Travel south on route 10 from St. John's.
There are a number of access routes to the cache in the Old
village of LaManche.
[1] Bauleen - about a 20 minute hike.
[2] The old village access road - about a 20 minute hike.
[3]Brugus South - about a 4 hour hike.
Cache is a white plastic container. Contents: Dinosaur,teddy
bear,tea light, log book and pencil.
La Manche An abandoned fishing community on the Southern
Shore, located in a small inlet between Tors Cove and Cape Broyle.
{ pop. 1961, 25 } La Manche (``the sleeve'') -- also the French
name for the English Channel -- was named in the sixteenth or
seventeenth century by the French, for its narrow harbour bounded
by towering mountains. In 1680 the area was mentioned in a fishing
admiral's report to London, suggesting that the English were
exploiting La Manche's abundant fish stocks at least as early as
the seventeenth century. While a census in 1800 recorded one
inhabitant at La Manche, local tradition holds that it was not
until 1840 that La Manche received its first permanent settler,
George Melvin. moving to LaManche from nearby Burnt Cove, Melvin
was soon joined by relatives, the 1845 census recording seven
inhabitants. The population never exceeded 54, owing to the lack of
suitable building space. In 1935 there were 13 homes in the
community, the greatest number of dwellings recorded. A school was
built in LaManche around 1919. This school most likely only offered
lower grades so children had to go to school in Tors Cove. The
LaManche school was closed after confederation (1949) since they
did not have the minimum requirements of eleven students. There was
no clergyman or doctor. A law keeper was appointed to the community
by court records of that period show no mention of accused or
convicted criminals. Before 1919 children in La Manche had to walk
about five miles to Toad's Cove (Tors Cove qv) to attend school. In
that year the community's first school was held with Alice Melvin
as teacher. The small school was sometimes used as a church by
visiting priests. At other times people attended church in Tors
Cove, while the deceased were buried in neighbouring St. Michael's
(known as Caplin Cove until 1904). The population of LaManche
ranged from 7 to 55 over amore than 100-year span. Income was based
on fishing, Farming was at a subsistence level, some farm animals
were kept. By the time of Confederation in 1949, the population of
La Manche had reached a peak of 54 inhabitants, family names
including Armstrong, Crane, Ryan, Beckett and (predominantly)
Melvin. Although it is said that the majority of people were
opposed to government efforts to resettle the community, the
closing of the school and difficulties in maintaining the road led
to a drop in population to 25 by 1961. The remaining inhabitants
left in 1966 after a severe storm demolished the community's
wharves and stages. 
LaManche prior to the storm of
January 1966
For more pictures of LaManche check this
site - PICS
LAMANCHE..
While in the area visit our cache in
LaManche Park,check it out here -
CRANE'S FARM.
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