FOOD HISTORY CORNER

  • September 1, 2019

PEI Museum & Heritage Foundation :
J. H. Myrick and Co.

For almost a century, the Myrick family played a large role in Tignish’s economy, offering jobs for community members and creating spaces for locals to purchase goods.

J.H. Myrick (James Howe) was born in 1824 in Newcastle, Maine. He married his wife Mary Converse Merrill in 1854, and the two settled in Massachusetts. The couple had five children: Edward, Alice, Mae, Cornelia, and Hannah.

The family actually made their way to Prince Edward Island before lobster was even fished commercially, spending their summers in Tignish. Eventually, J.H. went into business with Isaac Clark Hall under the name “J.H. Myrick and Co.” and the company opened several businesses in the area, including a canning factory and various stores that carried fishing and farming supplies along with household goods.

In late 19th century newspapers, the company name appears quite frequently. For example, an article in The Guardian from July of 1898, stated that 1,050 cases of lobster were being shipped by J.H. Myrick and Co. for Havre, France. The goods, on board the SS La Bourgogne ocean liner, unfortunately sank after the ship’s infamous collision with the British Cromartyshire. Later that year, in November, the company sent 446 cases of canned meat and lobster by boat to Liverpool, Great Britain. The goods were reported to be worth around $1,867.

In 1911, J.H. Myrick passed away due to a throat condition. His family took control over J.H. Myrick and Co., and the business continued to operate until the mid 20th century.

About Molly Pendergast

As a self-proclaimed "broke bon vivant," Molly spends a lot of time thinking about food, talking about food, and trying new food. She is a recent graduate of Carleton University's Journalism School and loves nothing more than telling/listening to a good story. If you ever need to chat with her, the topic of baked goods is usually a great place to start.

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