The Battery Cafe is just the latest in a long line of commercial establishments to operate at 1 Duckworth street, St. John's Newfoundland.

According to the city archives, insurance records for 1 Duckworth St. date back to 1893, indicating that the current structure was built or rebuilt after the great fire of 1892. 

From local lore and anecdotes, it appears that the building was first owned by the Peckford’s, who operated their fish flakes on the harbor below. They in turn leased the store to the Halliday’s, who operated their first meat market on the premises, and kept cows in a pasture up near the Anglican Cemetery.

Gerald and Sheila Connolly purchased the store in the 1940s and operated it till the 70’s when it was leased to the Murphys, and then sold to the Kellys in 1989. The last operators of the store were the Morrissey’s, who ran it till 2006, after which it stood vacant for 10 years. After a major renovation, the Battery Cafe opened in June 2016.

 

In 2019 the adjacent apartment was renovated and added on, which doubled our seating and gave us a new kitchen!

Many visitors to the café have fond memories of living, working or shopping at the location over the years.

 

Some have vivid memories of the "The Battery B'ys" who used to hang out on the corner, and many a mother would not let her young ones venture near.

​

These bills of sale from Caines Groceries were found in the wall at 6 Ft Waldegrave in The Battery, site of a nearby general store run by Mrs. George Cane in the 1930's. Six eggs for 25 cents, and apples and oranges for 3 cents apiece - Those were the days!