1497	Newfoundland rediscovered by John Cabot and claimed for England.
1500s	English, French, Basque, and Portuguese fishermen contested the area.
1534	Jacques Cartier visited Newfoundland.
1583	Sir Humphrey Gilbert reclaimed Newfoundland for England.
1610	First English settlement in St. John’s.
1627	St. Mary’s settled by Lord Culvert.
1662	The first French colony was established in Placentia Bay.
1692	The French captured and burned St. John’s.
1713	By the Treaty of Utrecht, France gave Newfoundland to Britain.
1713–1783	Treaties recognized British sovereignty but granted French fishermen the right to land and to dry catches along parts of the northern and western coasts.
1832	First election held for the local House of Assembly.
1846	St. John’s was destroyed by fire.
1855	Newfoundland became a self-governing colony.
1892	St. John’s was destroyed by a second great fire.
1898	A railroad was completed across the island.
1927	The coast of Labrador was awarded to Newfoundland.
1934	A royal commission began governing Newfoundland.
1949	The Province of Newfoundland was formed on 31 March.

About 93 percent of Newfoundland’s residents have British ancestry and about 3 percent have French ancestry.

Since Newfoundland joined the Canadian Union late (1949), its early organization and records/record keeping differ from other provinces.

Because Newfoundland joined the Canadian Union late (1949), its early organization, records, and record keeping differ from other provinces. Newfoundland has no county or district divisions. Most records are found in the provincial capital, St. John’s.

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LAND AND PROPERTY

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Original crown grants and leases are deposited with the Crown Lands Administration.

Crown Lands Administration
Department of Forestry and Agriculture
P.O. Box 8700
St. John’s, NF A1B 4J6
CANADA
Telephone: 709-729-3174
Fax: 709-729-6136

A register of crown grants after 1831 is at the P.A.N.L. Records of subsequent transfers of land are with:

Registrar of Deeds
Confederation Building
St. John’s, NF A1B 4J6
CANADA
Telephone: 709-729-3302

The P.A.N.L. also has miscellaneous land records as contained in the register of deeds for the period 1815–1931.

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