In the fall of 1918, the Spanish Flu swept through Sandwich Bay with devastating impact. Over the course of just a few weeks, the virus claimed the lives of 69 people – roughly 21% of the region’s 320 residents. Families were overwhelmed, struggling to care for the sick and bury their loved ones.

Around 40 children were left without one or both parents. Many were taken in by relatives and neighbours, a testament to the resilience and care within our communities. When a boarding school opened in Muddy Bay in 1920 – an initiative already underway by Anglican priest Rev. Gordon – it also became home to many of these orphans, whose lives had been reshaped by this loss.