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The Walsh House

THE WALSH HOUSE

Stephen Walsh Sr. was a pioneer with the Newfoundland Railway and was instrumental in overseeing the progress of the railway from Holyrood to Bishop's Falls. By the time he moved to Gambo in 1914 he had been made the railway's road master from Clarenville to Bishop's Falls. The old railway siding in Gambo was called Walsh's Siding. His sons, Jack and Stephen, also went to work in Gambo for the Newfoundland Railway, Jack as a railway agent and Stephen Jr. as a Section Foreman.

In 1934 Stephen and Anastasia hired Harry and Peter Paul of Dark Cove, Gambo to build them a new house. Stephen died just prior to it's completion. After her husband's death Anastasia took possession of the house. Her son, John (Jack), lived with her. Jack married Nellie Cashin and they had two children: Genevieve and Stephen. When Nellie died in 1943 Jack married Josephine Ryan. They had four children: Mary, Anne, Nellie, and Betty. All six children were born in this house.

Anastasia died in 1949 and was waked in this room. She was buried beside her husband, Stephen Sr. in the old Roman Catholic Cemetery in Gambo where their headstones are still clearly visible.

In 1954 Jack and his entire family moved to Sept Iles, Quebec. In 1956 the house was sold to Joseph (Joe) and Claire (nee Kennedy) Kelly. Joe and Claire took occupancy of the house along with their five children: Patrick, Regina, Vincent, John, and Charles (Charlie). When Claire died in 1965, Joe married Margaret Blackmore. Joe died in 1981 and Margaret in 1984. Charlie continued to live here with Gaye (nee Stockley) and their two children, Laura Lee and Tim. In the late 1980's Charlie and Gaye moved to Ontario and the house was vacant until the Gambo Town Council took possession of it. The house was restored and passed over to SEDCOR for office and meeting space in 2003.

In 2011 the house was officially designated as the Walsh House.

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