Pre Reunion Activity
Draft - open for suggestions
It is suggested that we provide opportunities for sight seeing with a Bemister flavour before and after the reunion - on a pay as you go basis. We could consider some sort of pre-registration so folks would have name tags and buttons for easy identification. Possibilities are given below. It is especially important for St. John’s committee members to give thought to the feasibility of these suggestions.
(These activities are for people who come as early as Wednesday Aug 4th and stay Wed and Thurs night in St; John’s; Woods family descendants in particular could be invited to stay at Everton House B & B on Kings Bridge Road and some activity can be based there) Group activity provides opportunity to give Bemister buttons and name tags for easy ID We wouldn’t do actual registration here.
1. Thursday morning; 9:00 am. Self guided walking tour of Old St. John’s (optional Bemister group walking tour) including Colonial Building (where Hon J B was an MHA), Cochrane St Church (where his family and Woods family attended; war memorial, site of old Methodist College where Bemisters attended and JB and HGBW were on the Board; Gower Street Church (where Rev. Charles Ladner and Rev. George Payne preached), The Rooms (archives, art gallery and public records of births, deaths etc are stored). Time permitting also the Basilica, the Anglican Cathedral of St. John the Baptist,. LUNCH at The Rooms (with a view!) OR Ches’s Fish and Chips (ie folks can either go with the group or go on their own or with the group, and connect at Rooms at 10:30 if they want or at Ches’s or Rooms Restaurant at 1:00pm
2. Thursday am, alternative tour guided and transportation needed, to General Protestant Cemetery followed by Wesley United Church where Rev. Joe Joyce set up NF’s first radio station, VOWR, South side home of Capt Edward and Emma (Bemister) White, LUNCH at George St Church Would have to meet at convenient central place(s). Could include Signal Hill if we were using a bus, followed by run down Duckworth, Water St, Harbour Drive with possible stop at war memorial
3. Thursday pm, short tour of Colonial Building and proceed to Everton House for afternoon tea at 4:00 in H. G. B. Woods drawing room - with ghosts of the past! Especially of interest to descendants of Hon John Bemister. An alternative with large crowd might be a garden party instead.
4. Thursday evening, tour of General Protestant Cemetery, meet at East Gate on Old Topsail Road at 8:00 pm followed by drinks at St John’s pub (eg Ship Inn)
5. Suggest supper at some St John's restaurant - pay your own way - say Velma’s on Water St for excellent fish or The Battery for the view !!! OR the time of this could be later to allow for the view of the City at night - then go up Signal Hill when really dark. The cemetery tour could be dropped or scheduled earlier in this case.
6. NO organized activity Friday am; People expected to make their way to Carbonear at latest for 7:00 pm and as early as noon
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