The first chapters of the Tobey Book contain lots of information about early local history. On page 76 and 77 we see how the folks associated with the village of Newcastle, on Presqu'ile Point, petitioned the government to move the village across the bay to Freeman's Point.
It also mentioned that Freeman’s Point had been used as a refuge for pirates during the War of 1812 and people in the area would feel more secure if this land could be occupied by farmers and a village.
In the end, the authorities agreed, and the people at Newcastle on Presqu’ile Point had their homes moved across the bay.
In the end, the authorities agreed, and the people at Newcastle on Presqu’ile Point had their homes moved across the bay.
Page 78 contains the actual petition in a form that is unreadable unless you blow it up on a computer screen. It was no simple job to transcribe this, because of small handwriting and smudges, but that is part of the job. I like to see it as a challenge.
Back on page 31 is a sketch of Presqu’ile Point and area that was created to support the 1821 petition. It shows the town of Newcastle there on the bay shore of Presqu’ile Point, and Freeman’s Point, across the bay. A note on the sketch over Freeman's Point says that this land had been held in reserve in 1818 and was now available to receive the people of Newcastle as the new location of their town.
It would not be until later in the 1840s that the name of the village would change from Newcastle to Gosport due to multiple places in the province called Newcastle and the resulting inefficiencies in the postal system.
It would not be until later in the 1840s that the name of the village would change from Newcastle to Gosport due to multiple places in the province called Newcastle and the resulting inefficiencies in the postal system.