2015-07-22 St Anthony & Dr Wilfred Thomas Grenfell
We heard a
lot about Dr Grenfell and what he had done for the community after arriving
from England. The son of a minister, and becoming one himself, he got his degree in medicine in London and trained in the poverty section
of the city. He was determined to help the poor and poverty people of
Newfoundland. He spent a lot of time going to the small villages and homes
treating the poor and eventually built a hospital in St Anthony. He brought
nurses from London and later was able to get more doctors to come. He later
brought in doctors and nurses from America and New Brunswick and Halafax. HIS
WIFE Elizabeth came from a wealthy family and was able to do the fundraising
from the rich and large corporations. He also became good at it and acquired
political friend such as president Roosevelt and Prime Ministers from Camada
and England.
He acquired
boats that became hospital boats and kept growing. He would start a project and
turn it over to the people to complete. Included were starting gardens of
vegetables, new buildings, starting an orphanage , starting a CO-OP for the fishermen to help them get out of
debt; help bring in more businesses. He
knew he had to improve the health of adults and children to help prevent
Tuberculosis (TB) as that was the major affliction. Vikings had a bad habit of
spitting and doing so in the confines of a small hut, he passed it to his
family. He started “DON’T SPIT” campaign to help.
He started
the Grenfell foundation and after marriage his wife would do a lot of the fund
raising. Today the foundation is still active and St Anthony has become the
centerpost of all medical needs for the entire Vinland (Northern Peninsula)
area.
Seal skin clothing
While we were there a wedding party came through to take some photos that they were unable to get during the weding. Congratulations to you Brian and Cindy Saunders. May you love to live and live as long as you love
Carvings from walrus ivory
more carvings
We really enjoyed the house and looking thru the old photo albums on the front porch.
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