George’s Cove was a community that existed on the old road between Gooseberry Cove and Butter Cove. The surname George was first mentioned in church records for this area when a child, George Cook George was born to Robert and Ann George in 1839 at Heart’s Ease. Another son, Robert was born in 1837. This family may have lived briefly at George’s Cove. By 1884 Robert George (Jr.) was living at Southport. The only person on the 1873 voters’ list for George’s Cove is Moses Manuel. Moses had been born at Lower Island Cove, Conception Bay but was likely living at Grate’s Cove or Catalina before moving to George’s Cove. Moses first married a Mahala. After she died in 1894 he married Hannah, the widow of Joseph Martin of Southport. It does not appear that Moses had any children by either of his wives. By 1884 Moses is joined by the families of two brothers, John Balsom (b. 1837) and William (b.1847), whose parents had moved to Gooseberry Cove from Winterton in the 1840s. John’s and William’s sister, Harriet Balsom, had married Robert George in 1856. Robert and Harriet George may have moved to Winterton or Heart’s Content because there is no record of them living in the area after their marriage. John Balsom’s son, George, lived in George’s Cove until his death in 1922. Another son, Eliol, moved to Butter Cove while another son, Daniel, died at George’s Cove in 1907. William Balsom’s sons, Richard, Herbert and Robert, continued to live at George’s Cove after the death of their parents.
By 1921 only eight people remained at George’s Cove: Richard Balsom who was a widower; George Balsom and his wife, Rachel; and Robert and May Balsom and their three children. Of the remaining Balsoms, George died in 1922 and it appears that the only remaining family in 1928 was that of Robert and May Balsom who then moved their family to Heart’s Content. Robert’s house was bought by James Spurrell of Butter Cove. James had the house taken down and reassembled at Butter Cove. He and his wife Mary lived in the house until their senior years. The house still exists and is now owned by James’ nephew, Harvey Spurrell.
At any one time, it seems that no more than three families lived at George’s Cove. The families were Church of England (Anglican) and their children attended school at ‘the crossroads’ at Gooseberry Cove.
Note: This article is subject to further correction and revision.