Natives' Society

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The Natives' Society of Newfoundland was formed by Richard Barnes who founded the society with its single purpose to protect the rights and privileges of landed planters from the flood of newcomers. The natives, mostly Protestant merchants, felt they were not getting fair deal in what they considered their own land. Formed by Barnes in 1840 its first president Dr. Edward Kielly was elected on June 15, 1840.^[1]

The cornerstone for the society’s hall, located at Bannerman Park, was laid by Governor Harvey on May 24, 1845 the completed hall fell in a windstorm on September 19, 1846 killing two people. The society also had its own flag, consisting of a green spruce on a pink background with two clasped hands; the word philanthropy was added later. The society's mandate was to protect the rights and privileges of all faiths and origins which turned out to be the exact opposite by eventually turning the Protestant English against the Catholic Irish. Agitation grew even more so by the annual woodhauls.