A Rich History
The Chafe House - The Oldest House in Petty Harbour
Chafe’s Landing is located in a restored house that was constructed in 1878 by Edward Chafe. Edward himself was born in Petty Harbour but his family
originally came from Devonshire, England. Edward was a fisherman by trade but he was also a reputable carpenter. Besides the Chafe House he built three
other houses in Petty Harbour. The Chafe House is the second house that he built for himself.
Edwards’s wife Harriet was the towns midwife.
Edward died in 1929 at age 72 and Harriet in 1934 at age 73. They had six children – four daughters and two sons.
Edwards’s son Edgar was born in 1898 and as the youngest son he remained at home to take care of his parents. Like his father he also became a
fisherman and married a local girl named Fanny Chafe. They raised three daughters and one son in the house that his father built.
In 1978 the king and queen of Belgium visited the province. As owners of the oldest house in Petty Harbour,
Edward and Fanny were asked by the mayor of Petty Harbour if they were willing to have the visiting royals drop by for a visit.
Many local residents still remember the day King Baudouin and Queen Fabiola dropped by to visit the community and have a cup of tea with the Chafes.
Edgar died in 1985 at the age of 86 and is wife died four years later at the age of 88. Their son Hughie lived in the house until his recent demise.
In 2007 we purchased the property and began the tedious task of restoring it. We recognized the importance of the house to the community of Petty Harbour and
wanted to breath new life into the landmark. Time had not been kind to the house and years of neglect had
left it dilapidated and severely run down. Visit our Chafe House gallery to view the restoration process from start to finish.
A Short History of Petty Harbour
By 1675 Petty Harbour Was home to five planters, three wives, one child and 39 servants. The following year the community was attacked and destroyed by the French.
Thirty six people died in this attack but settlement continued and Petty Harbour continued to grow and prosper.
The by boat keepers who were were forced to occupy the southside were mostly English and protestant and the settlers on the northside were mostly Irish and Catholic. As a result the community was secregated from early on.
In 1898 the Reid Newfoundland Company built the first hydroelectric generating station in Newfoundland in Petty Harbour.
Electricity was transmitted to St. John's to supply the electric tramway.
