Heart's Delight/Islington is located on Route 80 on the Trinity South Highway approximatly 130Kms from St. John's. Population of the combined communities in 1990 was 868 people but recent out migration has left a community of fewer and older residents. The first census of Heart's Delight taken in 1836 show a population of 164 and the first census of Islington in 1845 has 36 people living there.
Until the collapse of the
northern cod fishery, codfishing was the primary industry. Today very little
exists in the local workplace. Sawmills, a Flower shop, Garages, Bed &
Breakfast, and stores make up local industry.
Heart's Delight and Islington,
like many other Newfoundland outport communities have different theories
on how they received their names. None of these theories can be proven,
but are trad- itionally accepted by people of the town.
One theory on how Heart's Delight received its name was that a weary man travelling from Whitbourne looked the place over;his heart was filled with delight and so on he went to name Heart's Desire and Heart's Content. This theory; however, is disputed by the writer due to the fact that Heart's Content was given its name before Heart's Delight and chances are that the names of Heart's Delight and Heart's Desire were spin-offs from Heart's Content. The theory of the harbour being the shape of a heart could also be disputed for the reason, does Heart's Desire or Heart's Content have heart shaped harbours? Wherever it got its name, it is a picturesque community.
Islington was first called Island Cove. It is most likely that this name came about because of the large island in the cove. In 1911 the name Island Cove was changed to Islington because it was thought that there were too many communities named Island Cove. At that time, some residents decided that the name of a little town in England called Islington would be the appropriate name for their little cove as it resembled the place in England.
Although there are very few records or writings on any fulltime residents, or any activities in the communities of Heart's Delight- Islington before the 1800's, there are numerous signs and indications that show these communities were inhabited long before that time, for example, the story is told of the grave of a Frenchman buried in Islington during the early 1700's. The baptismal register of the first Anglican Parish located at Trinity, shows records of common names to Heart's Delight and Islington, from a peroid starting in 1753. Also, John Guy's visit to Trinity Bay in October 1612, at which time he landed at South Dildo, tells of Indians living in many coves and harbours along the bay.
People living in all parts of Newfoundland have the same surnames. The Town of Heart's Delight-Islington is no exception as the common names of Bryant, Chislett, Crocker, Legge, Sooley, Reid and Worthman abound. Most all originated from the United Kingdom, more specifically from the southern part of England.
