, and the remains of the site would have still been present.

Quidi Vidi Lake was (and still is) the site of the Royal St. John's Regatta. In the 1870s, competitive rowing races were a significant event, with crews from Quidi Vidi often participating. A notable challenge race between Quidi Vidi fishermen and St. John's men occurred in 1855, indicating the regatta's importance to the local community.

While specific population numbers for Quidi Vidi in the 1870s are not readily available, it was a settled and established community. The village continues to have a distinct "village feel" today, suggesting that it retained its relatively small, close-knit character during this period.