#Folklorephoto Did You Make or Get Any Handmade Valentines This Year? Embroidered Heart Quilt Panel by Clara Tucker.

Clara Tucker of St. Anthony was interviewed by Lisa Wilson in 2010. Mrs. Tucker discussed her methods used in her sewing, knitting, crochet, and quilting projects.

You can listen to the interview with Clara Tucker and view photographs of some of her projects at the MUN Digital Archives Initaitive

The Mount Pearl Public Library Memory Mug Up

This morning was the second in a series of Memory Mug Ups events, this one taking place at the Mount Pearl Public Library. Memory Mug Up's are an informal gathering where participants have a cup of tea and share memories of their lives. In this case the focus was memories of Mount Pearl and the group told stories ranging from the 1950's to the 1990's. We talked about the various shops and hangouts, amenities available in the community, the Mount Pearl Curl, transportation, and other aspects of life in the area. We also shared memories of where people grew up before they moved to Mount Pearl, including childhood games and rhymes. One interesting coincidence was having participants who realized they had lived in the same house on Blossom Avenue, one having sold the home to the other in the early 1970's! 

The Memory Mug Ups are part of the Collective Memories Project, an oral history initiative which invites seniors to record their stories and memories for archiving and sharing. Our next Memory Mug Up will take place at the the Marjorie Mews Public Library in St. John's on February 22nd from 2:30 to 5:30.

For more information on how you or your community organization can get involved, email Dale Jarvis at ich@heritagefoundation.ca or call (709) 739-1892 ext. 2

#CollectiveMemories Monday - Linda Kane and Terra Nova Motors

Linda Kane and Terra Barrett.

Back in December Kelly and I met up with Linda Kane at the Cupids Legacy Centre. Linda had given the ICH office a box of unidentified reel to reel tapes she had found in her father's collection of materials. Linda thought the materials were related to Terra Nova Motors where her father worked from the age of 16 or 17. Through our partnership with Memorial University's Digital Archives these reels were digitized and placed online.

Inside the Terra Nova Motors Showroom.

Kelly and I met with Linda to do an interview about her memories of Terra Nova Motors.  Linda brought pictures and memorabilia to jog her memory and this material was also digitized.  This includes some advertisements including the one shown below as well as photographs of the building, the cars and the showroom.  There is even a photo of Linda and her sister Marilyn seated in the back a car in the showroom.  Linda's father, Clarence Reid, was a manager and as such the girls spent time in the showroom on Sundays when their father did the books.  When I asked Linda what stood out the most about the showroom she said, "Probably the smell of the cars and the leather.  Vinyl wasn't the prominent thing back then.  It was nice clean cars with chrome."

Clarence Reid pictured in an advertisement for Terra Nova Motors.

If you want to learn more about the showroom or Terra Nova Motors you can listen to Linda's interview here or the reel to reel audio here. I've also included an excerpt from one of the reels of the Terra Nova Motors from the 1970s as well as Linda singing the jingle she remembered from the 1950s.

1970s Terra Nova Motors jingle from digitized reel to reel tapes.
Linda Kane singing 1950s Terra Nova Motors jingle.

~Terra Barrett

Living Heritage Podcast Ep067 Cod Sounds

Lori McCarthy grew up in the small fishing community of Bauline, of about 200 people, on the east coast of Newfoundland and Labrador. The traditional foods of her childhood feed her passion to tell the stories of her province through its people, culture and food. Out of this passion she started Project NL Food, a province-wide endeavour to visit various communities and speak with generations of people that hold their culture close to their heart. Lori also owns and operates Cod Sounds, a company which is devoted to celebrating the province’s unique foods with travellers and locals alike through hands on experiences like beach boil-ups, mussel picking and berry picking.

In this interview, we talk about how the Project NL Food got started, traditional recipes, family foodways, the barter system, hunting, teaching, workshops, and food tours.

photo: https://www.instagram.com/codsounds/

Listen on the Digital Archive:

http://collections.mun.ca/cdm/singleitem/collection/ich_oral/id/703/rec/1

Portugal Cove-St. Philip's Memory Mug Up - Friday, February 10th

Share Your Stories at the Memory Mug Up!
Do you have knowledge of the Picco's Ridge plane crash of 1978? Can you describe the place names in the community? How about the names of the gullies and pond? What can you tell us about the Bell Island Connection? If you have answers to these questions or have memories of growing up in Portugal Cove-St. Philip's, you are invited to attend the Memory Mug Up!

The Memory Mug Up is an informal story sharing session for seniors, where people gather, have a cup of tea, and share memories. The Heritage Foundation of NL will be hosting three Memory Mug Up events for seniors this February.

The goal of the program is to help participants share and preserve their stories. The town is particularly interested in information about place names, cemeteries, names of local ponds, fishing history and families, the 1978 plane crash, Bell Island connections, and ghost stories. We would love to have a chat with you about your memories of the community!

The event is free! You bring a memory of growing up, we’ll supply the tea and biscuits, and we will all have a chat. Following the sessions, those who are interested can set up a time to have their stories recorded and archived by one of our story collectors.

Portugal Cove- St. Philip’s Memory Mug Up
Friday, February 10th, 10:00am
Recreation Center (next to the Town Hall)
1119 Thorburn Road, Portugal Cove- St. Philip’s

The Memory Mug Ups are part of the Collective Memories Project, an oral history initiative which invites seniors to record their stories and memories for archiving and sharing. It is a project of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Office of the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador (HFNL), the Provincial Advisory Council on Aging and Seniors, the Interdepartmental Working Group on Aging and Seniors, and is funded through the Department of Seniors Wellness and Social Development.

For more information on how you or your community organization can get involved, email Dale Jarvis at ich@heritagefoundation.ca or call (709) 739-1892 x2.

#Folklorephoto A 'Cathedral Window' Quilt by Joan Smith

A beautiful detail of a 'Cathedral Window' quilt made by Joan Smith and used in her home. In 2013, the Heritage Foundations Lisa Wilson interviewed Joan and her husband George, primarily about growing up in Heart's Content. While at their home, Lisa took photos of some examples of Joan's quilts and hooked rugs. The interview and photos are part of the Heart's Content section of the ICH-Avalon Peninsula Fonds on MUN's DAI .

Click on the link below to listen to the interview:
Smith, Joan and George 1. Interview about growing up in Heart's Content. 

#CollectiveMemories Monday - Levina Fraser of Isle aux Morts

Lavina Fraser on her 90th birthday in August 2016.

In October I had the opportunity to do an oral history interview by phone with Levina Fraser.  Levina, originally from Isle aux Morts, currently lives in Oromocto, NB but has vivid memories growing up in Newfoundland.  In this interview Levina remembers her childhood in Isle aux Morts - going to school, chores such as washing laundry, knitting, spinning and carding wool as well as the lack of electricity, indoor plumbing and cars.  Levina also describes with pride how her grandmother worked alongside midwives and doctors to deliver babies in the community.  If you want to learn about life in a small fishing community before confederation or hear the alphabet recited backwards give this interview a listen!

The recording can be found here on Memorial University's Digital Archives.

Levina Fraser age 20 at Mount Royal in Montreal, QC.

~Terra Barrett

#FoodwaysFriday - Name that meal!

Photo by Meghann Jack.

Last Thursday Dale, Kelly, and I drove to Marysvale for a series of oral history interviews as part of the Collective Memories project. The interviews took place at the Heritage House which functions as a museum and tea room during the summer. The community has received some funding to have the interviews fully transcribed and these first four interviews were sent to a transcription company in central Canada over the weekend.

We received the full transcripts this week and noticed something a little curious. During the interview with Patricia Whalen and Shirley Ryan, the pair discussed garden parties in the community. They were talking about a particular food which was eaten at the party as well as taken away. The transcribers in mainland Canada were unable to figure out what food was being discussed. Read the excerpt or listen to the clip below and let us know what food they were talking about!


Shirley: And when I first moved down here we had garden parties. I'd never seen a garden party, I mean we had fairs up in the mainland, but garden parties, oh my gosh … Oh it was marvellous.

Dale: So what would happen at a garden party?

Shirley: They'd have little boats for the children and they spin wheels for numbers and they had boats and … Oh it was grand … In the churchyard … Either that or in the hall … On the hall. It was great, oh my gosh. And they had a big meal. [Unintelligible 00:32:12] plates, everybody would go in the hall and sit down and pay for their [unintelligible 00:32:17] plate and have it … Either that or takeout.

Patricia: Take it home.

Shirley: Either one.


Name that meal!
~Terra Barrett

Mount Pearl Memory Mug Up - Monday, February 13th

Mount Pearl Public Library

Share Your Stories at the Memory Mug Up!

Which of your memories would you like to preserve for future generations? What are your dearest childhood memories? What advice would you give your 18-year-old self? If you have answers to these questions, you are invited to attend the Memory Mug Up!

The Memory Mug Up is an informal story sharing session for seniors, where people gather, have a cup of tea, and share memories. The Heritage Foundation of NL will be hosting three Memory Mug Up events for seniors this February, in Mount Pearl, Portugal-Cove St. Philip’s, and St. John’s

The goal of the program is to help participants share and preserve their stories. Whatever story is important to you, whether it a personal story, a story about a family member, or a story about your community, the Memory Mug Up program can help you to preserve and share it.

The event is free! You bring a memory of growing up, we’ll supply the tea and biscuits, and we will all have a chat. Following the sessions, those who are interested can set up a time to have their stories recorded and archived by one of our story collectors.

Mount Pearl Memory Mug Up
Monday, February 13th, 10:30 am
Mount Pearl Public Library
65 Olympic Drive, Mount Pearl

The Memory Mug Ups are part of the Collective Memories Project, an oral history initiative which invites seniors to record their stories and memories for archiving and sharing. It is a project of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Office of the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador (HFNL), the Provincial Advisory Council on Aging and Seniors, the Interdepartmental Working Group on Aging and Seniors, and is funded through the Department of Seniors Wellness and Social Development.

For more information on how you or your community organization can get involved, email Dale Jarvis at ich@heritagefoundation.ca or call (709) 739-1892 x2.

Living Heritage Podcast Ep066 The Writer of Riverhead

Dale Jarvis and Patrick Collins, photo by Kelly Drover.

Patrick Collins, born and raised in Riverhead, Harbour Grace, is a retired educator who taught in various communities throughout Newfoundland and Labrador. He finished his teaching career in education as a Curriculum Program Specialist, working in Avalon Peninsula School Districts. He is also a writer of historical fiction and has published five literary works. Currently Patrick teaches at The Canadian Training institute, Bay Roberts.

We chatted with Patrick Collins about where his interest in history started, the 1871 murders of Jane Sear Geehan and Garnett Sears on the southside of Harbour Grace which Collins wrote about in his book Belonging, railway memories and his work as a station operator, writing historical fiction, and his next book What Lies Below.

• Check out Patrick's Facebook page here. 

Listen on the Digital Archive:

http://collections.mun.ca/cdm/singleitem/collection/ich_oral/id/722/rec/1

Registration open for the Heritage Tomorrow Forum 2017

Heritage Tomorrow

It’s hard to believe the “youth heritage” movement in Newfoundland and Labrador is nearing its third year of activity. Since the inaugural Youth Heritage Forum in 2015, a passionate group of heritage enthusiasts have kept the spirit alive, organizing a series of socials and workshops, and a second forum in 2016. This year we have no plans of stopping and are happy to announce a third annual get-together will be taking place this March 25th, 2017, starting at 10am.

This time around we have taken feedback from previous events and crafted a day just for our loyal and growing audience. We will be tightening the schedule, involving peer mentors in roundtable discussions, networking over lunch, and bringing back a highlight of last year’s forum – the Heritage Skills Competition (with new skills sure to challenge and amaze).

This year’s forum will again be targeted to heritage types aged 18-35, but knowing that many in that bracket do not consider themselves “young” and are well along in their careers, we have opted to begin a rebrand. Our upcoming event is dubbed the Heritage Tomorrow Forum, signifying that our attendees and even younger friends-of-heritage will be defining the sector in the years to come.

One other change this year is that there will be a small fee to attend. A flat price of $10 will ensure our activities are sustainable and lunch is delicious, while also ensuring we do not break students’ bank accounts. We will be holding the forum in the same location as previous years – The Lantern at 35 Barnes Rd., St. John’s.

If you would like to attend this year’s Heritage Tomorrow Forum, tickets are now available at www.hfnl.ca. If you have any questions, please get in touch by emailing heritagetomorrownl@gmail.com. A full schedule will be shared as the event draws nearer.

#Folklorephoto Collection of Tools in Charlie Pearcey's Twine Store. How Do You Display Your Collection?

A collection of tools from the 1900's to 1950's is displayed on shelves in Charlie Pearcey's Twine Store. The photograph was taken in 2006 by Rita Colavincenzo while visiting Mr. Pearcey and the Twine Store in The Battery in St. John's. The visit included the collection of many other photographs as well as an interview with Charlie Pearcey about the twine store, his family, and the area.

Are you a collector? How do you display your collection?

From Business and Birch Brooms, to Modernity and Mug Ups - Heritage News.

Main Street Windsor, 1944. Photo courtesy of Grand Falls-Windsor Heritage Society.

The January 2017 edition of the Heritage Update is a mixed bag, including articles on making the case for heritage as good business, an invite to our upcoming Memory Mug Up events for community elders, notes on drain sweepers and birch brooms,  digitizing the Admiralty House Oral History Collection from Mount Pearl, Modern architecture, and a notice of our booklet launch for the Merchants of Main Street project in Windsor on March 4th*.

***The launch previously scheduled in February has been rescheduled due to construction issues with the rental space.

Download the pdf here.

#CollectiveMemories Monday - Mug Ups with Martha MacDonald

This February, we'll be running some Memory Mug Up programs for seniors, as part of our Collective Memories project. The programs are designed to get seniors out and sharing stories, a type of community oral history sharing time, with a cup of tea and snack, of course!

Back in 2010, Dale Jarvis talked by phone with Dr. Martha MacDonald of the Labrador Institute about the Mug Up programs she had been running in Labrador communities. If you want to know more about how the programs work, and to get some tips and tricks for running your own version, make yourself a cup of tea, settle in, and listen in to their conversation here.

#FoodwaysFriday - Berries with Bridget Jacobs

Local blackberries - also called black crowberries, heathberry, earthberry, and curlew berry in some locations.

When we discuss foodways of Newfoundland and Labrador the first food that comes to mind is the codfish. Cod has played a major role in everything from the province’s economy to its culture. It is featured in many traditional dishes however it is not the only food tradition in the province. Seafood and fish, caribou, seal, sea birds, berries, root vegetables, and imported products such as molasses and tin milk all play a part in the province’s food traditions. In celebration of the diverse foods harvested, grown, cooked, and eaten in Newfoundland and Labrador we will be doing a #FoodwaysFriday feature on the ICH Blog.

This week we are featuring a series of photos and videos taken by Maureen Power with Bridget Jacobs of Joe Batt’s Arm. The collection features a number of local berries including blackberries, marshberries, tea berries, blackcurrants, goose berries, raspberries, partridgeberries, poison bush, blueberries, crackerberries, and blue herts. Maureen takes short video clips of Bridget showing her the location and type of berries. Bridget also gives little stories about the berries including the clip below where she describes how blackcurrant cured her niece when she was sick.

If you would like to see the full collection click here!

Share your stories and knowledge of food with the hashtag #FoodwaysFriday.

~Terra Barrett

 

#Folklorephoto Standing on the Roof Looking at All the Snow

This photo of the Taylor House in Woody Point was collected by Charlie Payne and donated to the HFNL as documentation of the Woody Point Heritage District. A unidentified woman stands on the roof of the house looking over the piles of snow surrounding the house. Date unknown.

To see more items from the Bonne Bay area visit the MUN Digital Archives Initiative

Memory Mug Up Events!

Join us for a cup of tea!

Share Your Stories at the Memory Mug Up!

Which of your memories would you like to preserve for future generations? What are your dearest childhood memories? What advice would you give your 18-year-old self? If you have answers to these questions, you are invited to attend the Memory Mug Up!

The Memory Mug Up is an informal story sharing session for seniors, where people gather, have a cup of tea, and share memories.

The Heritage Foundation of NL will be hosting three Memory Mug Up events for seniors this February, in Mount Pearl, Portugal-Cove St. Philip’s, and St. John’s

The goal of the program is to help participants share and preserve their stories. Whatever story is important to you, whether it a personal story, a story about a family member, or a story about your community, the Memory Mug Up program can help you to preserve and share it.

The events are free! You bring a memory of growing up, we’ll supply the tea and biscuits, and we will all have a chat. Following the sessions, those who are interested can set up a time to have their stories recorded and archived by one of our story collectors.

Portugal Cove- St. Philip’s Memory Mug Up
Friday, February 10th, 10:00am
Recreation Center (next to the Town Hall)
1119 Thorburn Road, Portugal Cove- St. Philip’s

Mount Pearl Memory Mug Up
Monday, February 13th, 10:30 am
Mount Pearl Public Library
65 Olympic Drive, Mount Pearl

Marjorie Mews Memory Mug Up
Wednesday, February 22nd, 2:30pm
Marjorie Mews Public Library
12 Highland Drive, St. John’s


The Memory Mug Ups are part of the Collective Memories Project, an oral history initiative which invites seniors to record their stories and memories for archiving and sharing. It is a project of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Office of the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador (HFNL), the Provincial Advisory Council on Aging and Seniors, the Interdepartmental Working Group on Aging and Seniors, and is funded through the Department of Seniors Wellness and Social Development.

For more information on how you or your community organization can get involved, email Dale Jarvis at ich@heritagefoundation.ca or call (709) 739-1892 x2.

#CollectiveMemories Monday - Life on the O'Brien Family Farm

Photo of young Aloysius with two puppies in 1921

Many people in St. John's will have memories of Aly O'Brien and the O'Brien brothers, and their fabulous heritage farm and farmhouse, Thimble Cottage.  The O’Brien Farm is situated within the City of St. John’s between Mount Scio Road and Oxen Pond Road. The thirty-two acre property is located within Pippy Park and is adjacent to the MUN Botanical Gardens.

The O’Brien family immigrated to St. John’s from southeastern Ireland. John O’Brien (1791-1857) established a farm in Freshwater, two miles west of St. John’s, in or around 1818. From its establishment, this farm was operated by O’Brien family for 190 years until the family’s last descendant, Aloysius Patrick O’Brien, passed away in October 2008.

In 2010, the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador acquired the farm to be developed as an historic site. In 2011, the O’Brien Farm Foundation was founded to manage, preserve and develop the property as a sustainable historic resource and visitor destination. The O’Brien Farm as an historic site focuses on a number of themes: Irish settlement in Newfoundland; Irish-Newfoundland culture and tradition; farming history in Newfoundland; sustainable farming practices; and the story of the O’Brien family.

Between 1992-1994, Dr. Jo Shawyer, Department of Geography, Memorial University, conducted a series of interviews with Aly O’Brien.

You can listen to the first of their chats here, where Aloysius talks about the farm and the life in the past. Topics include the acquisition of the land, the history of Irish immigrants, the neighbours, carts, horses, cows, and farm life.

The remainder of their conversations, along with photos and other documents about the farm, are all online on Memorial University's Digital Archive Initiative.

#Folklorephoto Children with Sleds in Woody Point. Do You Have Memories of Sliding?

This photograph of "Bruce and Harry" ready to go sliding in Woody Point, is part of a collection of snapshots taken by residents of the Woody Point area. Images were collected by Charlie Payne and donated to the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador as documentation of this Registered Heritage District. To see more items from the Bonne Bay area visit the MUN Digital Archives Initiative

#CollectiveMemories Monday - Growing Up in a Cable Town

As part of the Heart's Content Cable Conference, Saturday, September 10th, 2016, we recorded a funny, charming, and nostalgic look back at growing up in a cable town. The talk was an on-stage conversation between Ted Rowe and Wallace Rendell, recorded at the Heart’s Content Regional Centre for the Arts (Heyfield Memorial Church). 

The two gentlemen swapped stories about the family histories of the Rendells and Rowes; differences between cable staff families and local families; the cable station library and its impact on literacy and education; childhood pastimes and swimming; card games; milking goats; memories of early televisions and TV sets; the post office and mail coming from Carbonear by horse and sleigh; and the impact of the cable station on town life.

You can listen to their chat, with an introduction by Joan Ritcey, right here. 

What is a birch broom, and who makes them?

A birch broom was once a common sight in Newfoundland. They were cheap to make, and were used for a variety of purposes.  Here is what the Encyclopedia of NL said about this traditional craft in 1981:

BROOMS, BIRCH. Birch brooms are hand-made brooms which were the major sweeping utensil in many homes in Newfoundland during the time leading up to the introduction of mass produced straw and plastic brooms. They remain in use in many areas. There are two major types of birch broom. One is made from a single piece of black birch which has been debarked. One end of the piece of birch wood is stranded and peeled back to form the brush part. This is a tedious, time consuming project. The broom is soaked in water or brine to keep it supple. Two or three days is often needed to create one of these brooms which then can be used for cleaning sofas and fireplaces and even for brushing horses. 

The second type of birch broom can be made in about half an hour. Young birch twigs about .6 m (2 ft) long are cut and tied together in a bunch. The thicker end is laced tightly with cord and drawn together. A stick about 1.5 m (5 ft) long, usually spruce, is cut and trimmed and sharpened on one end. It is then driven into the middle of the tied twigs with a hammer which tightens the broom even more. The broom is then ready to use in such chores as cleaning out barns, back porches, and steps, and sweeping snow. A broom can last with normal use from three to six months and is often soaked in water to prolong life. Jacob Winsor (interview, Feb. 1981), The Rounder (Mar. 1978). 

Source: Encyclopedia of Newfoundland and Labrador
http://collections.mun.ca/cdm/compoundobject/collection/cns_enl/id/1707/rec/2

Mr. Joshua Young is a birch broom maker who we interviewed in 2015. You can read one of our old blog posts here or watch his broom-making skills in action in this YouTube video.




The man in the photo at the top of this article is identified as "Hebert Heffern" but I don't have more information than that. Do you know this man or have more information about him?

I'd love to track down more living broom makers, especially those who might be up for a chat! Do you know a broom maker in your community or family? Drop me a line at ich@heritagefoundation.ca or call 1-888-739-1892 x2

- Dale Jarvis

The Big Black Bull of Hollow Tree - a Newfoundland Folktale. #FolkloreThursday

In July of 2010, we recorded traditional storyteller Alice Lannon sharing her story, "The Big Black Bull of Hollow Tree" at the 18th Annual Conference of Storytellers of Canada-Conteurs du Canada, in St. John's, Newfoundland.

Alice Lannon was well-known and highly respected on the island as a teller of traditional and community tales. She told stories at festivals, workshops and special heritage events, and credited her gift as a storyteller to her grandmother Mary (Strang) McCarthy. Her grandmother retold the stories she had been told by an elderly aunt, who was born in Lawn around 1820. These stories were passed on orally in the family for about 175 years. In 1991 some of these stories were preserved in a book which Alice co-wrote with her brother Michael McCarthy “Fables, Fairies & Folklore of Nfld.” Alice went on to co-author two more books with Mike "Ghost Stories from Newfoundland Folklore" and "Yuletide Yarns."

Alice passed away March 28th, 2013, but you can listen to her fabulous telling of The Big Black Bull of Hollow Tree on Memorial University's Digital Archives Initiative.

NEW: One day oral history workshop with Dale Jarvis in Carbonear

Collecting Oral Histories around Anniversaries and Milestone Events

Date: Wednesday, January 25th, 2016. 9:00 am to 4:30 pm.
Location: CARBONEAR, NL. College of the North Atlantic (Room 145), 4 Pike's Lane.

Collecting the oral history of an artifact is an important part of collections management. When people assemble at anniversaries and millstone event exhibitions opportunities to collect information on collections are created, and museums should be prepared to use these interactions with the public to collect and enhance collections records. The stories of veterans and people associated with artifacts should be properly recorded.

This workshop will provide information on the proper recording methods for oral history in museum settings. These histories will enable participants to enhance artifact records by recording stories on digital media. Participants will learn proper methods for digitizing audio and video recordings including the use of electronic devices, recording best practices and proper methods of digital storage. These recordings may be used to enhance the display of artifacts.

Instructor: Dale Jarvis, Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador
Enrolment Limits: Maximum of 10
Registration fees: $85 for MANL members, $110 for non-members

This workshop is an elective course for the Museum Studies Certificate Program. For more information about this program, please contact Sarah Wade, Professional Development Coordinator via email at swade@nf.aibn.com or at (709) 722 9034.

#CollectiveMemories Monday - Colin Pike: railway man, woodsman, and lineman

Photograph of Colin Pike (right) and his son, Wayne Pike

In August 2016, we had a visit in the Heritage Foundation office with Colin Pike, and his son Wayne Pike. We sat down for a chat, and Colin told us about growing up and the different jobs he had, including working on the railway, as a logger, and with Newfoundland Power as a lineman. He also talked about his father, including his service during the First World War, and his life as a trapper. Do you know what a railway torpedo is? Colin can tell you all about it!

Listen to the interview here.

#CollectiveMemories Monday - Clifford Reid and the history of Reidville

Dale Jarvis (l) talks to Cliff Reid (r) about the land settlement patterns in Reidville

In August 2016, we conducted an oral history interview with Clifford Reid about the history of Reidville, near Deer Lake in the Humber Valley region.

In the interview, we talk about his family history; his grandparents William Thomas Reid and MaryAnn Major, the first settlers of Reidville; how Reidville and Junction Brook began; the development and locations of lots of land in the area,and about his memories of Reidville as a child in the 1950’s and 60’s. 

The interview contains a lot of great information about logging, sawmills, woods work, and the tramway railway constructed by the loggers and the Newfoundland Pulp and Paper company, as well as a great story about Cliff's aunt going into labour and giving birth in a canoe!

The recording is archived on Memorial University's Digital Archives Initiative. Listen to it here!

8mm Films of Grand Falls-Windsor Families, C.L.B, and Community

The following four films are the final batch of reels I have digitized for the Grand Falls-Windsor Heritage Society. They show various aspects of life in the area, with a mix of spliced together clips alternating colour film with black and white. The children and families shown in the reels are likely relatives of the photographer, Albert Hillier who had 4 siblings, and 19 nieces and nephews. I also wonder if his wife Enid is in the footage. Hopefully those who knew Albert will be able to identify some of these people in his life.

This first film starts by showing one of the Church Lads Brigade camps. Like one of our previous C.L.B reels, it shows some sort of silly parade with the adult C.L.B. members marching while wearing paper hats and carrying a flag made from a pair of white pants. Again, I am wonder if this was a tradition C.L.B. camps in general, or was it specific to this camp. The reel then changes to black and white (the scenes have been spliced together) and we see two women, a baby, and a young boy on a beach, and then in the back seat of a car. The next scene shows the young boy, and another older boy eating bread while sitting on the rocky beach, they are joined by a man who poses with the boy in front of the camera.

The next reel is a similar mix of colour film and black and white, what looks to be from different years. It starts showing a group of shirtless men outside drinking from a jug. Do you recognize the house in the background? We then see one of these men holding a puppy. The reel cuts to a game of football in front of the same house, likely with the same group of men. Then there is a scene showing a C.L.B event near a church. This clip is not very clear but you can see some of the buildings in the area. The reel then changes to colour, and appears to be much later footage. A young girl with brunette braids is on a boat and sticks her tongue out to the camera. Is she one of Hillier's nieces? The film cuts again to a man outside carrying a sack and a truck carries lumber in the background. A baby in a yellow beret sits in a pram looking at the camera. The last scene is black and white, very briefly showing a man standing next to a tripod setup, and what looks like a large pot over a fire.

Next is a short 30 second reel that shows men in a grassy area surrounded by trees, playing football and tackling each other. The same house that was in the background of the last film, can be seen in this one.

The final film of this collection, begins with a child in a red coat playing in the snow. In the background there is writing in the snow, most of which I cannot read but I do see the date 1945. The same child is then seen being walked in a stroller along a paved road. The reel cuts to a dark scene indoors, possibly with the same child, along with some adults. The child looks like they maybe playing with a camera. The reel then shows men outside in the winter, and various scenes of the Grand Falls-Windsor Mill and the dam.

Whether or not you have connections with the area, I hope you have enjoyed viewing these films. If you recognize any of the locations or people in these films, please email kelly@heritagefoundation.ca

The King of The Birds: Happy St. Stephen's Day!

(l-r) Dale Jarvis, Bev Kane, Dennis Flynn.

"King of All Birds": a public forum about NL wren traditions

“Up with the kettle and down with the pan
And give us a penny to bury the wren”

The wren is just one of several Christmastime house-visiting traditions that continues in Newfoundland and Labrador today. Typically, children or adults will visit homes within their community carrying around an effigy of a small bird—the wren. Upon visiting a home, they usually recite a poem declaring the wren the “King of All Birds” and may offer some kind of performance, be it song, joke, or recitation. Often the host will offer up food, drink, or money for the visit. Unlike other house-visiting traditions, there are no disguises involved.

On December 14th, 2016, the final night of the 2016 Mummers Festival, festival coordinator Ryan Davis hosted a public forum on wren traditions at The Rooms. The forum starts with introductory remarks by Davis, and then folklorist and storyteller Dale Jarvis shares the legend of the wren and moderates a discussion with Bev Kane of Renews and Dennis Flynn of Colliers, two people keep the wren alive in Newfoundland.  Listen in, and learn about the history of the wren tradition and how it’s happening today.

Download the mp3

In the interview, Bev Kane notes a variant version of the wren legend, posed as a battle between two legendary cities: Half a Loaf, and Windy Gap. Her written version is posted below, with a transcript after.

Here is the story, transcribed:

The King of the Birds

Years ago there were two cities named Half a Loaf and Windy Gap. Half a Loaf had the eagle and the people were always saying that they had the best bird to fly, but Windy Gap kept saying that they had the smartest bird to fly and it was the wren. The two groups decided to hold a contest to prove who was right, but first the citizens of Windy Gap had to go in the forest and catch a wren. This didn’t take long for them to catch a wren, so the two cities decided that on the day after Christmas, St. Stephen’s Day, they would let the two birds fly up in the air as far as they could. The people knew that which ever bird went the highest they would know when the birds came back: If a bird only went a short distance its wings would be dry, if it went higher its wings would be wet and if it went much higher there would be frost on its wings.

On St. Stephen’s day the two birds took to flight, no doubt the Eagle went much faster, the small wren took its time but kept the Eagle in sight. After a while the Eagle got tired and started to slow down. The wren started to gain on it but the Eagle kept on going, and he was not looking out for the Wren. The wren was so smart and so small and so light in weight that it pitched on the Eagle’s back and the Eagle did not know it.

When the Eagle got really tired he had to turn back. Now the wren was feeling good after a free ride, he left the Eagle and flew much higher.

When they got back to earth the people got some surprise when they saw the Eagle had wet wings but the smart little wren had the frost on his wings so from that day to this, the wren was called “The King of the birds”.

Grand Falls-Windsor House Parties - 8mm Film Reels

When I started to work on digitizing the 8mm reels from the Grand Falls-Windsor Heritage Society, I expected to see formal community events and home videos with families and children. Among the mix of Church Lads Brigade reels and other footage from the Grand Falls-Windsor area, were four films that showed house parties were people were drinking alcohol, laughing, and playing pranks. These four films show a wonderful side of the personalities of these people and a relaxed party atmosphere that you usually do not see.

When I first set up the projector, the first reel that I played was black and white footage from the late 1940's showing a house full of people sitting around drinking and joking with the camera. After watching all the reels, this is still my favorite. Two men performed some sort of ritual alternating between bowing to a crate of liquor bottles and taking sips from their drinking glasses. A man in a hat and an Anglican clerical collar reads from a book. He is later seen asleep with his arms crossed and a sign reading "not dead but interred" laid on his chest. Another man wearing round glasses, a hat, and a fake beard, sticks out his stomach to portray a character. The photographer, Albert Hillier, was a member of the Northcliffe Drama Club for 52 years, and while they are not performing in the footage, you can clearly see that his group of friends had a theatrical persuasion. I am curious to know if the man dressed as an Anglican priest, was an actual priest or was he in costume.

This reel also contained scenes apart from the house party. We see young boys playing outside with a toy car and a set of wheels. There is a woman in an apron looking out a window and making gestures to the camera. Two men are outside with a car and truck with a logo on the drivers side door. Another woman joins the men and they dance before the reel ends. Do you recognize the houses in this area?

The next film is very dark, but there is a lot of laughter in there. The footage starts upside down, which may be a hint that this was filmed towards the end of a party. While it is dark and out of focus in parts, there are some good shots of peoples faces, so some may be recognizable.

In the last set of reels I shared, there was one film that showed title cards relating to the footage he shot, some of which we have. The next film has eight title cards, though some words are out of frame. One title, that we don't have the relating film, reads "Guilty: Sergt. LeMoine Sews Lieut. Lane's Coat Sleeve." Another, which may help identify one of the individuals says "A Corner Brook Photographer." These title cards are followed by a short clip showing a small gathering. The party takes place in the same house as some of the other reels, and a man pours the guests drinks from a jug.

The final reel in this set once again shows a house party with people sitting around talking and drinking, while a man is playing guitar. We then see a sleeping guest with a doll laid next to him, and another man stands over him reading from a book. I would love to hear what he is reading, maybe funeral or marriage rites? We then see three men in standing in front of the camera. The man in the center holds a funnel to his mouth while the other two pour in liquid. The guests pass around a balance toy and joke with each other. The camera returns to the sleeping man, who now has the balance toy stood up on his chest. The camera pans down to his feet and he is now wearing women's shoes. Next the camera shows a women setting down plates on a table full of food and desserts. The camera pans around the room to show the guests standing around eating, drinking, and having a good time. Although the footage is dark, in this film and the previous, there appears to be a projector set up on one of the tables, which makes me think that this may be Albert Hillier's home. 

I hope you enjoyed this look at house parties in the late 1940's. Do you recognize any of the individuals or locations in these films? Contact me by email kelly@heritagefoundation.ca

- Kelly

Living Heritage Podcast Ep065 On the Trail of the Wild Men

Emily Hope is an artist, researcher, and founder of the Wild Man Appreciation Society, a civil society and personal museum dedicated to the promotion and preservation of tales of the Wild Man. Emily was born and raised in Aurora, Ontario, and college-educated at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, British Columbia, where she earned a BFA in 2012. Emily lives in Kamloops with her husband, Cory, and their daughter, Molly. During the week you can find her at the Kamloops Art Gallery where she works as the Education and Public Programs Director.

We chat about about the origins of the Wild Man Appreciation Society, Emily’s work as an artist and collector, the origins of the Wild Man archetype and pre-Lenten masking traditions, Black Peter, Santa, the interplay between pagan faiths and Christianity, her research on traditions in Romania and wild man parade and house-visiting traditions there, gender roles and cross-dressing in masking customs, photography and curating exhibits on Wild Men, and her visit to Newfoundland to better understand mummering traditions, and similarities between the festivities in Romania and Newfoundland traditions.

Listen on the Digital Archive:
http://collections.mun.ca/cdm/singleitem/collection/ich_oral/id/715/rec/1

#Folklorephoto Do You Have a Handmade Christmas Stocking? This Knitted Example Was Made by Eliza Genge, Anchor Point

How many people will have similar stockings hanging on the mantle for Christmas? This photo of a handmade knitted Christmas stocking was collected by Lisa Wilson in 2010 while conducting an oral history interview with Eliza Genge of Anchor Point. 

To listen to Lisa's interview with Eliza Genge and see other examples of Eliza's work, visit Memorial University's Digital Archives Initiative

8mm Films of Church Lads Brigade Camps in the Grand Falls-Windsor Area

In October, I began working on digitizing Nineteen 8mm film reels from the Grand Falls-Windsor Heritage Society. Without labels or a way to view the reels, the contents of the films was a mystery to the Society so they sent them along to us to have digitized. The films are now ready to be shared and I hope with your help we will be able to identify some of the individuals or locations in the films. The films have a variety of topics, but the bulk of the collection show formal events and camps of the Church Lads Brigade. The Church Lads Brigade has had a major presence all over the province, and while these reels are of the Western Division, they are a good example of the activities of the C.L.B as a whole. The films are interesting not just for those connected with the C.L.B, but for anyone who was involved in other groups that went on similar camping trips.

This first film was previously posted, but I was able to record a clearer copy so I decided to share it again. The reel shows a C.L.B. Parade with band that march towards an Anglican church. At the church there is an inside service as well as an outdoor event with many people in attendance. This is one of the few C.L.B. reels which showed a formal event.

Next we see what looks to be an open air church service conducted by the cadets of the C.L.B camp. Their families look on, visiting the camp for the day. This reel also shows some other camp activities, as well as title cards. There are fourteen titles, created by the filmmaker Albert Hillier, that may relate to this reel or others in the collection. They identify that at least some of the camps had taken place in South Brook, and one was identified as filmed in 1947.

Another reel that was previously posted shows various C.L.B scenes. I was able to reattach a broken section adding 4 minutes on to the film, as well as improving the quality. The reel showed various camp activities including swimming and sports as well as local events at the Grand Falls War Memorial and the railway station.

Unfortunately none of these films have sound, and in the following film the sound would be an important part of the event. The footage is dark, filmed at dusk while a music group with a female lead is playing for the camp. The campers can be seen dancing between the tents, having fun with a night of music.

The next film identifies the camping group as the Church Lads Brigade Western Division, and at least this particular camping trip took place in South Brook in 1947. It shows a formal event and some footage of the camp grounds including a C.L.B crest with the division, location, and year laid out in white stones. I hope this information will help to identify some of the people in the films.

While the image of the C.L.B is often thought of as uniforms and parades, this film shows some foolish behavior by the adults at the camp, starting with some sort of silly march where they all pull up one pant leg and march around the campsite. I am curious to know if this was a unique event or some tradition at the camps. Next is a meal scene, with all adults and a priest sitting at the head of the table. The mood is jovial, with members making faces at each other and the camera, and one man wearing a fake nose. We then see an informal wrestling match, and the boys line up to go swimming. The last scene in this reel shows the adults joking around and hitting each other with a strap.

The adults at camp can also be seen in the following film playing baseball and getting ready for a swim. They pose in front of a sign that reads "Our Summer Resort" and lists rules for the camp site. I believe this is also located in South Brook. We also see a female camp visitor laughing and joking with the men. This visitor seems to be in some connection with a inspection and parade that takes place at the camp and ends the reel.

The next film is a good example of everyday camp life. It shows the serious side with a camp inspection, there are various clips involving food and eating, We see how the campers bathed, and some recreation activities like baseball and boxing.

The campers also had to deal with the elements, in this case rain and the flooded camp. We can see that the tents have been raised off the ground and both the men and boys are working in a line to bail out puddles of water. It is not just necessary work, but they can be seen having fun as well, throwing a bucket of water towards the camera and tossing the bucket in the air back to the beginning of the line. 

The final film in this set is a short clip showing the more serious side of the Church Lads Brigade, with all members in uniform and lined up for an inspection

I hope you enjoyed viewing these films, I look forward to posting the remaining nine soon. If you recognize any locations or people in these films, please contact kelly@heritagefoundation.ca. 

Living Heritage Podcast Ep064 Behind the Red Suit: Secrets from a Knight of St. Nicholas

Bruce Templeton’s journey with Santa has taken three phases so far. In 1978, he was asked to "play Santa." he was an actor. In 1982, he held the hand of a dying child whose last words were "Santa, Santa." Then he became Santa. And in the last few years, he has met St. Nicholas who has joined them on their visits. Bruce has joined Santa in the parades for 37 years and they have 50 visits each year in less than 30 days. Their last visit is to the Janeway on Christmas Eve where Santa holds the newest newborn born on Christmas Eve.

In this podcast we discuss Bruce’s journey with Santa, becoming a Knight of St. Nicholas, the history and myth of St. Nicholas, the work of Mrs. Claus, the Flight to the North Pole, the Santa Claus Parade, the Teddy Bear Project, and some of his favourite stories throughout his time with Santa Claus.

Listen on the Digital Archive:
http://collections.mun.ca/cdm/singleitem/collection/ich_oral/id/712/rec/1

“King of All Birds”: a public forum about NL Wren traditions

The wren is just one of several Christmastime house-visiting traditions that continues here today. Typically, children or adults will visit homes within their community carrying around an effigy of a small bird—the wren. Upon visiting a home, they usually recite a poem declaring the wren the “King of All Birds” and may offer some kind of performance, be it song, joke, or recitation.

Join us for the last event of the Mummers Festival on Wednesday, Dec. 14 from 7:00 to 8:30pm at The Rooms. In this public forum, meet some of the people who are keeping this tradition alive in Newfoundland & Labrador. Come learn about the history of the wren tradition and how it’s happening today. For more information visit mummersfestival.ca

#Folklorephoto Under The St. Lawrence Umbrella Tree

While scanning slides from the St. Lawrence Historical Advisory Committee, two photos of a tuckamore tree sparked my interest. The tree stands in manicured field, wrapped in a colourful pennant banner. After some quick research, I found that the tree has been given the name The Umbrella Tree, because of its unique shape.

One of the first results that show up when searching the St. Lawrence Umbrella Tree, is a 2014 article by Paul Herridge in The Southern Gazette. The article talks about the importance of the tree to those in the St. Lawrence area and their concerns for The Umbrella Tree's health. The reporter stated that provincial forestry officials had inspected the tree and had estimated it only had two years of life left.

Do you know the status of this tuckamore tree? What makes this tree important to the community? Do you have any memories of The Umbrella Tree? Email kelly@heritagefoundation.ca