In the years following the American Revolution, Shelburne became a Loyalist stronghold – and for a short time, a hub for Nova Scotia’s earliest press.

Three newspapers emerged which reflected the interests and tastes of these early settlers. Though none lasted more than a few years, they deserve a place in the history of Canadian journalism for the rare glimpse they offer into a pivotal period in the country’s development.

The Royal American Gazette, the Port-Roseway Gazetteer and Shelburne Advertiser, and the Nova-Scotia Packet and General Advertiser all sprang to life during Shelburne’s brief boom between 1783 and 1789. Published by Loyalist printers who had fled the United States, these papers featured a mix of political commentary, shipping news, poetry, and reprinted stories from abroad – offering a cultural and historical snapshot of a town that seemed, for a moment, destined for lasting importance.

But Shelburne’s boom was short-lived.

Founded in 1783 as Port Roseway – now Shelburne – it had a population larger than Halifax or Montreal. Located on Nova Scotia’s southwest coast, it was founded by political refugees loyal to Britain. Among these Loyalists were roughly 1,500 Blacks who were settled in nearby Birchtown.

Though free, these Black settlers faced poor land allocations, limited supplies, a harsh climate, and ongoing discrimination. By 1792, many accepted an offer to relocate to Sierra Leone in West Africa, where they hoped for fairer treatment and better opportunities.

Despite this difficult start, Shelburne briefly flourished. Shipbuilding, timber, and other industries sprang up quickly, and the population swelled to over 10,000 but poor inland transportation, limited viable land, and a lack of experienced settlers led to rapid decline.

The Shelburne Race Riot of July 1784, also contributed to this decline. Shelburne was the site of what many consider Canada’s first race riot. Frustration over delayed land grants and job shortages boiled over among disbanded white soldiers. Resentment mounted against Black Loyalists, who were attacked and forced to leave Shelburne for Birchtown. Shelburne, in effect, became a segregated community. A dark chapter in Canada’s early history.

In 1787, the government distribution of provisions was terminated. Within a few years, houses were put up for sale and many moved on to other parts of British North America.

Still, the newspapers produced during those few formative years remain a lasting record of a hopeful, if short-lived, chapter in Nova Scotia’s past.

The Royal American Gazette (1783–1787)

James Robertson and his brother Alexander, Loyalists from New York, brought with them the Royal American Gazette, which they had previously published in Manhattan. James left Shelburne shortly after arriving to seek compensation from the British government in London, while Alexander continued printing. Alexander died in 1784, and James returned to resume operations.

In 1787, James moved his press to Charlottetown at the invitation of Lieutenant Governor Edmund Fanning. There, he established the Royal American Gazette and Weekly Intelligencer, the first newspaper on what is now Prince Edward Island.

The Port-Roseway Gazetteer and the Shelburne Advertiser (1784–1787)

This second paper was printed by James Robertson Jr. and J. Swords. Robertson Jr. was the nephew of James Robertson Sr., and his publication catered to settler interests, offering essays, poetry, reprints from English and American sources, and occasional local content. It operated until 1787, when the elder Robertson relocated to Prince Edward Island, taking the press with him.

The Nova-Scotia Packet and General Advertiser (1785–1789)

The final of the three early newspapers was founded by James Humphreys, a Philadelphia-born Loyalist. From 1785 to 1789, he published this four-page weekly, filled with shipping and local news, weather reports, and items reprinted from other papers. In 1797, Humphreys returned to Philadelphia, where he and his family shifted into book publishing.

Images

All images courtesy of the Nova Scotia Archives. archives.novascotia.ca

References

Town of Shelburne. shelburnens.ca/history-of-shelburne.html

James Humphreys (printer). Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Humphreys_(printer)

Pigot, F.L. (1983). Robertson, James (1747–1816) in Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 5, University of Toronto/Université Laval.  https://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/robertson_james_1747_1816_5E.html

Blupete website. History of Nova Scotia. Book 2: Settlement, Revolution and Wr. http://www.blupete.com/Hist/NovaScotiaBk2/Part3/Ch04.htm

Robertson, J. (2021). Shelburne Race Riots. In The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/the-shelburne-race-riots