The Robins, as they were known at the time, left their mark on the history of Caraquet and the surrounding region for over a century. It was in the fisheries that these seasoned entrepreneurs sometimes made their fortunes, sometimes went bankrupt. Their presence in Caraquet dates back well before their arrival in 1837, since Charles Robin, according to his journal, was in Caraquet on June 2, 1767, to meet Jean Baptiste Giraud.

Olivier Blanchard, an Acadian deported and brought back from France by Charles Robin, would be his agent in Caraquet for many years.

Having no children, Charles Robin would see his adopted son, William Fruing, open a business similar to his father’s in Caraquet under the name WM Fruing Company.

The Rive family, also from Jersey, will see one of their own, Phillip, also establish a fishing business after having apprenticed with the Fruings.

The Robin company, the largest Jersey-owned business in Caraquet, owned 500 acres of land. Today, it is home to, among other things, the Hôpital de l’Enfant-Jésus, the Collège communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick, and the Musée acadien, which currently houses an exhibition on the Jersey presence.

This Jersey presence left Caraquet with numerous descendants, most of whom had to convert to Catholicism to integrate into the community: the Mourant, LeGresley, Dumaresq, Degruchy, Lecouteur, and Henry families, to name but a few. The conservatism and rigidity of these families proved to be both their strength and their downfall.

Clarence LeBreton, historian

The new exhibition, “Jersey Presence 1837-1958,” is the work of historian Clarence LeBreton and is on display at the Caraquet Acadian Museum. Its official opening will take place on August 13, 2020, at 4:00 p.m. at the Caraquet Acadian Museum. All are welcome!