S2.E6: The Tale of Mildred Baxter feat. Rosemary Lawton and Kyle Callahan
Season 2, Episode 6
Title: The Tale of Mildred Baxter
Time: 68 minutes
Locations: Gaultois, Harbour Breton, The Grand Banks
Story: Mildred Baxter, The Augusta and the Sea Monster
Guests: Rosemary Lawton, Kyle Callahan
Listen:
About The Episode:
Part One: Mildred Baxter
Legend has it that folk-hero Mildred Baxter came to Harbour Breton in the mid-1840s to settle a score with her cheating fiance.
In order to make the trip from her home in England, she adopted a secret identity. She disguised herself as a man and took up life in Harbour Breton alongside her fiance and his new bride.
It’s a fascinating tale of love, lies and revenge that stretches the limits of credibility.
The story formed the basis of the song ‘The Ballad of Mildred Baxter’, recorded by Newfoundland duo Simani.
Part Two: Rosemary Lawton Talks Jackets and Trousers
Rosemary Lawton, photo by Lindsay Ralph. All rights reserved.
Rosemary Lawton is an award-winning singer-songwriter with a keen interest in Newfoundland music. She is a classically trained violinist, educator and writer. She has recorded traditional Newfoundland music (Fierce and Untamed), original compositions (Canvas) and published the book, Resilience: A Collection of Empowering Songs of Newfoundland and Labrador Women.
Rosemary joins me on Strange Truths and Tall Tales to discuss Mildred Taylor, the tradition of ‘Jacket and Trouser’ songs, and her own songwriting.
Hear Rosemary Lawton at the following links:
Rosemary Lawton (website)
Resilience, Rosemary Lawton
Part Three: Kyle Callahan’s Monsters
Kyle Callahan is a visual artist from Mount Pearl, NL. He’s sometimes called ‘The Godzilla Guy’ owing to his popular artwork featuring classic movie monsters (like Godzilla) exploring Newfoundland. His artwork has recently been featured in the new Engen publication The Fairies of Foggy Island.
Kyle discusses his work and explains how Godzilla discovered St. John’s harbour.
See Kyle Callahan’s work:
Kyle Callahan (website)
Part Four: Monstrous Things
The season, I’ve been capping off each episode with a segment I call Monstrous Things. It features tales of a Newfoundland sea monster sightings reported in the mainstream media.
This edition takes us back to 1888 on Newfoundland’s Grand Banks, when an enormous sea monster was seen by fisherman aboard the Schooner Augusta. The sighting was described in the Evening Telegram on August 25th, 1888.
Listening Options
You can listen to the episode here or on your favourite platform.
Sources & Further Reading
The Love and Lies of Mildred Baxter and Paul Langstone, Product of Newfoundland
History, Town of Harbour Breton
The Ballad of Mildred Baxter, Simani
Resilience, Rosemary Lawton
Ballads and Sea Songs of Newfoundland, Elisabeth Greenleaf
The Fairies of Foggy Island, Melissa Bishop, Nicole Russel, & Kyle Callahan, Engen Books
Sea Monster Attack, Product of Newfoundland
Monster of the Deep, The Evening Telegram, August 25, 1888
Just off Harbour Buffet, Placentia Bay a fisherman vanished, his shattered boat was the only clue. It looked like something, some ocean creature, was responsible.
In 1891, James Brennan spun a tale of a shipwreck so tragic it shook the Atlantic—until the “wreck” turned out to be pure fiction.
On a moonlit January night in 1870, 16-year-old Elfreda Pike began a walk home from Harbour Grace—unaware it would be her last.
Stranded on a frozen rock at Christmas, the Queen of Swansea castaways faced starvation, despair—and unimaginable choices.
A Christmas voyage gone wrong, the story of the Ellen Munn lives on in song—as a tale of courage, kindness, and the perils of Newfoundland winter.
In 1887, a tragic accident at St. John’s Atlantic Hotel claimed the life of beloved porter William Shea. A mistaken step in the dark led to a 36-foot fall, leaving behind a grieving family and community.