Lears Cove, a snug little inlet, is another of the now
                                uninhabited coves that we feel must be mentioned in a
                                history of the Cape Shore.  It is located between St. Bride’s
                                and Cape St. Mary’s. Today, Lears Cove is surrounded by
                                the community pasture and only  the crumbling foundations
                                of barns and houses testify to its existence as a community.

                                Lears Cove was once a prosperous farming and fishing
                                settlement.  The census of 1845 showed that 13 people
                                living there at the time cut 32 tons of hay, grew 110 barrels
                                of  potatoes, raised 26 head of beef cattle, 10 milchs cows, 4
                                horses, 12 sheep, and 10 goats.  They made 836 pounds of
                                fresh butter. One later resident of Lears Cove, now residing
                                in St. Bride’s, recalls his father, Arthur Young, raising a
                                flock of 100 sheep.

                                The fishermen in Lears Cove made all their nets during the
                                long winter months.  When their catch was cured in the fall,
                                it was sold to one of the many fish merchants from
                                St. John's who were eager to purchase some of the "Cape
                                St. Mary’s Fish."  The merchants anchored their schooner
                                in the cove and the fish was loaded aboard out of dories.
                                If the fish was of a good quality, they would be paid $2.50
                                a quintal.

                                The first settler to live in Lears Cove was John Fewer from
                                Ireland.  Later, Jim Young, another Irishman, arrived and
                                married Mary Moores, a girl from his homeland.  They had
                                four sons, John, Jim, Walter, and Robert.  When Jim died,
                                Mary married John Fewer.  John and Jim Young stayed in
                                Lears Cove; Walter moved to Placentia and Robert moved
                                to St. Bride’s.  Most of the Young's in St. Bride’s are direct
                                descendants of this family.

                                The last family of Youngs to live in Lears Cove belonged to
                                Mr. Arthur Young.  He was the grandchild of the John
                                Young mentioned earlier.  Arthur and his wife, Ida, a
                                Careen from Point Lance, had 5 boys and 4 girls.  In 1961,
                                Arthur moved to "Young's Lane" in St. Bride’s.  His sons
                                who now live in St. Bride’s have many happy memories
                                of a good life in Lears Cove.

                                       A Grade Three student has written a report on an interview
                                with a former resident of Lears Cove.  To read about it click
                                here.