The few hundred Loyalists who gathered at Roubalet's Tavern in New York one night in 1782 shared a nightmare of the past and a dream for the future.
In the aftermath of the American Revolution, they found themselves abandoned by the king to whom they had promised their loyalty, and unwelcome in the land that had so recently been theirs. They had no choice but to flee, but they were determined to build a new and better home for themselves elsewhere.
On the rocky shores of Roseway Bay on the south coast of Nova Scotia, beside one of the best harbours in the world, they would found a new and improved New York City. It would be cosmopolitan, but more refined, more royal, more loyal and certainly more exclusive than the place they were leaving forever.
At first, all seemed to go according to the dream. Shelburne, as it was called, quickly became the fourth largest city in North America. At the time, Nova Scotia Governor John Parr grandly described it as "the most considerable, most flourishing and most expeditious [city] ever ... built in so short a time...” Within the decade, however, the Loyalists’ dream city was well on its way to becoming a ghost town.
This extraordinary and yet little-told episode from our nation’s past is brought to exciting life by award-winning journalist Stephen Kimber. Combining painstaking research, strict adherence to the facts, and a novelistic flair for narrative, he charts Shelburne's "rapid rise and faster fall" through the intertwined experience of an eclectic collection of its early settlers.
Meet Benjamin Marston, the acerbic surveyor who chronicled Shelburne’s first tumultuous year, William Booth, the British army captain whose later journals described its decline, David George and Boston King, freed slaves who helped make — and then break — the community, steadfast Sir Guy Carleton, the loyalists’ initial benefactor, and ever-vacillating Governor Parr, their eventual nemesis.
Published to mark the 225th anniversary of the arrival of the Loyalists to Shelburne, Loyalists and Layabouts is essential — and entertaining — reading on the shaping of our country.
About the Author Stephen Kimber is an award-winning writer, editor, and broadcaster. He is the author of one novel, Reparations, and five non-fiction books, including the bestselling Sailors, Slackers and Blind Pigs: Halifax at War.
"Impeccable research, along with Kimber’s eye for detail and engaging style, make Loyalists and Layabouts a must-read."
— Joyce Glasner The Beaver August-September 2008
"A lively and surprising account... a comprehensive and at times poetic narrative."
Michael Goodfellow Atlantic Books Today Fall 2008
"Kimber provides a vivid portrait of men and women — from once-wealthy gentry to former slaves — and their struggles to make their lives over are both comic and tragic... He has drawn not only on secondary sources, but on the diaries and correspondence of a wonderfully mixed cast of characters, from British army administrators to literate former black slaves, freed by the British for fighting on their side in the Revolution... Burgoyne, Clinton, Cornwallis and Carleton all make cameo appearances, but what really makes Kimber's storytelling especially effective is his use of the papers of the central figures, like the versatile businessman Benjamin Marston, the passionately Christian ex-slave Boston King and John Parr, the gout-ridden, hot-tempered governor of Nova Scotia. Their stories are skilfully combined to make an integrated account of a colourful pilgrimage, taking his heroes and heroines from their uneasy days in the triumphant and hostile new revolutionary America, to their hopeful and energetic strivings in Shelburne, to what became of them when the once ambitious colony began to disintegrate. He offers a fascinating might-have-been in the history of Canada."
"Stephen Kimber can bring life to long-dead figures of history and give long-forgotten events a 'breaking news' quality... It is one thing to build a life and setting around one or more historic figures and places but imagination needs to be firmly rooted in at least some fact. Conjecture has its limits. As well, not all historians, thorough though they may be, can write entertainingly of their work... Kimber set out to 'reconstruct' Port Roseway/Shelburne. He looked at the details of Shelburne’s Loyalist history from a journalist’s perspective. The result is almost as though he had interviewed such figures as Benjamin Marston, Sir Guy Carleton, and others who played key roles in the early days of the town."
— Lorna Inness Halifax Chronicle Herald July 20, 2008
***
"A thorough gallop through the town's history, and a lovely romp it is, with the town and its sad-sack history front and centre... Kimber tell this story with great panache. The characters he has chosen all contribute lively bits to the tale.... A tale well told."
— Marq De Villiers The Globe and Mail July 19, 2008
***
"Always entertaining and informative, Halifax journalist-extraordinaire Stephen Kimber marks the 225th anniversary of the Loyalist landings in Canada with a colourful account of the decades-long hopes, dreams and decline of those who chose to settle on Nova Scotia's south shore. Told through several narrative voices of early settlers, Loyalists and Layabouts is a fascinating perspective on all that went wrong and right at one of the world's foremost harbours near Roseway Bay."
— Stephen Clare Halifax Magazine June 2008
****
"If you want a book that evokes an era of Canada's past that is dramatic but little known, this is an enjoyable entry into a fascinating world."
— William Christian Guelph Mercury June 28, 2008
****
"Kimber achieves a surprising intimacy and helps us understand that the reactionary at times requires as much courage and imagination as the revolutionary."
— Ben Fried Canadian Geographic July/August 2008
***
“What a splendid tale of our Loyalist and our layabout ancestors, summed up in the tragicomic settlement of Shelburne… Kimber's eye for diverse and fascinating characters is an overdue reminder of the price white Loyalists paid for the choice to remain impoverished but faithful subjects of George III. Black slaves paid an even higher price, gaining freedom at the cost of justice, equality or respect. No one who reads this book can ever again be comfortable with ancestral stereotypes.”
— Desmond Morton Hiram Mills Professor of History (Emeritus) McGill University (and descendant of Captain Nathaniel Frink who arrived at Saint John from New York in 1784 as aide de camp to Major-General Benedict Arnold)
*****
"Using the narrative style popularized by nineteenth century historians, Kimber draws us through an engaging – and sometimes very painful – non-fiction accounting of the awkward birth and sad decline of a town which never filled the great, optimistic promise held for it 225 years ago. His ease and familiarity with the material is obvious and his genuine interest in the lives of his subjects shines though in the 300-plus pages... Kimber deftly threads their individual stories into a very workable tapestry of the first tumultuous decade of the town, we see glimpses of Sir Guy Carleton, Stephen Blucke, David George, the Robertson and Sword brothers, Gideon White, Edward Winslow and dozens more. The fast-paced narrative moves between characters and time frames and we watch as best intentions of seemingly earnest people often come to calamity or other unproductive ends... Stephen Kimber’s Loyalists and Layabouts should be essential reading for anyone who has a real interest in how Shelburne became the place we now call home."
"This book is a must read for anyone wanting to better understand the forces that shaped our country, Canada and our neighbour to the south, the United States of America, and as well, Great Britain."
— Logan W. Bjarnason President, Regina Branch United Empire Loyalists Association
****
“Prodigious research, a dash of imagination and an engaging literary style make Loyalists and Layabouts an interesting and informative romp through the American Revolution and Shelburne's first decade. Extensive use of diaries, letters and first-person accounts allows Stephen Kimber to present his narrative from the perspective of the historical actors themselves. Visitors to Shelburne and townsfolk alike will be enchanted with this vigorous tale of the city's hopeful rise and precipitous decline. The book is a delightful and satisfying read and a serious contribution to Loyalist studies, with appropriate attention to the formerly enslaved Black Loyalists who built much of Shelburne's initial infrastructure.”
— James W. St.G. Walker, University of Waterloo, author of The Black Loyalists: The Search for a Promised Land in Nova Scotia and Sierra Leone
****
"In Loyalists and Layabouts, Stephen Kimber explores the immigrant dream gone spectacularly wrong: how 15,000 Americans flowed into Shelburne, Nova Scotia, in 1783 to build ‘the envy of the American states’ — only to see their aspirations ebb away like the Nova Scotia tide."
— Christopher Moore Governor-General’s award-winning author of The Loyalists
*****
"... Opening the pages of this book is the type of thing H.G. Wells dreamed of when he wrote The Time Machine, but without actually disturbing the time continuum... [He] uses the actual diary entries, memoirs or letters written by those who appear in the narrative. He peppers the quotes so effortlessly into the events, we can hear the actual voices of people like Sir Guy Carleton - General George Washington's British adversary. [He] follows a wide range of figures in his narrative, from David George, a freed slave who became a Baptist preacher, to Edward Winslow, a Mayflower descendent who petitioned Sir Guy Carleton for grants of land due to the British regiments on behalf of the men who had fought for the king. We meet Margaret Watson, a camp follower (army wife) whose first husband died in battle and who remarried his friend, a fellow captured soldier. And John Parr, Governor of Nova Scotia, a veteran of the Battle of Culloden in the Scottish highlands, a career soldier and eventual colonel promoted to Major of the Tower of London, and then on to the governorship of Nova Scotia.
Read Loyalists & layabouts. As a continuous visitor to Shelburne, it was beyond fascinating. Passed on to a dear friend who is from Shelburne. Thanks for a great read. Now enthralled by Sailors, Slackers & Blind Pigs.
Posted: October 17, 2008, 1:55 pm
Janet Servant
Halifax West High School have received funds from Writers' Federation to host a day with you at our school. Would you give us some times that are good for you to visit (between now and end of January)? And we can confirm dates/classes, details at a later date. Thanks,Janet/Teacher-Librarian
Posted: September 22, 2008, 1:19 pm
graham nickerson
Stephan,
I notice in your book Loyalist and Layabouts, the introductory map has Birchtown in the location of Lower Sandy Point and not actually in Birchtown. Though I have not finished the book yet to see if there is a logical reason behind this, it would seem that once again Black Loyalists have been misrepresented. Has this \\\\\\\"error\\\\\\\" been addressed in future editions of this book?
The mapping error aside, it is great to finally see the history of black Nova Scotians being told. For so long it was neglected.
Thanks,
Graham
Posted: August 8, 2008, 9:30 am
Donna Jones
Sorry Stephen, this has nothing to do with your latest post. I\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'m just wondering why this government has still not had and inqiry regarding the unfair and illegal actions of children\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s services. I guess that\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s what happens when you live in the largest elected dictatorship in the world.
Posted: June 18, 2008, 9:50 am
gayle
SK, I used to admire your inquiry into issues a lot of us already discuss until I sent you a letter on the TRUTH about racist Irvine Carvery/public housing/Uniacke Square and how he holds white folks racially hostage and abuses his landlord position to allow blacks to break the law and fraud welfare in Housing and using this as reparations.... You did not feel the need to respond when I asked you how it felt to be fooled by sociopaths Carvery and Beazley? The last thing HRM issues need is any more faux white journalists thinking they know what they are talking about. YOU were invited to check out the truth via many venues (HRC, Residential Hearings, Housing complaints field by both white and black against Carvery) and you chose not to be educated.....as long as their are white folk like you kissing his ass he will continue to get away with harming vulnerable people.
Posted: February 17, 2008, 1:48 pm
Ann Kelly
I\'ve read articles you\'ve written about Larry Finck and Carline VandenElsen. Very thought provoking. You seem to be asking the questions I think many others are afraid to ask. I believe this story needs to be told and maybe you\'re a good candidate to do it!?! I live in Stratford, Ontario and have seen Carline VandenElsen\'s character assassinated, leaving the public believing what they\'ve read in the papers. It just seems to go on and on. I understand that they still don\'t have their baby back and have no hopes of doing so. It all seems so desparately wrong and questions keep going unanswered by the \"powers that be.\" Anyway, thanks for taking the time to read my comments.
Blessings,
Ann Kelly
Posted: January 24, 2008, 2:22 pm
Janet Uren
Dear Mr. Kimber: I am trying to locate an image of the Seaview Sundial for an exhibition. I see lots online, but cannot find a source. Can you help me to identify a photographer? Thank you. Janet Uren
Posted: January 5, 2008, 12:24 pm
Debbie
Mr Kimber
I was delighted to discover you work about an ancestor of mine entitled \'The Fuchsia Coloured Cocktail Pyjamas\'
My Great Grandfather and Frank M Johnson\'s father were brothers. There has long been various family stories as to what had happened to Nadia and the vivacious Vava (their words not mine)and your article provided an answer. Would you know how it would be possible for me to obtain the newspaper cuttings of the day? Living in the UK I can\'t visit the newspaper personally! Kind Regards Debbie
