A colourful yarn about knitters, nurses and carrying on traditions

Over 100 years ago, a group of women harnessed the power of knitting to shape Newfoundland and Labrador’s history. The Newfoundland Outport Nursing and Industrial Association (NONIA) was formed to bring medical care to communities in need across the island. And it was all paid for by knitting. After helping start public healthcare, the organisation continued to provide opportunities for women to earn income from their knitwear. Today, NONIA maintains knitting traditions and celebrates the women who helped craft Newfoundland’s culture.

Sherry House, NONIA business manager, says it all started in the early 20th century after the First World War. Many Newfoundlanders were lost in battle, and the Spanish Flu pandemic was spreading across the island. It was a time of hardship and loss. In 1920, Lady Constance Harris accompanied her husband, Governor Sir Alexander Harris, on a trip from St. John’s to Burin. The journey was a shocking revelation about the level of poverty and lack of healthcare in outport communities. When Lady Harris returned home, she assembled a group of women to take action.

Initially called the Newfoundland Outport Nursing Scheme, its purpose was to bring much-needed medical services to the island’s outports. The vision was that proper health-care would help people get back on their feet and lift communities out of poverty. The group of women started by raising funds to travel to England and recruit nurses to work on the island. But how would these nurses be paid? The solution was found in women knitters across the province.

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