
Terence Bay,Nova Scotia
The area, which is located at the tip of
the Chebucto Peninsula, was originally
settled in the early 1880s or possibly
before, probably by Irish fishermen. Early
records for the area include the 1827
Census of Halifax and the parish register
of Our Lady of Mount Carmel
(Roman Catholic), Prospect, whose entries
begin in 1823 and include Terence Bay
families. By the 1850s, the population of
Terence Bay consisted mainly of the descendants of Irish and German immigrants to NS, many of whose descendants still reside there.
The origin of the name "Terence" in reference to the community is uncertain; theories have included that it is a mispronunciation or misspelling of "Terns", or of "Turner", although "Turner" is unknown in the community as a historical surname. What is certain is that the 1865 A. F. Church Map of Halifax County names it "Turns Bay".
The area in which Terence Bay is situated also contains the communities of Lower Prospect at which the RMS Atlantic disaster occurred, and Sandy Cove, at which a cemetery and monument to the wreck and an interpretive centre are located. On the last Sunday of July, the SS Atlantic Interpretation Centre partnering with Saint Paul's Anglican Church host the Blessing of the Boats. Usually held between 2 and 4 pm.
In 2017 a community group formed to acquire and maintain the decommissioned Terence Bay Fire Hall. It is now the Terence Bay Community Hall and is very active, hosting a weekly bingo along with many other events.
