Bagnall House, Bell's Pond, New Glasgow

     On my way from Hunter River to New Glasgow on Route 13 yesterday I took a detour down to Bell's Pond ( often called Campbell's Pond ) - just before Rte. 224, I turned right on to Campbell's Road and drove in about a kilometer to the little one-lane bridge at Bell's Pond.  When I got over the bridge I stopped and took the photograph below of the old Bagnall House, likely built in the 1860s.  It has vinyl siding on it today, however, it retains much of its character defining elements such as its symmetry; small entry porch with eave returns; the five-bay second floor windows; the attic scotch-style dormer; and the single hung windows.
     Today I'd call this area Campbell's Pond, New Glasgow, however, in Meacham's 1880 Atlas this area is known as Clyde Mill's (on the River Clyde), Lot 23.   As late as the 1935 telephone directory lists Mrs. Mary Bagnall at Clyde Mill's. 
     It's amazing to think this view coming over the bridge is much as it would have looked 134 years ago when an illustration of it appeared in Meacham's Atlas - see that image below - this house is #9 as noted on the bottom of the illustration.

     When I got to the end of the Campbell's Road (which this property is on the corner) I turned left on to Mount Tom Road, which is very close beside this house and farmyard.  It feels as though you're in their yard but the road continues past the barns, down a little hill, then up a steep hill (probably Mount Tom) - a beautiful one-lane country road which comes out above the PEI Preserve Company on to Route 224, the New Glasgow Road.

    In Meachams' 1880 Atlas of Prince Edward Island, Page 86, it shows William and Richard Bagnall owning 100-acres here.  

    In Cumin's 1928 Atlas of Prince Edward Island it shows Mrs. R.E. Bagnall living here with her three daughter, Ella, Nettie and Blanche.  She had 126-acres.

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     The following info cf.  Lovell’s Prince Edward Island Directory, 1871

Clyde Mills:  A small village in township No. 23, parish of Grenville, county of Queen's. Population about 60. [foot note says " The post office is at New Glasgow."]

Bagnall, Richard E. - of Bagnall & Son BAGNALL, WILLIAM - J.P., Bagnall & Son(1) Crawford, rev. Donald - baptist

Doucet, Lemange - joiner, farmer Doucet, Peter - farmer Warren, John - head miller

Mrs. Bagnall's house burns, Charlottetown, 1812

     The following account comes from the Weekly Recorder Newspaper, transcribed by Gary Carroll ( garycarroll@hotmail.com ) and found on the Island Register ( www.islandregister.com/1812fire.html ) 

Weekly Recorder - Tuesday, 4 February 1812
     On Wednesday night last between the hours of 11 and 12 o'clock, the house of Mrs. Bagnall was discovered to be on fire, and in a short time it increased with such rapidity as seemed to defy all exertions to extinguish it, but the weather being calm and the alarm soon spreading a great number of persons collected from the Garrison and the Town, whose exertions under the direction of a few persons of distinction (amongst whom were Captain Shore and J.F. Holland, Esq. one of the Fire-Wards for the town) it was got the better of, and in a few minutes afterwards was entirely quenched.
     The activity and regularity shewn, by the inhabitants of this place on this as well as on prior occasions of the same kind, may have been equalled but have never been exceeded. The small engine, the private property of Mr. Bremner, was the only one which appeared on the spot, and was of great utility at this time as it has at been at many others, those belonging to the public were froze up in their houses and out of order.
     It may be proper to mention here, as a caution to others, that this fire originated from the fixture of a stove in a partition which was so placed for the purpose of warming two rooms--both rooms being leans to or additions to a former building.--The Partitions took fire from the top and side of the stove and communicated up through the lathes and plaster of the walls and burst out under the eve of the former building; notwithstanding the fire caught in this manner there is scarcely any appearance of its effects, in the rooms where the stove stood. The damage sustained is only to be seen in the destruction of the upper floor and roof of the new building and the whole of that side of the wall of the original house to which this lean to was attached.

     Below are images showing hand-split lathes in the walls of a Dorchester Street house under restoration.  You can see how a house like that of Mrs. Bagnalls would be quickly consumed by fire - the dry lathes would burn like kindling!