Their house there was a large 2-storey, said to be like a palace in comparison with the other houses on the coast. In 1866, Bossy sold his home in St. Paul's to the mission and began to take his family to Quebec for the winter. This practice continued until 1881 when Bossy established a winter home in St. John's at 1 Military Road. He would bring a large crew from Newfoundland each summer for the Labrador fishery. The Newfoundland government had established a regular steamer service to Labrador, which included a call at Bonne Esperance. As a result, it was more convenient to travel by steamer to and from St. John's instead of using a schooner for the trip. When the Whiteley house was destroyed in the fire of 1892, Louisa and Bossy built a new house on what became 5 Military Road. When they acquired the houses on Gower Street for their children they named the properties Bonne Esperance.

William H. Whitely is credited with inventing the cod trap in the late 1860s and was active in the fishery until the end of 1902, when ill health forced him to stay in St. John's. He died on August 18, 1903. His wife died on March 14, 1911.