Budgell of Pilley's Island
Source: From a conversation between Harold Rideout and Reginald Rowsell,
as recorded by Reginald Rowsell
I remember at Pilley's Island a man by the name of William (Bill) Budgell who worked
with the A.N.D. Co. (Anglo-Newfoundland Co.) of Grand Falls as a foreman in that Co's
woods operations. I recall that he had arthritis and this was plainly noticeable in his
fingers which were badly bent towards his palms. Harold tells me that on one occasion
in the month of November a boom of pulpwood had begun to drift and Budgell was trying to
hold the line ("shore line") which was keeping the boom in place on the shore. Budgell
grasped the broken line and did his utmost to hold it. He held it tightly for a long
time and no one arrived at the scene to assist him. In the cold, November day, his fingers
became numbed. He finally had to l et go. From that day forth, his fingers were bent
as I have described them.
Budgell had a little store and it was painful to a viewer to watch him trying to wrap
a few candies, wh ich the children bought, in a piece of wrapping paper around them
with is bent-up fingers.
Budgell had a saw mill at Badger Bay. This mill was powered by steam. Budgell had a
schooner named "The Buster Brown" and occasionally took a load of lumber to St. John's.
On one such occasion in a strong wind the loaded (below and on deck) schooner turned
over with two broken masts entering Pilley's Island harbour.