Spencer Birch Brooms - The next generation! #nlheritage

I posted yesterday about the birch brooms of Samuel R. Spencer, Cul de Sac West. In a great example of how the internet can be a good thing at times, I got an email today from Mike Spencer, the grandson of Samuel Spencer. Mike is the first cousin of Janet Edmonds, who showed me her grandfather's broom.

Mike wrote, "he taught me how to make the birch brooms when I was a teenager and I have made a few over the years. I interviewed my grandmother about them when I was doing my degree at Grenfell, they used the brooms as a tool for processing salt fish."

I had mentioned in the blog post about his grandfather's broom that it was tied off with wire, instead of the cord used by broom maker Joshua Young. Mike noted that, "Pop didn't always use wire on his brooms, I think it was more about what he had on on hand," which fits with Janet's description of him as a bit of a tinkerer.

Mike also sent me a couple photos (shown here) of a broom he made in 2016. 

Stay tuned, I'm sure there will be more broom posts sweeping your way soon! In the meantime, if you have a birch broom or a story about one, email me at ich@heritagefoundation.ca. 

- Dale Jarvis

Merchants and Memories of Main Street, Windsor - Booklet Launch

Some of the people interviewed for the booklet, members of the Grand Falls-Windsor Heritage Society, and Heritage Foundation staff.

On Saturday, March 4th, Dale, Kelly, and I attended the "Merchants and Memories of Main Street" booklet launch in Grand Falls-Windsor. The launch took place in St. Joseph's Parish Hall just around the corner from Main Street where the memories of the booklet focused.

Interviewer Terra Barrett with longtime GFW resident Yvonne Courtney who was interviewed for the booklet.

“A Little Montreal: Merchants and Memories of Main Street, Windsor” is the third booklet in the Collective Memories Series produced by the Heritage Foundation. This booklet focuses on the memories of people who grew up, lived, worked, and shopped on Main Street with a particular emphasis on the merchants and shops of Main Street, Windsor.

Reviewing photographs from the GFWHS.

The Grand Falls-Windsor Heritage Society (GFWHS) had a collection of their archival photographs from Main Street projected on the wall.  They displayed several 8mm and 16mm films from Grand Falls and Windsor including a soap box car race, baseball and hockey games. The Society also placed photocopied photographs and documents on a table for visitors to view and help identify the people pictured.

The crowd listening to a reading from the booklet.

The launch was a great success with over 150 people turning out and all the booklets being sold in a matter a minutes. The Society is placing an order for more printed booklets and can be contacted here! A PDF version of the booklet will also be placed online through Memorial University's Digital Archives Initiative.

Debating who is in the wedding photograph displayed on the banner.

There were lots of refreshments provided following a couple of speeches and readings by three participants showcased in the booklet.  The Heritage Foundation had three large banners printed and displayed around the room which prompted stories and arguments had over who was in the photographs. After the official launch there were photographs taken of the staff members from different stores on Main Street such as Riff's, Cohen's, Stewart's, etc.

Former staff of a Main Street shop.
I believe this photo is of the Stewart's staff - let us know if the comments if you know for sure!

Discussing stories of Windsor.

The Main Street booklet is part of the foundation’s Collective Memories Project. This project is an initiative of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Office of the HFNL, with funding provided by the Department of Children, Seniors, and Social Development. The Collective Memories Project invites seniors to record their stories and memories for sharing and this booklet and launch was an excellent opportunity to do just that!

Anne Warr posing with the Windsor quilt and the Cozy Chat banner which displays the photograph of her parent's wedding in the Cozy Chat.

~Terra Barrett

The birch brooms of Samuel R. Spencer, Cul de Sac West.

One of my current folklore obsessions is the traditional Newfoundland birch broom. I've written about birch brooms on this blog before, and you can read about what a birch broom is (and see a video of Mr. Joshua Young making one) here, and more photos of the process here. If you are so inclined, you can also read an article I wrote called "Street Arabs, Drain Sweepers, and Birch Brooms."

The birch broom picture above belongs to Janet Edmonds of St. John's, and was made by her maternal grandfather, Samuel Robert "Young Sam" Spencer (1920-2001), originally of Cul de Sac West, a now-resettled community just east of Cape la Hune on Newfoundland's south coast. 

Photo of Samuel R. Spencer, courtesy Janet Edmonds.

"Young Sam" shows up on the 1921 Census for Burgeo & LaPoile District - Cul de Sac West, the son of "Old Sam" Spencer (born 1879). He show up again in the 1935 Census for the same district. He later moved to Channel-Port aux Basques, and is buried in the St. James' Anglican Church Cemetery, Barachois Hill, Port aux Basques. 

A few years before his death, he made a batch of birch brooms for family members and grandchildren, including one for Janet and one for her sister. Janet tells me that he was a bit of a craftsman, and liked to putter around making things, including a long-handled "pooper-scooper" so he wouldn't have to bend over while walking the dog. 

Mr. Spencer's birch brooms are very similar in style to those made by Joshua Young, who grew up in Grey River, only a short boat ride (20km or so) from Cul de Sac. The major difference between the two makers is that Spencer's brooms are tied off with wire, rather than the cord used by Young. 

Do you have a birch broom with a story? I want to hear it! I'd also love to track down some living birch broom makers. If you have ideas or memories, comment below, or email me at ich@heritagefoundation.ca. 

- Dale Jarvis

Booklet launch - "I’m going to tell your mother" Tuesday March 7th

I’m going to tell your mother: An oral history of childhood’s hidden worlds.
Collective Memories Series #004

Booklet Launch
Tuesday, March 7th
7:30pm - Crow's Nest Officers Club

Over a series of sometimes snowy Monday nights in January 2017, a dozen participants gathered at the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador’s office in St. John’s to learn the basics of oral history.

This extended oral history course was a first for HFNL, and was open to anyone with an interest in local history, culture, and folklore, and who wished to learn more about safeguarding our cultural heritage through the medium of oral histories. We had students and experienced cultural workers, retirees, former journalists, and people passionate about archives and family history.

One of the goals of the course was to have participants work collaboratively to create a finished oral history project. We talked about the importance of focussing a project, and after discussion, we agreed to conduct oral histories on the hidden and secret worlds of young lives, and to collect some of those stories you might not have wanted your parents to know at the time.

Our researchers went out and conducted their own interviews, prepared biographies of their storytellers, and selected memories for publication. On Tuesday, at 7:30pm at the historic Crow's Nest Officers Club, we launch the results of their work with "I’m going to tell your mother: An oral history of childhood’s hidden worlds." 

Come learn some of the secrets uncovered by our researchers!

#CollectiveMemories Monday - Gary Barnes, Leatherworker

In 2012, Nicole Penney and I conducted some research around Newfoundlanders who worked high steel.

One of the intriguing people we met as part of the project was Gary Barnes, a leatherworker and harness maker, who makes leatherwork for those working high steel.

In this interview, Gary Barnes discusses making leather works for high steel such as harnesses, frogs, and belts. Listen to the interview here or visit Gary's website here and check out his work.

Calling all youth - 3rd Annual Heritage Tomorrow Forum!

Heritage Tomorrow NL brings heritage skills, networking, and mentorship to this year’s forum.
Saturday March 25th
The Lantern, 35 Barnes Road. St John’s, NL

Following the success of the last two forums, the third annual Heritage Tomorrow Forum is again set to engage youth interested in the safeguarding and study of culture and heritage.

Heritage Tomorrow NL and the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador are holding the 3rd Annual Heritage Tomorrow Forum at the Lantern, 35 Barnes Road on Saturday March 25th from 10am-2pm.

“The main goal of this year’s forum is to bring together young people who are enthusiastic about heritage and culture, and help foster future professional networks,” said Heather Elliott, Heritage Tomorrow organizer.

Participants will again get to take part in a heritage skills competition, now with a whole new range of activities! New this year is the networking lunch, where participants can meet with young professionals in the heritage industry and create contacts with others interested in similar heritage fields. A social will take place in the evening after the forum for those interested.

Young people between the ages of 18-35 can register for $10.00 at: http://www.hfnl.ca/

Heritage Tomorrow NL is a group affiliated with the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador that works to a create a network for young people and heritage professionals within the province.

#Folklorephoto How Do You Catch Your Luck? Horseshoe on a Stable Door in Keels

A horseshoe is hung on Kenneth Mesh's stable door in Keels as a good luck charm. Photograph was taken by Claire McDougall in 2012 as part of the MUN Department of Folklore field school.

To see other material from Keels visit MUN Digital Archives Initiative.

Pierce’s Fish Store - Saved from Demolition. #NLheritage

Pierce’s Store on the north side of Harbour Breton, 1990s. (Doug Wells photo)

Special report by Doug Wells.

Seeing it is Heritage Week in NL, I visited the Elementary classes (Grade 4,5,6) at St. Joseph’s Elementary in Harbour Breton. We discussed the history of Pierce’s Fish Store and how the building was saved from demolition, relocated and restored. This community landmark is more than 100 years old and has changed hands three times in its history. It was built by a local sea captain, Mr. George Rose who needed a store for curing fish and storing fishing supplies, etc. In 1944 it was sold to another local fishing Captain, Pius Augot who used the store for 20 years. The last owner was the Pierce family of Hr. Breton, a fishing family. It has been known as Pierce’s store since 1964. However, its purpose had diminished after the construction of the new fresh-fishplant in Hr. Breton during the 1960s and time was started to show its effects on the old wooden structure. With limited use and showing signs of deterioration, the Town of Hr. Breton offered to purchase the building and make it a part of the Elliott Premises on the other side of the harbour. The Town wanted to preserve the heritage of this community landmark. Its present location was not suitable for restoration work or accessibility. After the fishplant (FPI) closed down in 2004, displaced workers were employed in the project of relocating it and restoring it. The photos will show the steps in the relocation. All work was done by local workers who had knowledge of tides, boats, and floating platforms, etc. They were very proud of their successful effort as the photo shows. In 30 minutes it was floated, transported across the harbour and put on the new foundation.

No longer is it a fish store but rather a modern facility on the interior and restoration work done to the exterior. It is well equipped and suitable for various group gatherings and performances.

~PIERCE’S STORE~

Moving Day – August 16, 2005

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On August 16, 2005, after 8 weeks of preparation, floating docks were slid under Pierce’s Store waiting for the tides that would lift it from its foundation.

After many attempts, and while time and tide wait for no one, it was freed from its shores with a resounding crack. Settling back in the water many wondered whether or not it would stay afloat.

A short 30 minutes later the Moving Crew celebrates with the rest of the community for the successful relocation.

With its move came a complete makeover and is now a part of the Elliott Premises in Harbour Breton.

Class photo: Grade 4 and 5 students, St. Joseph’s Elementary, Hr. Breton. It was anti-bulling day.

Heritage Week - Pasadena Collection #nlheritage

Collecting memories at a People, Places, and Culture workshop in Pasadena, 2016. Photo by Terra Barrett.

Today is the final say of Heritage Week 2017!

As part of the Collective Memories project the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador is helping community organizations, municipalities, and church groups digitize their oral history collections to make them accessible for future generations. Collected stories are made available through Memorial University’s Digital Archives Initiative, which is a free, public website where the HFNL stores the photos, videos, and interviews it collects. If you have something to be digitized - get in touch!

One of the collections we have digitized is the Pasadena collection which consists of thirty eight audio interviews with full transcripts.  These interviews were completed by the Pasadena Heritage Society from July 2014 to August 2016 and they focus on the growth  and changes of the community. They discuss the development of groups such as Girl Guides, Lion's and Leo Club, Glee Club, and Army Cadets, the local library and fire department, how the holidays were celebrated and community events such as the strawberry festival and winter carnival.

Click here to learn more about the community of Pasadena!