Long Dick's Sausage Emporium

one of
8 children, Dick was raised by his mother, after the death of his father, when he
was only 12 years old. Given there were three Richard Noseworthy's of about the
same age in Spaniards Bay and in keeping with Newfoundland tradition, each was
known by a nickname Goat Dick, Little Dick and Long Dick. Having grown up in
hard times, like many Newfoundlanders in the 1920’s, Dick found his way into the
lucrative business of Rum Running! He eventually ended up in Boston selling
whiskey for the Mob controlled and Irish run speakeasies of the Boston area. After Prohibition ended, the United States Government rounded up the many
immigrants from neighbouring Canada and Newfoundland that were formally
involved in the rum running trade and deported them. On returning home Dick
soon discovered there was a local demand for affordable whiskey, so he began
producing and running his own whiskey - introducing techniques such as charcoal
filtering to create a decent and affordable alternative to the heavily taxed
government approved whiskey. Long Dick continued to run his whiskey locally
until 1949, when I’m told, he promised his 76 year old mother he’d give up the
whiskey business. In 1952 Long Dick opened a General Store on the top of the
hill on New Harbour Road in Spaniards Bay, which he operated until he retired in
1976. To younger people who came into the store, he was known as Uncle Dick,
but to many of the old timers, he was and is still known as Long Dick, especially
when they are telling stories about the good ole days of rum running and stills in
the woods. I believe the rum running history is an important part of Newfoundland Heritage. It’s a heritage that should be recognized and celebrated as a way that enterprising and daring men made a living to support their families during a time in Newfoundland's history when simply surviving was a challenge. Richard Noseworthy “Long Dick” 1903 – 1986