Allan Newbury's Road is a typical example of many such trails cut and used by local residents over many generations to haul out saw-logs and firewood. This particular road, a short secrion of which is incorporated into the Alexander Murray Hiking Trail, was begun in the 1940s by Allan Newbury and his son, Oswald, and was in use well into the 1950s.

It's beginning and ending points are not now known, but it had several "access" trails running into it for hauling logs to the bank of Paddy's Brook, across from what was then referred to as "Rough-And-Tumble Brow" (on what is now referred to as the "Old King's Point Dump" (See Map). Tens of thousands of cords of wood (mostly logs) were piled up each winter, on Rough-And-Tumble Brow, to be rolled down into Paddy's Brook come Spring breakup and driven downstream, to be captured in "log-booms" at the mouth of the stream where it entered SW Arm up in the "bottom". The log-booms would then be towed by boatto a local sawmill, usually W. J. Toms' mill, where the logs would be sawed into lumber and then shipped to St. John's to be sold.

Allan and Oswald used bucksaw and axe to cut their saw-logs and firewood. One particular winter in the 1950s, they cut and hauled and drove to the mill enough logs that they had 40,000 FBM of lumber to sell for their winter's income. Initially, they used a "handslide" or "handcat", which they pulled/pushed themselves, to haul oout their wood. Later they used dogs and dogsleds while later still, they used a pony and bob-sleds. One of the ponys they used was born around 1943 and was named "Bud".

Before coming to King's Point, the newburys lived at Shoe Cove Bight, near Cape John on the Baie Verte Peninsula. In the early 1920s or possibly even shortly earleir, Allan's father, Henry James Newbury Sr. moved to King's Point in the fall of the year with his family for the winter. In Spring they would return home to Shoe Cove Bight to pursue the fishery, until they would return to King's Point again in the autumn. Allan continued this practice most years up until the ealry 1950s. They would fish in summertime at Shoe Cove Bight and earn their winter's income logging at King's Point. Allan lived in a large two-story house one-half of which he occupied, the other half being occupied by his brother Henry Jr. and his family. This house is now (2001) owned and occupied by Harvey Andrews.

Born in Shoe Cove Bight in 1903, Allan Newbury later married and raised eleven children, seven of whom survived to adulthood, with his wife Daisy (Thomas, B. Dec 1910; Bulley's Cove). Mr. Newbury died at King's Point on January 15, 1965 (age 61). He was predeceased by his wife, Daisy on August 20, 1954 (age 43).

Allan's son Oswald, who used his "Road" with him, later wnet on to make his living as a small woods contractor and trucker. He us currently retired (2001) and resides with his wife, Motee (nee Verge) at King's Point.

Contributor: Jim Card