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In the darkness and quiet of the stone-arched vaults, the casks would lie three-deep for a period of four years, after which the wine would be shipped back to the firm in London, where it would be bottled as Newman's Ruby Port.

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The Newman company used the vaults on Water Street until at least 1893, and possibly as late as 1914. From that point on, they were let to a variety of tenants, including a tobacconist in 1919. The Board of Liquor Control used the vaults from 1937 to 1957, and some archaeological work took place at the site in the 1970's. The structure was mostly left vacant from 1966 until its historic and architectural importance was recognized in 1997, when it was designated as a Provincial Registered Heritage Structure, and the non-profit Newfoundland Historic Trust began the process of restoring the property.