Ernest Peyton
Royal Northwest Mounted Police

On July 1, 2004, Corporal Wilda Kaiser of the R.C.M.P. was joined by Mayor Calla Guy to make a special transfer presentation to the museum of a plaque that was first presented to the Town of Twillingate in the summer of 2000. At that time, Commissioner Philip Murray of the RCMP attended the 20th anniversary of the Fish, Fun, and Folk Festival as part of the 50th anniversary celebrations of the R.C.M.P. in Newfoundland and Labrador. Commissioner Murray presented a plaque to the town in recognition of the fact that the first Newfoundlander to join the Royal Northwest Mounted Police was from Twillingate.

Constable Ernest Peyton joined the R.N.W.M.P., the forerunner of the R.C.M.P., in 1888. Although he served only three months, having succumbed to a sudden illness on September 25, 1888, Constable Peyton was the focus of a special presentation in recognition of his place in the history of the force. Ernest Peyton's father, Thomas Peyton, was a Deputy Land Surveyor, Justice of the Peace and, for a short time, magistrate at Pilley's Island. He was a member of the House of Assembly of Newfoundland 1889-1893. Ernest was a cousin of Georgina Stirling, the famous opera singer known as "Nightingale of the North".”

The Twillingate Museum had created a display relative to Cst. Peyton and had requested the transfer of the plaque from the council chambers to the Museum. This was carried out in a ceremony with Cpl. Kaiser and Mayor Guy making the presentation to Jean Small, vice-president of the Twillingate Museum Association. The following citation is inscribed on the plaque:

Cst. Ernest Peyton
R.N.W.M.P. Regimental No. 2178
Born 1869 at Twillingate, Newfoundland
Died September 25, 1888 at Regina, Saskatchewan

First Newfoundland-born member of Canada’s national police force.

In this year 2000, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police celebrates 50 years of proudly serving the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. The recognition of this Twillingate citizen commemorates the continuing partnership and mutual support which has existed between the citizens of this town and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police since Cst. Peyton began his service on June 27, 1888.