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The history of the Newman Family and Company is as flavorful as their internationally renowned port. To learn the story of this family, we must travel back in time to 14th century Dartmouth, Devonshire, England. As far back as 1395, this particular corner of the world was home to the Newman family, who had always been noted for their trading activities, dealing mostly in cloth, but also dabbling in French wines in the 1400s.
As the New World was discovered, tales began to spread of the profitable and seemingly inexhaustible fishing grounds off John Cabot's newly discovered island. At this time, the Newmans and many other European trading families began to ship dried salt codfish from Newfoundland to European countries such as Portugal.
The Newman family eventually set up an operations base in Newfoundland, with facilities in St. John's, Harbour Breton and several other places along the south coast of Newfoundland. By 1700, the Newman trading plantations had become a permanant fixture in Newfoundland. The Newmans' trading in Newfoundland as individuals combined together as Newman & Co. Newfoundland. The business consisted mostly of the trade of salt cod fish and stores, as well as whaling and sealing expeditions to Greenland carried out as early as 1744. Around 1835, one of the staff of Messrs. Newman's plantation, whose name was Matterface, died. His body was preserved in a puncheon of rum for it's conveyance to England.
By the 19th century, the trade of Newman's port between Newfoundland and the rest of the world had been firmly established, as had the excellent reputation of the port itself. So renowned was the port that the Officers of the H.M.S. Bellerophon may have toasted the surrender of Napoleon Bonaparte on board the ship on 15 July, 1815 with it.
Up to the time of Prohibition in 1917, shipments of port were made from Newfoundland to the different British Regiments in Africa, India and other parts of the world. As a part of the Cabot 500 celebrations in 1997, Newman's Port once again traveled overseas as ballast, accompanying the Matthew, with several bottles for the crew and some special bottles marked "Not to be opened until July 13th, 1997, upon arrival at Harbour Breton. Bon Voyage!" The Newman brothers, Peter and Richard (below), flew to Newfoundland to meet the shipment of port in Harbour Breton. They also paid a visit to the Newman Wine Vaults in St. John's for the start of the restoration project on this historic building. 
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