Name Origin

Our community was originally known as Clarenceville but that was later changed to Clarenville.

Who was Clarence and why the change?
Originally settled by loggers, farmers and trappers, Clarenceville was established in 1891 by the amalgamation of the settlements of Lower Shoal Harbour, Dark Hole, Brook Cove, Broad Cove and Red Beach.

There are a few different origin stories about the name but one version is that “Clarenceville” was chosen as a memorial to Prince Albert Victor, the Duke of Clarence, the eldest son of the Prince and Princess of Wales (later King Edward VII and Queen Alexandria) and grandson of Queen Victoria. He died in 1892 during an influenza pandemic at the age of 28.

By 1901 though, the common spelling changed from Clarenceville to Clarenville. Was the name changed due to a clerical error or because Clarence fell out of favour? Regardless, the name has remained that way ever since.

• Read more about Clarenville’s history here
• Check out Paul Tilley’s Site