The Hard Winter of 1959

Anastasia Molloy

Anatasia Molloy was born at Portugal Cove South on the Avalon Peninsula. She was a young wife and mother, expecting another baby when the area was hit by one snow storm after another. Getting to the midwife or to a nearby hospital was impossible.

MARCH 4th, 1959. It was my sixth child, and I was having a hard night trying to sleep. I had to call old faithful Nurse Abernethy to come to Portugal Cove South. She would usually come from Trepassey on horse and slide, but the weather was so bad she couldn't make it; it was eight miles away, so she had to call St. John's for a helicopter to come to Portugal Cove South to pick me up.

The roads were blocked in the country, and they would be blocked for months at a time. There was no electricity at the time, either.

I knew everything would be fine. Albert, my husband, now deceased, looked after the children, all five of them. The oldest was ten.

When the children heard I was going away for a little while, they got upset. I was a little nervous while waiting for the helicopter to arrive. I didn't know what to do, but I had to leave.

It was around three o'clock that evening when the helicopter arrived. People came from every corner and gathered around wondering what was going on. Even my son thought it was a flying car.

The helicopter landed in the meadow in the outer part of the Cove. Albert had to tackle the horse and bring me to the helicopter.