Grenfell Mission Felted Wool & Fox Fur Mitts. Labrador & Newfoundland. Historic Folk Art.

British medical missionary Wilfred Grenfell arrived at Labrador in 1892 to investigate living conditions among local fishers for the United Kingdom's National Mission to Deep Sea Fishermen. He was shocked by the area's widespread poverty and almost complete absence of medical resources. He spent the next year raising money at St. John's and England to establish regular health-care services in Labrador.

Mission workers also helped create a local handicraft industry that allowed residents to sell hooked mats, knitted goods and other items at North American retail shops. Today, early Grenfell rugs are considered works of art; some are displayed in museums and galleries, while others are preserved in private art or antique collections.

Item ID: BB572