Step into the workshop where a legendary sailor’s journey began.
By The Joshua Slocum Society
This summer, Brier Island has an exciting new addition to the island! The Slocum Boot Shop historic site at 118 Water Street has opened its doors to the community. The display is located in a historic fish shop that was once the cobbler shop where Joshua Slocum worked for his father.
Joshua Slocum did not enjoy the life of a cobbler. This is referenced in many biographies and source material. As Joshua Slocum Society board member, Kristina Inrig points out: “If it wasn’t for this cobbler shop, Slocum may not have left life on land to become the incredible sailor who went on to sail single-handedly around the world. His love for the sea was nurtured on Brier Island and he hated the confines of the cobbler life. That is why he left to explore the oceans and became the great sailor that he was.”
The Slocum Boot Shop property received heritage designation in the 1990s, but this is the first time that it has been set up as a museum-style exhibit. One section is a replica of the cobbler shop with the tools and equipment from the 1850s when Slocum would have worked there. There is also a display about his sailboat, the Spray, with some marine instruments and 19th century books that Slocum was known to have read. Copies of his famous work, Sailing Alone Around the World, can be viewed alongside a huge collection of books about Slocum. There are biographies, kids books, and stories of other sailors following in his footsteps. There is even a Spanish comic book about Slocum!
Finally, there is a display about Fish Shops more generally and a celebration of the fishing industry on the island. You can learn about the different fish shops on the island and see old photographs of them. There is also a special thank you to Captain William Denton who made it possible for the Society to transition the property to a community asset.
The Slocum Boot Shop held its Grand Opening on June 24th which marked the same day that Slocum completed his famous voyage around the world. Over 60 visitors came out for this special event. This was followed by a Slocum Walk around the island on July 2nd. Stops were made at key Slocum points of interest, including the former Baptist Church, the cemetery, Pew #13 at the Vestry, Peters Island lookout, the Slocum monument, and the Boot Shop. Festivities during Old Home Weekend also featured the Boot Shop including the Canada Day parade and the sand sculpture contest.
Since the exciting launch events, the Slocum Boot Shop has continued to open its doors throughout the week with volunteers taking shifts to help with the display. By mid-July, over 250 visitors had stopped in for a tour. The group participated in Historic Places Days with the National Trust for Canada from July 11-25. They also held a Slocum Talk on July 30th to share the story of setting up the historic display on the island.
If you haven’t stopped in at the Slocum Boot Shop this summer, please come by for a visit. There is also a need for more volunteers to help cover boot shop hours for the last two weeks of August. You don’t have to have any previous volunteer experience as training and a sample script will be provided.
For more information, drop by 118 Water Street to take a tour of the boot shop. You can find our weekly hours posted on the Facebook page “Slocum Boot Shop” and learn additional information about Slocum on the Facebook Page “Joshua Slocum Society.” The website is www.JoshuaSlocum.com and the email is joshuaslocumsociety@gmail.com. Get in touch!