Deadman's Bay is a local service district and designated place in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It is on the Straight Shore of Bonavista Bay near the community of Lumsden. The community is located near fishing grounds, contributing to its diversified and successful fishery despite its exposed, sandy coastline and harsh fall storms.
Deadman's Bay was first recorded in the 1845 Census of Newfoundland, at which time 24 people were living there. These inhabitants belonged to the Church of England and made their living as fishers. The primary reason for settling in Deadman's Bay was for the Labrador fishery; however, after 1869 the base of the economy became the inshore fishery. The population continued to increase as people from Bonavista, Cape Freels, and Lumsden moved to Deadman's Bay. In 1901, however, the community experienced a population decline which lasted for twenty years. In 1921 the population was growing again with nearly 100 people in 1945 and 180 by 1956. Electricity became available in Deadman's Bay in 1963, they also had their own elementary school, and by 1981 they were catching cod, flounder, catfish, herring, mackerel, salmon, squid, and lobster.[1]
Deadman's Bay is in Newfoundland within Subdivision M of Division No. 8.[3]
As a designated place in the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Deadman's Bay recorded a population of 130 living in 56 of its 74 total private dwellings, a change of from its 2011 population of 155. With a land area of 12.57km2, it had a population density of in 2016.[4]
Deadman's Bay is a local service district (LSD)[5] that is governed by a committee responsible for the provision of certain services to the community.[6] The chair of the LSD committee is Norman Goodyear.[5]