Showing posts with label oral history. Show all posts
Showing posts with label oral history. Show all posts

Thursday, March 1, 2018

Fieldwork at the Bonne Bay Cottage Hospital

Participants share a laugh at the wine and cheese. Photo by Katie Harvey.

In late January, Terra and I travelled to Bonne Bay to begin conducting research and oral history interviews on the Cottage Hospital as a part of our Oral History Roadshow Series. We met Joanie Cranston, former chair of the ICH committee, at the hospital where we would be staying for the next few days. She had organized several events in order to gather locals to reminisce on the thriving days of the cottage hospital.

When we arrived, the ladies of the community kitchen program had prepared supper for us and baked a variety of delicious treats. Terra and I ate and familiarized ourselves with our temporary home. The hospital is now used as a physiotherapy clinic, a radio station, a public library, a hostel, a museum and a community center.

That night I had the old hag. Terra and I were sleeping in the upstairs portion of the building, which was where the female staff once lived. I awoke around 3:00 a.m. and was unable to move or speak. I attempted to call out to Terra but I couldn’t make any noise. Finally, my body was freed by the apparition of my mother who was pressing down on my side with her index finger.

The next day I told Joanie about my experience. She was intrigued and explained that a Peruvian healer had stayed in the hostel years ago and he too had had the Old Hag. He proceeded to cleanse the building of spirits, but he claimed that one spirit refused to leave without a visit from a Catholic priest. According to Joanie, that male spirit remains in the building. She said I was the first person to have been hagged since that man had performed the cleansing.

Katie Harvey sits in an old patient bed. Photo by Terra Barrett. 


The next day we hosted a memory mug-up in the daytime where people who worked as LPNs, blue aids, housekeepers, laundry workers, and cooks gathered to discuss their memories of working in the hospital. We ate goodies that were baked by the ladies of the community kitchen program. Terra and I spent the day conducting interviews with participants.

That evening we hosted a wine and cheese and more people came out to share their memories. There were lots of laughs as people discussed memorable patients, practical jokes, ghost stories and close calls. Terra and I conducted several more interviews and turned in after a long day.

Here is an example of one of the stories we heard, as told by Dr. Jim Bowen:

"There was a night I was on call and it was a weekend night. So back then we had a club, The Ferryman’s Lounge. There was usually a dance there on Saturday nights. Not uncommonly, there would be a fight or something would happen. Someone would come in a 2:00 or 3:00 in the morning, usually drunk, cut with a beer bottle or knocked out loaded, and you’d be called in. So on this particular occasion I got called in, and a gentleman was there inebriated and cut. So I was getting ready to sew him up. And his buddy was with him and I noticed the buddy suddenly got quiet. I looked over at him and I could see that he was looking faint. I didn’t want him to faint on top of what we were doing or hurt himself so I said, “You better go outside and get some fresh air or sit down.” So a few seconds passed after he left the room and I heard a thump. So I knew that he had fainted. Another minute or so passed - I had sterile gloves on and I was fixing up the other guy’s head so I couldn’t really leave and see what was going on - and then I heard the janitor behind me. The guy had fainted right on the long winter boot mat. So the janitor had just grabbed the ends of the mat and hauled him down the hallway on the mat, unconscious. He just pulled up in front of the door, I turned around and he said, “Where do you want him, Doc?” I said, “Well, put him in room number two.” So he pulled him on down the hall. There was a lot of really funny moments like that."

Terra Barrett interviewing Dr. Terry Delaney. Joanie Cranston sits in on the interview. Photo by Katie Harvey.

The following day Joanie had organized a couple more interviews, so we completed those and packed up to head home. We had conducted over twenty interviews over the course of two days, and we learned so much about the Cottage Hospital. The major theme that arose was how much everyone loved working there, and how close the staff had been. It was great to be able to hear about these positive memories, and see that the building was still remaining useful in a variety of ways.

The information collected from our trip to Bonne Bay is currently being compiled into a booklet. This will be the eighth in our Oral History Roadshow Series, so keep your eyes peeled for the launch of that soon!

-Katie Harvey 

Monday, February 26, 2018

#CollectiveMemories Monday - Wonderful Woody Point with Jack and Sue Parsons

View of Woody Point 5, from the water. Colour photograph. Photo of Woody Point (1950) showing schooner.
Collected and donated to HFNL as visual documentation for the Woody Point Registered Heritage District.
Photo courtesy of Memorial University's Digital Archives Initiative.
As part of the Collective Memories project the ICH office is showcasing community material which has been placed on Memorial University's Digital Archives Initiative. This interview with Jack and Sue Parsons was conducted by Lisa Wilson in 2014 and is about their experience of growing up and staying in Woody Point. It includes information on family history, the school system, local businesses and events, and what it is like to live in a National Park. This interview was conducted as part of the documentation around designating Woody Point a Registered Heritage District.

The ICH office is helping communities place previously recorded materials online. If your community has material you would like to make publicly accessible reach out to the Heritage Foundation at 1-888-739-1892 ex.2 or ich@heritagefoundation.ca

Tuesday, February 20, 2018

Heritage Day 2018 - Heritage Stands the Test of Time

Introductory remarks by David Lough, Chair of  HFNL's Board of Directors. Photo by Katie Harvey.

Heritage Day is celebrated each year on the third Monday in February. In honour of this day, the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador held a public event at the Yellowbelly Brewery on February 19th (click here to read more about the history of the building). Hosted by Fred Hutton of CBC, a crowd gathered to celebrate the heritage of our beautiful province. The theme of the event was "Heritage Stands the Test of Time."

A highlight of the day was announcing the winners of our 13th annual poster contest. This year, we received over one thousand entries from students across the province. Images depicting various heritage structures were submitted by students from kindergarten to grade twelve, coupled with essays explaining the personal significance of the building. Dale Jarvis and Michael Philpott from our office selected the winners.

Photo contest winners (left to right): Katie Spurrell, Luke Shannahan, Chloe Flusk and Hayley Martin with the Hon. Chris Mitchelmore.  Photo by Katie Harvey.

The winners of our first "Registered Heritage Structure Photo Contest" were recognized as well. Owners of Register Heritage Structures throughout the island were invited to submit photos of their properties in action. First place was awarded to the Bristol Hope Heritage Society for their picture of the Mosquito School House. Second place went to Todd Warren for his photo of the George House B&B in Dildo. 

We launched two publications: the first of which is titled Stories From the Heart. This booklet is the sixth publication in our Oral History Roadshow Series. However, this booklet was a little different from the others, as the stories were collected by our Oral History Class of 2018. Throughout the month of January, we held a class for people who wished to learn more about the techniques and skills of collecting oral histories. They interviewed various people about stories of love, love gone wrong, childhood crushes, and other related topics. If you would like download the full PDF, click here

Stories From the Heart. Photo by Katie Harvey.

The second publication released is titled From Sealskin to Science Fiction: Taking Tradition into the Twenty-First Century. This magazine was the result of our Adapting Heritage Conference which took place in the autumn of 2017. Click here to check out the publication online!

We had a wonderful time celebrating heritage day. If you missed it this year, hopefully we will see you next year!

-Katie Harvey

Joe Moore remembers the newspaper boys of Solomon's Lane.



Solomon's Lane, 2009. Photo by Alex Pierson/The Scope.
Last week, my friend Karen's father,  Dr. Joseph A. "Joe" Moore passed away. His funeral is today, and I'm on the other side of the province, so I'm sharing this as my way of saying farewell.

In 2009, Joe was one of the participants in the HereSay project started by myself and audio documentary producer Chris Brookes.  The project shared short stories about Water Street via an online map and a series of signposts along the street, each sign with a phone number and a code you could punch in to listen to the tale for that spot.

In this short clip, Joe remembers Solomon's Lane, and his days as a newspaper delivery boy for the Evening Telegram. He describes his route, and finding people to buy his newspapers.



For more on the history of Solomon's Lane, you can read an article about the laneway on the old website for The Scope.

 - Dale Jarvis

Monday, February 19, 2018

#CollectiveMemories Monday - Stories of Hant's Harbour with Lester Mitchell and Gordon Rogers

Stages on rock in Hant's Harbour. 1993.
Baccalieu Trail Heritage Corporation slide collection. # 017.19.025.
Photo courtesy of Memorial University's Digital Archives Initiative.
As part of the Collective Memories project the ICH office is showcasing community material which has been placed on Memorial University's Digital Archives Initiative. Check out this interview which is part of a series of filmed oral histories, collected in 2005 by the Baccalieu Trail Heritage Corporation, from over 40 elders who grew up in the area. The Baccalieu Trail HeritageCorporation is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to preserving, promoting and protecting the heritage of the Baccalieu Trail Region. This project includes memories of living and working in the area, going to school, children’s games, home remedies, the first modes of transportation, supernatural beliefs, traditional industries and calendar customs and celebrations. This interview is with Lester Mitchell and Gordon Rogers of Hant's Harbour, NL. The interviewer is Linda Cooper. The camera was operated by Linda Reid. The video was edited by Mike Ryan and Darrell Barrett.

The ICH office is helping communities place previously recorded materials online. If your community has material you would like to make publicly accessible reach out to the Heritage Foundation at 1-888-739-1892 ex.2 or ich@heritagefoundation.ca

Monday, February 12, 2018

#CollectiveMemories Monday - Moravian Memories with Reverend Lawrence Junek

Nain church and building, Nain, Labrador. 1995-26-07.
Moravian Architecture of Labrador - Dale Jarvis collection.
Scanned from colour slide number CF18.
Courtesy of Memorial University's DAI. 
As part of the Collective Memories project the ICH office is showcasing community material which has been placed on Memorial University's Digital Archives Initiative. Check out this interview with Reverend Lawrence Junek at his home, the Moravian manse, in Nain, Labrador, conducted by Dale Gilbert Jarvis as part of his thesis research in 1995. This interview is primarily about the Moravian system of dividing the congregation into age and sex based groups called "choirs" dead houses, funeral rituals, and the role of chapel servants.

The ICH office is helping communities place previously recorded materials online. If your community has material you would like to make publicly accessible reach out to the Heritage Foundation at 1-888-739-1892 ex.2 or ich@heritagefoundation.ca

Monday, February 5, 2018

#CollectiveMemories Monday - Recollections of Hopeall with Lillian Smith

Walter Edward Davidson fonds. Three girls on see-saw.
Series, Item A 51-124. Between 1915-1917.
Photo courtesy of The Rooms.
As part of the Collective Memories project the ICH office is showcasing community material which has been placed on Memorial University's Digital Archives Initiative. Check out this interview which is part of a series of filmed oral histories, collected in 2005 by the Baccalieu Trail Heritage Corporation, from over 40 elders who grew up in the area. The Baccalieu Trail HeritageCorporation is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to preserving, promoting and protecting the heritage of the Baccalieu Trail Region. This project includes memories of living and working in the area, going to school, children’s games, home remedies, the first modes of transportation, supernatural beliefs, traditional industries and calendar customs and celebrations. This interview is with Lillian Smith of Hopeall, NL. The interviewer is Linda Reid. The camera was operated by Linda Cooper. The video was edited by Darrell Barrett.

The ICH office is helping communities place previously recorded materials online. If your community has material you would like to make publicly accessible reach out to the Heritage Foundation at 1-888-739-1892 ex.2 or ich@heritagefoundation.ca

Monday, January 29, 2018

#CollectiveMemories Monday - Knitting in Conche with Gertrude Hunt

Gert Hunt demonstrating her knitting skills in Conche, Newfoundland.
Photo by Lisa Wilson. 2010. Photo courtesy of MUN's DAI.
As part of the Collective Memories project the ICH office is showcasing community material which has been placed on Memorial University's Digital Archives Initiative. Check out this interview from May 17, 2010, Lisa Wilson interviews Gertrude Hunt of Conche, Newfoundland. Gertrude discusses knitting, life in Conche, her family, making quilts, working in the Conche fish plant, working in Alberta, and social change in Conche.

The ICH office is helping communities place previously recorded materials online. If your community has material you would like to make publicly accessible reach out to the Heritage Foundation at 1-888-739-1892 ex.2 or ich@heritagefoundation.ca
Traditional snowflake pattern mittens with the cuff.
Made by Gertrude Hunt, Conche, Newfoundland.
Photo by Lisa Wilson. 2010. Photo courtesy of MUN's DAI.

Monday, January 22, 2018

#CollectiveMemories Monday - Whitbourne recollections with Winnie Gear

32.04.002: Whitbourne. "Whitbourne 1937" a view of Whitbourne.
Geography Collection - Historical Photographs of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Memorial University of Newfoundland. Libraries. Archives and Special Collections Division.
As part of the Collective Memories project the ICH office is showcasing community material which has been placed on Memorial University's Digital Archives Initiative. Check out this interview which is part of a series of filmed oral histories, collected in 2005 by the Baccalieu Trail Heritage Corporation, from over 40 elders who grew up in the area. The Baccalieu Trail HeritageCorporation is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to preserving, promoting and protecting the heritage of the Baccalieu Trail Region. This project includes memories of living and working in the area, going to school, children’s games, home remedies, the first modes of transportation, supernatural beliefs, traditional industries and calendar customs and celebrations. This interview is with Winnie Gear of Whitbourne, NL. The interviewer is Linda Cooper. The camera was operated by Robin Baker. The video was edited by Mike Ryan and Darrell Barrett.

The ICH office is helping communities place previously recorded materials online. If your community has material you would like to make publicly accessible reach out to the Heritage Foundation at 1-888-739-1892 ex.2 or ich@heritagefoundation.ca

Monday, January 15, 2018

#CollectiveMemories Monday - Boat Building in Joe Batt's Arm with Aiden Penton

Fishing stage in Joe Batt's Arm. 1997. Photo by Gerald Pocius.
Memorial University of Newfoundland. Folklore and Language Archive.
Fogo Island Collection 2017-225.
Photo courtesy of MUN's DAI. 
As part of the Collective Memories project the ICH office is showcasing community material which has been placed on Memorial University's Digital Archives Initiative. This interview with Aiden Penton of Joe Batt's Arm was recorded on May 16, 2009 by Dale Jarvis at the Marine Institute of Memorial University as part of a boatbuilding fieldwork documentation course. In the interview Aiden discusses his life as a boat builder, his family history, and boat building in Joe Batt's Arm.

The ICH office is helping communities place previously recorded materials online. If your community has material you would like to make publicly accessible reach out to the Heritage Foundation at 1-888-739-1892 ex.2 or ich@heritagefoundation.ca

Monday, January 8, 2018

#CollectiveMemories Monday - Stories of Spaniard's Bay with Frank Brazil

Spaniard's Bay. 30-E. Rev. Edwin Hunt photographs. Geography Collection of historical photographs of Newfoundland and Labrador. Courtesy of Memorial University's Digital Archives Initiative.
As part of the Collective Memories project the ICH office is showcasing community material which has been placed on Memorial University's Digital Archives Initiative. Check out this interview which is part of a series of filmed oral histories, collected in 2005 by the Baccalieu Trail Heritage Corporation, from over 40 elders who grew up in the area. The Baccalieu Trail HeritageCorporation is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to preserving, promoting and protecting the heritage of the Baccalieu Trail Region. This project includes memories of living and working in the area, going to school, children’s games, home remedies, the first modes of transportation, supernatural beliefs, traditional industries and calendar customs and celebrations. This interview is with Frank Brazil of Spaniard's Bay, NL. The interviewer is Kelly Snow. The camera was operated by Linda Cooper. The video was edited by Mike Ryan and Darrell Barrett.

The ICH office is helping communities place previously recorded materials online. If your community has material you would like to make publicly accessible reach out to the Heritage Foundation at 1-888-739-1892 ex.2 or ich@heritagefoundation.ca

Monday, December 18, 2017

#CollectiveMemories Monday - Stories of Port Blandford's Old Shops and Former Schools

Reg Penney in the Anglican Church in Port Blandford. 2017. Photo by Terra Barrett.
On August 10, 2017, as part of the Collective Memories project, I interviewed Reg Penney about growing up in Hant’s Harbour, moving to Port Blandford, his teaching career, the stores and shops of Port Blandford, and his time as mayor. This interview was also part of our Oral History Roadshow and sections of the interview were used in the booklet “Everything Was Wrapped in Brown Paper: The Old Shops of Port Blandford”. 

If you would like to listen to the full interview on Memorial University's Digital Archives Initiative click here or you can check out the pdf of our booklet on Port Blandford’s old shops here.


~Terra Barrett

Thursday, December 7, 2017

Basic Folklore and Oral History Interviewing Course starts Jan!

Frances Densmore with Blackfoot chief, Mountain Chief, during a 1916 phonograph recording session for the Bureau of American Ethnology.


Wednesday Nights
7pm-9pm
January 10th - January 31st, 2018

Calling all budding folklorists and armchair historians! This workshop is open to anyone with an interest in local history, culture and folklore, and who wishes to learn more about safeguarding our cultural heritage through the medium of oral histories.

The course will give a background on conducting research interviews in the field. It will provide an overview of the methodology and explore the practical matters of creating, designing, and executing effective oral history research projects, project planning, interview questions, ethical issues, and recording equipment.

Over the four week course, participants will conduct an interview, prepare archival metadata, and work collaboratively to create a finished oral history project.

The workshop will be taught by folklorist Dale Jarvis, the Intangible Cultural Heritage Development Officer for the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. He has been working for the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador since 1996, and holds a BSc in Anthropology/Archaeology from Trent University, and a MA in Folklore from Memorial University.

Participants will need to bring their own laptop/tablet, all other materials provided. If you have your own digital recording device (tablet, iPhone, mp3 recorder, etc) you are encouraged to bring it, but it is not required.

Workshop fee: $100 (preregistration required, limited to 8 participants)
Location: Newman Building, 1 Springdale Street, St. John’s

Register online at:
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/basic-folklore-and-oral-history-interviewing-course-tickets-41107537752

For more information, contact Dale Jarvis at 709-739-1892 x2, or email ich@heritagefoundation.ca

Friday, October 20, 2017

Old Shops of Port Blandford and Folk Cures and Practical Magic Booklet Launches

Katie Harvey discussing "Everything was Wrapped in Brown Paper" in Port Blandford.
The past few weeks have been busy ones at the ICH Office. We've been working on several projects including our two latest booklets which have recently launched. On Thursday, October 12th, Katie and I hit the road to Port Blandford with one of the latest booklets in the Oral History Roadshow series. “Everything Was Wrapped in Brown Paper: The Old Shops of Port Blandford” is the third booklet in the Oral History Roadshow Series produced by the Heritage Foundation. This booklet focuses on the old shops of Port Blandford, and people’s memories associated with these places.
Participants Sarah Greening and Linda Bennett reading the book. 
The booklet developed as a result of conversations with Calvin Efford of the Port Blandford Heritage Society and a public event held in August 2017. This event focused on the shops in the community. There were over forty shops in the town from the late 1800s to the early 2000s. Over the course of a couple of days in August we did some interviews with community members who worked or shopped in the stores. These interviews were combined with background research done by the Port Blandford Heritage Society and the community's summer Green Team as well as photos from the community.

On Tuesday October 17th, Dale and I along with our summer student Andrea McGuire headed out to Spaniard's Bay for the launch of the second booklet in the Oral History Roadshow series, "Folk Cures and Practical Magic". This booklet was focused in Spaniard's Bay but also includes a couple of stories from seniors who were interviewed during the summer as part of the Collective Memories project. It includes sections of charming warts, and curing toothaches as well as memories of the midwives and doctors in the 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s.

Andrea McGuire and Terra Barrett with some of the participants interviewed for the Folk Cures and Practical Magic book.
This booklet was the result of a roadshow event held in Spaniard's Bay in July 2017 that focused on home remedies like poultices for infections or practical magic such as removing a stye with a gold ring. Andrea McGuire and I completed interviews with community members who attended this Oral History Night and the Spaniard's Bay Heritage Society's summer student, Thomas Lane, completed a series of interviews with identified community members.

Judy Symonds reading one of her excerpts from the book.
Both launches were quite successful and the popular booklets are being sold by each Heritage Society. The Heritage Foundation will also place a PDF version online in the next few weeks which can be accessed and downloaded for free. 


If you would like to know more information about how your community can get involved in the Oral History Roadshow call Terra at 1-888-739-1892 ex. 5 or email terra@heritagefoundation.ca or Dale ex. 2 and ich@heritagefoundation.ca

~Terra Barrett

Monday, September 4, 2017

“Folklore Lives Here!” - A storytelling night in Bay Roberts


Do you remember the spot where teenagers went for their first kiss, where fairies marched, or the rock haunted by the woman in white? Have you collected water from brooks or picked berries from a marsh? What was the best place for playing hockey?

A group of Memorial University folklore students, along with the Heritage Foundation of NL and the town of Bay Roberts, wants to know!

“We are looking for people’s memories about local places, neighbourhoods, swimming holes, skating ponds, and old paths,” says the foundation’s folklorist, Dale Jarvis.

Jarvis, and a group of Memorial University folklore students, will be hosting “Folklore Lives Here” at the SUF Lodge, Bay Roberts, on Thursday, September 14th, 2017 at 7:00pm.

The event is an informal story sharing session for students to meet local residents and seniors, where people can gather, have a cup of tea, and share memories of growing up in Bay Roberts.

The folklore students are part of Memorial University Folklore Department’s Graduate Field School. Students will be living, studying, and researching in the area for three weeks, where they will receive training in folklore interviews, and will work together as a team to document the folklife of Bay Roberts.

The information gathered will be used by the students to create a booklet about the folklore and historic places and neighbourhoods of Bay Roberts.

Come for a cup of tea, share a memory or two about a special place in Bay Roberts. If you have old photos of your favourite place, bring them along!

For more information please contact Dale Jarvis with the Heritage Foundation toll free at 1-888-739-1892 ext. 2 or email ich@heritagefoundation.ca.

“Folklore Lives Here!” - A storytelling night in Bay Roberts
SUF Lodge, Patterson Street, Bay Roberts
Thursday, September 14th, 2017 at 7:00pm.

Wednesday, August 16, 2017

#OralHistoryRoadshow - Port Blandford

Oral history event on local stores. Photo by Katie Harvey. 2017
On Wednesday afternoon Katie and I headed out to Port Blandford to meet with the Conservation Corps' Port Blandford Green Team and Calvin Efford with the Port Blandford Heritage Society. Calvin contacted the Heritage Foundation about having the Oral History Roadshow come to Port Blandford. The Heritage Society suggested we focus on the stores in the community as there have been over twenty stores in the community through the years, and many local people have memories of both shopping and working in these general stores, convenience shops, and grocery stores.

Thursday morning we met with the green team and provided an overview of how to do oral history interviews including consent, recording equipment, questions to ask, and how to process the material once the recording has been done. Following this meeting Katie and I interviewed two women in the community about their experience with stores in the community.
In the afternoon we held the public oral history event where twenty five people came out to share their memories of local stores like Roland Greening's (later Wanda's), Powell's, Pelley's, and other small stores. There were stories about the charge system, how everything was noted by hand, and memories of the delivery service first by horse and cart and then by vehicle.

Following the afternoon event Katie and I interviewed five community members about their stories and memories of working and shopping in Port Blandford. We are still looking for memories of the stores in Port Blandford so if you have one let me know by calling 1-888-739-1892 ex. 5 or emailing terra@heritagefoundation.ca

Monday, July 31, 2017

#CollectiveMemories - Folk Cures and Practical Magic - Oral History Night

Participants describing types of poultices to Dale Jarvis.
On Wednesday July 26th, Dale, Andrea (McGuire), and I went out to Spaniard's Bay for the Folk Cures and Practical Magic Oral History night. The event took place at the Wesley Gosse United Church in Spaniard's Bay where 22 people came out to share stories of cures, charms, and recipes for ailments such as warts, arthritis, cuts, colds, freckles, etc.

The Cures and Practical Magic Night is part of the foundation’s Oral History Roadshow. This project is an initiative of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Office of the HFNL made possible with assistance from the New Horizons for Seniors program. The Oral History Night Roadshow will see researchers travel from community to community, hosting a series of Oral History Nights, open-mic storytelling sessions led and inspired by seniors in that community.
Andrea taking notes on the cures and charms.
We discussed recipes for bread poultices used to draw out splinters, and to cool burns and mustard poultices which would be spread over the chest for a cold. Several people remembered Aunt Eminy Barrett who would charm warts but wouldn't accept thanks for the work. Shelly Bowring went to see Aunt Eminy as a child and hasn't had a wart since. Shelly also shared her own knowledge of using a wedding band to make the sign of a cross to remove a sty, or using a needle and thread to divine whether or not someone would have children and the amount and sex of the children.
Shelly Bowring and her daughter Courtney Bowring.
Midwives and midwifery were discussed and there were stories of babies being thrown in the snow or dunked in hot and cold water until they were able to catch their breath. Two woman at the event were delivered by midwives and there was a discussion of Anne Marie Sheppard from Trinity Bay who was said to have delivered over 1200 babies!
Sharing stories!
If one was nauseous during pregnancy a mixture of 2 tbsp cider vinegar, and 2 tbsp of honey mixed with water would settle the stomach. Cures for seasickness included a ginger drink or a cloth bag of salt worn around the neck. The bag of salt could also be used for car sickness.

When the crowd was asked about uses for vinegar they repeated the second verse of Jack and Jill. We were told brown paper and vinegar could cure headaches and bruises! Jack and Jill is a traditional English nursery rhyme dates back to the 18th century and there are several variations. The version repeated last night is as follows:

Jack and Jill went up the hill
To fetch a pail of water
Jack fell down and broke his crown,
And Jill came tumbling after

Up Jack got and home did trot,
As fast as he could caper;
And went to bed and bound his head
With vinegar and brown paper.

If you want to learn more about vinegar and it's uses check out this blog post on the Folklore of Vinegar!

We finished off the evening with a cup of tea and some blueberry cake. This is a just a small sample of the stories we heard in Spaniard's Bay. We will be doing some follow up interviews and are hoping to produce a booklet of practical magic.  If you would like to learn more keep your eye on the blog, our Facebook, and Twitter! If you know any cures or charms reach out by phone to Terra at 1-888-739-1892 ex. 5 or terra@heritagefoundation.ca or Andrea ex. 7, mcguire@heritagefoundation.ca

Cup of tea!
~Terra Barrett

Friday, July 28, 2017

Memories of Historic Places: Proposal at the Cable Station


The Heart's Content Cable Station was constructed in 1876 by J.J. Southcott, a prominent St John's architect. The station was required to support the operation of the first transatlantic cable that connected Europe and North America.

The building has a rich history within the community, as many locals remember working at the station or knew someone who did. Bob Balsom recalls a story about a young couple who once visited the station:

“Yeah, there was an interesting story. This young man and his fiancĂ©, we didn’t know they were about to get married or anything, but we had an area there where you could tap messages on a key, back and forth on a large table. And anyway, he went and tapped a message because, you know, they could interpret the message because we had the Morse Code there on both ends of the table that you could read and do the dashes and dots and so on. Anyway he tapped out a message, ‘Will you marry me?’ and she was on the other end. She started yelling and crying. So you know of course she said yes, and they wrote that on our guestbook as they went out.”

The building has been designated a Provincial Historic Site, and has been transformed into a public museum.

If you have a memory of a historic place that you would like to share please contact Katie via email katherine@heritagefoundation.ca or via telephone (709) 739-1892 ext. 7.

-Katie Harvey

Monday, July 17, 2017

#CollectiveMemories Monday - Grand Falls-Windsor Memory Mug Up

















As part of the Collective Memories project Dale and I headed out to Grand Falls-Windsor last week to help out with the town's first Memory Mug Up event. The mug up was held in the Classic Theatre on High Street and was part of the town's Salmon Festival activities. The event was organized by the Grand Falls-Windsor Heritage Society and was a staged interview with six local community members.

Dale moderated the discussion which involved memories of horses and goats, tales of how to sneak in to the movie theatre with flattened nickels or fake tickets, stories of memorable local characters, the influence of strong woman, and memories about growing up in the community. The event was recorded and will be placed on Memorial University's Digital Archives Initiative. Check out the video below for a taste of the event and stay tuned for more memories!



~Terra Barrett

Folk Cures and Practical Magic Oral History Night - Spaniard’s Bay, Conception Bay North

Photo from: http://archivalmoments.ca/2016/09/newfoundland-and-cod-liver-oil/
Have you ever made a bread poultice? Do you remember stories about a seventh son or daughter? Do you know the perfect mix for wallpaper paste? Have you had a wart charmed? The Heritage Foundation NL, in partnership with the Spaniard’s Bay Heritage Society, wants to know!

The Foundation will be hosting a Cures and Practical Magic Oral History Night at the Wesley Gosse United Church, Spaniard’s Bay on Wednesday, July 26th, 2017 at 7:00pm.

“We are looking for anyone with memories of cures, charms, or practical recipes such as soap or wallpaper paste, as well as midwives, and healers with memories of practicing medicine in the area,” says the foundation’s folklorist Dale Jarvis.  “If you have memories of cures and recipes, we would love to hear from you."
The Cures and Practical Magic Night is part of the foundation’s Oral History Roadshow. This project is an initiative of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Office of the HFNL made possible with assistance from the New Horizons for Seniors program. The Oral History Night Roadshow will see researchers travel from community to community, hosting a series of Oral History Nights, open-mic storytelling sessions led and inspired by seniors in that community.
Come for a cup of tea, share a memory or two about a cure, and bring some home recipes. The information gathered will be used alongside oral history interviews and archival research to create a booklet about folk cures and practical traditions in Spaniard’s Bay. If you have photos or old written recipes, bring them along.
For more information please contact Terra Barrett with the Heritage Foundation toll free at 1-888-739-1892 ext. 5 or email terra@heritagefoundation.ca.