Figure 3.10

Percentage of Working-Aged Population Employed in the Fishery, Southern Avalon, 1857


Notes: The portion of the population between the ages of ten and seventy has been selected in an attempt to approximate the population of working age within the confines of the census age categories (grouped by ten-year increments). Obviously, this is an imprecise measurement. For example, a number of children would not have been working at age ten or in their early teens; they are counterbalanced to some extent, however, by those adults over the age of seventy who may still have been involved in the fishery but are not included in the target group.

Note that the percentage for Cape Broyle exceeds 100 because the number of people working in the fishery exceeded the number of people in the approximated working population. Clearly, then, there were several persons older or younger than this group who were also employed in the fishery. This was likely the case in other communities as well, but not as obvious in those with percentages below 100.

Sources: Newfoundland Population Returns, 1857.


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