A Visit to Old Castlereagh

Falls near Gamble Lake

It is easy to see why Robert Gamble and his neighbours decided in 1819 to settle at Castlereagh, Nova Scotia.  High on the mountain, overlooking the Bay of Fundy, it provided them with all they needed to live a happy and prosperous life.  Away from the bustling coastal villages of Portapique, Economy, Bass River and Great Village, it was peaceful - a prefect place for the clan to thrive.  Although it was quite unusual, there is a lovely lake, Gamble Lake on Robert's Grant - blue, clear and still teeming with fish.

The original families of Castlereagh were the Robert Gamble family, the Samuel Beattie Family (Samuel was Martha Gamble's brother), the John Crawford Family and the Robert Starritt family.  While all the men farmed their land grants, each also brought other skills to the community.  The Gambles were barrel makers and also took part in the Shad fishery down on the Bay.  There were boot makers, carpenters, stone masons among the men and the women were all adept in keeping their vegetable gardens and caring for their livestock.

John William's Barrel Factory

If we were to visit John William Gamble's (My great grandfather)  home, you would see a small 2 story home attached to a long shed where the barrels were made.  These barrels were used for packing fish and potatoes for market and for storing their own produce such as apples.  With 10 children, including the three sets of twins, it was a busy place.

Next we'd see Albert Gamble's home where the Post Office was located.  It was 16 miles to Portapique and Albert's Uncle Robert was paid $99.56 a year to ride the mail back and forth twice a week.

Robert Gamble's home would be next and it was presided over by Aunt Debbie (Deborah Reid) Gamble, who appears to have been the queen bee of the community.  She was the Church Lady and there was always a basket by her door with the makings of socks for the missions.  She was the Sunday School Teacher and leader of the Women's Mission Band.

Before the Presbyterian Church was built at Castlereagh, Great Aunt Hattie Gamble says, "The women up the mountain would walk to Portapique with their babies in their arms and carrying their shoes to save the leather."

Known far and wide for their grand picnics, the Gamble Family entertained such notables as Joseph Howe, - Father of Confederation in the grove behind great great grandfather, Robert Gamble's home..

Susan Belle and Julia West Gamble
Frank and Hattie Gamble

The trip to Castlereagh wouldn't be complete without a stop at Harvey Gambles'.  The people of the village were known for their hospitality and this home was no different.  There was always a warm reception and the young people had parties and dances there.  Harvey's daughter, Myrtle Gamble Richards was a well known fiddler.

Over the next two hundred years, the village of Castlereagh blossomed, boomed at the opening of the local Silica Mine and then declined into a ghost town in the mid 1900s.  Many in the family kept their land and would spend summer holidays up on the mountain.  Helen Gamble tells of leaving town to move to Bass River.  There was one old hen they could not catch and there was a barrel of buckwheat for which there was no room.  Next summer when they went up to open the house, they found all the buckwheat gone and the barrel was full of eggs.

In the old cemetery rests Robert Gamble (my great great great grandfather), his son, John Gamble (my great great grandfather) , his son, John William (my great grandfather) and their families.

What a testament to the Gamble family, when, after almost 200 years they still are remembered for their humour and hospitality!

My thanks for these anecdotes to my Great Aunt Hattie Gamble, Helen Abbott Gamble and Margaret Gamble Grue.

A - Gamble Lake