80_Ivan-Mouat.mp3

otter.ai

20.01.2023

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Unknown Speaker 0:00
Today is Thursday August 16 1990. And today I'm talking to Ivan mow it at his home at 370 Baker road on Salt Spring Island. My name is Ruth Sandwell.

Unknown Speaker 0:26
Okay, why don't you start telling me about your grandfather's family.

Unknown Speaker 0:30
Right? Well, my grandfather was the youngest, but one of seven sons born to a Thomas mullet and a Margaret mode, no relation. But of course in Sheffield there are an awful lot of people by the name of Lord. They when he when his father, that's when my great grandfather died in 1883. My grandfather was the only child left alive in Shepherd. There were two older brothers, Gavin and Jeremiah, who were prospering in the States. And so my grandfather came out to them. One of them was living Gavin was living in Spokane. And he came out to Spokane and then went on up to Nanaimo. But it is amazing at that time, which is in 1883. And they were my grandfather was then about 30 years old, that none of his only two of his brothers were alive. And none of his sisters he had two sisters and they were dead. No, no, no, they either died in early, you know, in their 20s. One died, Gilbert Harrison died when he was 22. He'd already been out to a lot of the states. Albert, Andrew Watty, or Andrew Walter died when he was about 26 or 27. And he died in the States. And go actually, Gilbert Harris went on home and he died in Shetland. And the two sisters died. I think they all died of TB. Anyway, my grandfather came up, came out to Spokane, and he actually was going to become an American citizen. But then the call to my grandmother's people were very, she had cousins. And her mother and father were thinking of coming out and they were the nine of them. And so they went on up to the Nile, because she had a lot of cousins, famous Mike Manson. I don't know if you've ever heard of him, Cortes and those islands up there. And they were established in businesses in the diagonal. And Lawrence Manson had a store their mother, my grandmother's name was Jane Manson. And so their mass is established in Nanaimo. So they came up to Nanaimo, from Spokane, and my grandfather worked there. He was delivering milk, door to door and he was also got to know Mr. Broadwell, who lived in Salzburg. And Mr. Bottle, I guess, got to know him and thought he was a reasonable person. And he said there's a farm, available discectomy down on Saltspring. It's right on St. Mary's lake. It's got lots of water and it's good land. Why don't you come and pick it up. So my grandfather came and intimidate 1885 He landed here with his wife, my grandmother, his former or his mother in law, who was also his stepfather, which is rather because he had a previous marriage, and the wife died. It also was grandmother, one of grandmother's sisters, and my little sister, the older sister, Minnie Margaret. And my Uncle Tom, who was a child by the first marriage, and my father was only six months old. They arrived here at that time. So you see that that time they were, there was Uncle Tom, who was in about six or seven as he was born, and he was born in 75. So he would be eight years old, and they came here. And my father was just just six months old. And many are Margaret challenges she was, she was about three years old.

Unknown Speaker 4:23
Could I just back up a little bit and ask you when your mother's parents came to Nanaimo? My grandmother's.

Unknown Speaker 4:30
They were here before 1892. And I think they were here they came out. That's I'm not quite sure. I can't tell you if they're here before. It's one thing I've never bothered checking. Because I've been interested in other things. The other than that, I know their massive family over there. And I know they're there in 1892. But whether they came out or after and I I'm sorry, I can't tell you that. Where do you think comes from Jeff? Manson's roots that were came from a place called center in Sheffield and the and my great my grandfather, my great grandfather lived in a place It's called Costco. And they were there it was all like, for instance, he would call a little piece. With a few houses down around here, you'd call his baker or Baker road, you see and check them because they're a few houses here you'd call a bowl break. That would be quite similar to seeing a colleague but to have a name and cluster on Saturday. There's there are very few houses, but that's what they're called that area. Actually got a picture over there. I'll show you later. Anyway, Jane, Matt Thomas, William Ward, my grandfather was married to also Mary Matz and no relation to Jane Matson. And they had one child, Thomas William. He was born 1875 And then she is Mary Madsen died. And they came out to then he married again he married Jay Matson. Are they married? They were married in 1882, etc. And they're married in January. And Margaret Janet was born in December that here that's the oldest child of their she's lived till she was 24 years old. She was the oldest child she had a lot of responsibility after my grandfather died. She became a teacher. And I know she taught at North Vesuvius cool that's like North Fernwood, like near Fernwood is not where front of school situated. It was at the right hand side as you make the turn into Fernwood down Fernwood from North End Road the schools that you actually house there it's not the same house I don't think there's house sitting right in the corner that says side of the old school and she taught there and I remember the story is dropping off. pulled off my father used to go out and work with a team of horses doing and there's a Mr. Arthur Walter owned all the property. This side of the canal stretching from where Boothbay resort is right back to the bridge. And my father was cutting hay for him there. And my, his youngest sister, Jessie, and his older sister Margaret was swimming there. And with another, another cousin and my marketer many got into trouble and one went to save them and all I've got Jesse do I guess she's just a little child. It's good scream and Fatherhood has been in Cayman pulled his sister out. And they always said she suffered from that she died. I'm quite sure she had TV as well, because she died when she was 24. Then I thought it was the next one actually should tell you about Uncle Tom, Uncle Tom. He was see, seven or eight years old man arrived here. When his father died, he was only a see he was only well just see I'm in 2020 320-298-2022 years old. And he had already started to make his way he was working for a lumber company and in Nanaimo, and he went on and worked in different delivery companies ended up being he was a lumber inspector. And then he was he was hired by the Dominion government as a customs excise, as he's called the Customs and Excise inspector in particularly with reference to lumber, and then he during the war is just about the Second World War. He was just about ready to retire. And they kept them on for several years and then he retired to the island here and his his own a child of his on the on his on the Solomons. You might have heard about her. She does a lot of work for everybody. And she's even. She's now eight years old. But she's 82. But she's still going strong is other kids, two sons and another daughter, but they live off the island on one of his grandsons Peter mode. So Gerald Vaughn rather lives down. That's the only one in his family. My father was born in 84. in Spokane, he came up here, six months old. He's been he was on the island almost all his life until he died. And he's 91 and 1975. And he spent, he didn't think time was well spent at all. So it's got a toss behind. So he thinks we're going quite well. And they had some assistance and he customer assistance to go to Columbia College, which was a Methodist College in New Westminster. And the idea was, he was going to BC he got down there chose when he was I forget when he was 12 or 13. He was got his brother used to have high school entrance. That was a step in your education. And it wasn't a BA degree or some of that but it was a high school entrance. Now the next one be the trip and then swap in those days High School and what's what's the state that you reached, and he got his high school efforts left school because his father has died and was one of them. His older brother was away working. That's We've helped so much on the farm when he was only vets. He was only 14 years old 13 and 14 years old, his father died. So then eventually got a chance to go back to school. And he was studying for law. And this was around 19 718. And we were in Colombia, Colombian college Columbia with an EN Columbia College in New Westminster. He was getting the necessary pre study before he could get I don't know what he's gonna get. But before he seen those days, you didn't have that degree or an LLB you went an article with a lawyer, you had to have a certain standard of education, but do articles and then you so many years, but anyway, and he was there in 8788 and 1907, my one of my his brother next to the next child to him, Gilbert and my grandmother started the business GJ both company they bought listed in started, they bought Malcolm and Purvis, who moved to the old the old old store there, you know, showed you picture but that was not the purpose. They bought that 1907.

Unknown Speaker 11:04
Did they have a store in central first?

Unknown Speaker 11:07
Nope. Malcolm Purvis did Yes. On the purpose historic Central. Actually, they had Mr. bramblestar, that Mr. Broadwell, who's, who bought grandfather down to the island suggested grandfather, they Mr. Bottle at a store, and he sold it an ultimate purpose, not on purpose. Can I sidetrack here a little bit. You see, around 90 100. The whole set of the audit one of the most important centers, the odd was with a call center. You know, where the central hall is? There was St. Mark's Church. There's a Methodist Church, a building was finished. I think 9496 There was not a whole store. There was a post office, where was the Methodist

Unknown Speaker 11:46
church, you know,

Unknown Speaker 11:48
we turn into the golf club, on the left hand side, just right there. That was a Methodist church just on that there's a lot there. I think he associate, drawn will store there was and there was a jail and then Central Hall. So that was there more public buildings there than there were anywhere else or the acute churches. And the school, of course, was there.

Unknown Speaker 12:06
Where was the post office,

Unknown Speaker 12:08
those offices across the street and read history on the road and a little bit further from across the hall, from the hall across the road through the hall and up north a little bit on the road. That was a post office, and the jail was in that little bit. But people don't realize everything used for the jail was there in case anyway, that was the main. So that's

Unknown Speaker 12:29
why do you think that the main, that little district was set up there rather than in guarantees or facilities are faring with Okay,

Unknown Speaker 12:37
Fernwood had been important. The service was important because the boat landed there, but when a boat lands, it's not necessarily and it's it was the Crossroads was the only crossroads in the island for a long time. You know, that's where there were more people settled around there. Fulford was growing, yes, float was developed, but they hadn't got the sort of entrepreneurs like Mr. Broadwell. I think he was a great man for doing business and seeing that business could be done. So he started a store there, that sort of people came there and traded a lot. There were farms up farms developing the don't forget a lot of people around, they're all black people. We're still a lot of black people, black families. We're still all around there.

Unknown Speaker 13:24
Do you remember me the names of the families? Yes.

Unknown Speaker 13:26
WIMS Harrison. By I think the Harrison's family, the Copeland Zoo. My grandfather bought property from coconuts, and they left farmstead left, he'd had the golf course. Then, of course, there were a mixture of people there make friends and Ryan's, they come early to the island, and they married Indian people, Indian women, and they had families up there. So they're all settled around that area. A lot of families settled before 1900 in that area. I mean, it was north of St. Mary's Lake. But that was an area where people so it didn't do so if you had to, you know, travel by horseback or 15 or half, 15 minutes half an hour to get to the center, or you drive drove your team, then that's fine. But of course, the thing is, there are so many people that it got, I suppose. Why it moved again. He's one of the reasons the creamery premium is established on guarantees. 1903 I think I'd have to check I think 1903 The creamery has established a Ganges. See before that, when Mr. Bullock had a creamery and it then the creamery was started as a cooperative. That is Mr. Mr. Mr. Bullock's Creamery, but the Saltspring on Creamery association was started as a cooperative and it was started by farmers all around the island and started Ganges because they wanted Fulford people to come to to bring their milk there And they wanted to know, you know, the North End people. So the best place is Ganges. And then there was a store there that was run by Betancourt's. And Rogers had a store there too. Yeah GCS and they so and it was wonderful harbor and then the boat started calling there because it was delivering cream and so on. So that was why central sort of dropped in gangee started and then of course it never looked back after that. And then the brand was moved to their store there in Bertie after 19 after the session the primary because they hadn't been there very long. When they sold it sold it sold it to my grandmother, and it started a business our business which is bones trading, it's not we have no longer have any. I mean, my my family and my cousins were so long. No have no longer any interested in that we sold our 20s and 68 but it's the one that is now more it's trading it was beginning started as GTA Motor Company in 1907. And then they needed more capital. And one of the uncles and Samsung down in Spokane offered to own though my father $2,000 To buy half Gavin called and now there was another hidden he had a nephew. My brother had my father had a brother who was Gavin coffin, but Gavin called the first senior I guess this is Gavin Coleman. Senior helo my father $2,000. And with that, Deb I have an interest in became instead of GJ Martin Company, became more brothers and Company Limited, actually didn't come in and limited until 1911. But they traded as more brothers and company. And then they became an incorporated Company Limited Company. 1911.

Unknown Speaker 16:50
So so I'll just get this straight year. But from now corporate No, no,

Unknown Speaker 16:57
no, my uncle, my uncle bought it from our first GJ mod. James mod. He was the one next to my father. He's a brother, my he and his mother bought this business

Unknown Speaker 17:10
and maximum permits had bought it from Mr. Broadwell,

Unknown Speaker 17:14
operated at Central moved to the Ganges. And then not very long after that, I don't know what the exact period I should find that the other day that when they started business, and when they started to move down the Ganges, but they moved down the Ganges, they bought it from Mr. Ward to building the property there and all the points, both points. And so it was started to say that was started by my uncle, my grandmother, it was known as GJ Martin Company, till 99. And it was more brothers and company and then the limited they became a limited company.

Unknown Speaker 17:49
What did your grandmother was that your grandmother? Yes. What did she have to do with the the business side of it,

Unknown Speaker 17:57
but nothing very much. She did not run. My uncle ran when she was the result of a very interesting agreement drawn up, I have a copy of it. And it says that he if he was to carefully extend credit to and if he extended credit to some of the grandmothers that he shouldn't extend credit to that he would be responsible for the death. It's kind of fun to read this. Now, I'd say that, you know, she was I mean, she's dressed up absolutely, I guess, but he just Casey to watch his stuff. And so then my father came in. And then other people came into the business and people were with him for a long time, all their Norton. He was he was vice president of companies shortly after the giant until he died. And another bill page was another chap who was a shareholder and

Unknown Speaker 18:47
many shareholders were there in the first few years.

Unknown Speaker 18:52
My grandmother, my father, welcome Gilbert. Gavin has the uncle Gavin was in it to the second Gavin Cole. And then Walter Norton and Bill page, and then later, of course, my cousin's, my older cousins. I would say they're probably 10 or 15. And the product was sold out. So you all had shares and my brother had shares with my sister, I had shares my children had shares in before he sold them, so it was quite a large number of shareholders. That was that sidetrack tell you a little bit about Central and why they went to Central. I mentioned my uncle Gilbert. He was the next child. He was born in 1886. And he died when he was six years old. In 1914, when he was only what 28 years old. He was married and had three children. And here is the top browsers are polio, and was crippled the spender I suppose a year. very desperate He must have been terribly torn. And then he came off of it in order to put an elevator in the store. And he ran the store for the rest of his life. He was the general manager, President, General Manager. My father looked after the money. And he looked after running the business. And he's very essential. He never He was never elected to any to any position. But he's a very effective personal community of people. I remember one time we used to his boys who perhaps help him, he didn't need to need to help very much but he sat behind his chair. And I remember standing but I was terrible. Foreign Johnson governor came to stop. Wow. Anybody met by talking to buddy. Front door. So uncle whoever died when he was 16 years old. He left a family of four sons and daughters. He had a family of six. And they are Laurie died or he worked his whole life in the store. Bill is still alive at 80 Plus, he's a school superintendent and there's even a very effective one he must have talked with everybody because the school named after William James Secondary School is named after Abbotsford and then the next one was Colin, Colin work for a long time and the star went overseas was a major in the Canadian core staff Canadian core staff in Italy and then came back home and work to gain in the store for a while and then he went down to the States to work came on back and it's very effective. A lot a lot of work and community organizations of aging and the lines and this causes church

Unknown Speaker 21:49
Okay, so okay, and then there was Jean Jean shop and she died last year. Sharpen Gmod which is very cute. Harold sharpened a one star so Nia who works in Vancouver is quite a golfer. Actually, I noticed. I mentioned his name and he's won this golf tournament. He ran it wanted I think for four years ago or six years or something. And then there was MAC MAC is still alive on the island and he is a great golfer too. Good poker player. And he was so worked in his business all his life. He was overseas was Captain finding a captain in the army was in the artillery fan and he the youngest daughter, Margaret. She is a dermatologist, MD Dr. Johnston, Dr. Peggy Johnson. Then the next child was Mary Jane Mote who's my Aunt Mary. She married to Clinton wood, and they had four sons. The oldest Stewart was lost. He was an observer and he was lost in early 43. In the bombing right over Germany. Next one is Arthur and Arthur died not so long ago, cancer. And then there's Norman and Gavin who are still alive they they rarely come the island versus a funeral or wedding or something. And we see those sad or joyous occasions we don't see much. The next son or the next child was a son Lawrence, who died of TB when he was 19 years old. He was great favorite with a family and he died when he was he was going to go to Guelph College, agricultural college, he went there. He had measles. They put him out. I guess his TV came back. The next was Lydia. Lydia was married Arthur Drake, who was the butter maker in the manager the creamery here. He went overseas and he came back he quit was a button maker. Actually little side story here again. My mother's name was Effie Adelaide Wayne. And she came to ride on the island to work for my brothers as a staff member on the very early in 1912. And on the same boat, coming to work on Salt Springs and butter Baker was great. And I was laughed at they arrived the same day and both married boats. So Arthur Drake was a better Baker. And they had four children. Vernon, who lives in Windsor now, Bruce, who just after Stuart was lost in the Air Force. Bruce was shot down and killed. He's an air gunner. He was killed. The bombing right over Jeremy Corbyn is still alive and we're living he's retired now. He worked for highways all his life. And Lewis died of cancer not too long ago. Then the next one was Gavin called the more junior although he's Gavin was to everybody on the island here. He was born in 93. And he died when he was 6068 years old. He died 61 quite young man. He married and had a non successful married married again and had three children. And there's only one of them alive now and my cousin Norman, who lives on the island would be went away for a short while to work in Seattle but then came on back to the island and started farming. And then at the during the war, he got interested in Salisbury mines limited, and he was managing Saltspring lands and closed the war then bought all the interested and he had a very successful business career before he died. And since he died quite a wealthy man with log broking and his deals in land and so on. The next one was Jeremiah, who gave died when he was 19 years old. He's born in 94 and died in 1913. And he died of TB his mother took him to Calgary. And I know they're in Calgary and my mother and father were married in 1913. And they stopped to see grandmother and Jerry installed on the way back and died shortly after that. Then the next one, the Jessie was still alive Jesse time he married Deke Toynbee and videotaped her at all.

Unknown Speaker 26:09
No, but I have been in contact.

Unknown Speaker 26:11
And she married to take Toynbee, who was here with a great number his brothers before the war and went overseas and came back and he married that Jesse, and they have three boys get the older who was was in the Navy during the war. And then there's Manson who was aware who had a wonderful career. He was a successful teacher in British Columbia and then went on to serve Iraq and was nine years out there and building schools developing the school. So as a superintendent of the whole area, then he came back and he he wanted to stay on but they want to come back and then he spent some time in St. Lucia and got very interested area then he is White had a place in Saba duction. Tell us there and then they sold that to come back to the island. Now Jesse, but he's had a very interesting career. No children, imagine a dolphin. I think he's Amanda accuracy. And one of the people there. And Matson had him educated in the States. Now he's quite an I believe he has an important position shallow out there too. So it's it's really funny as well, as far as medicine is concerned that his grandchildren, he's got three grandchildren that way. I didn't mention our family. William asked him what my father, he was the oldest one older son of that family. They mentioned him he was his I say Mary de fer lead way more, they've got some interesting letters. I've got a letter of her application to work for more brothers. And I've got his letter of acceptance and telling her how to get over here. And then as I say, she arrived early in 1912. And by March 1913, they're married. By then she came from St. John, New Brunswick, where I still have cousins. And I think she was probably a very adventurous young woman to be a legal secretary because she was legal secretary in ninth in the early 1900s. traveled out we didn't she was in Vancouver, because she had two brothers out there. And so she came out, look at a stable family. They looked after her. And then she saw I came over here and got married. My father had a mother had four children. It was my brother Oliver, who worked to actually was sort of caught in a way and varied it for the war. He's been to all war out to work in Green Island and the oil company over there. He went out with dirty 39 and was kept on there. And then I have sister gray as far as 190 14. And he has two sons who both are Americans. And they live in Washington. We see them. Wayne and Gary. And Wayne has three children carry us to a one. And we see them occasionally. All over. That's all of his family. He died in 79 in California, then my sister Grace was an expert. She never enjoyed good health at all. She never she had a beautiful singing voice. She's very I think she had a very she was very intelligent person because he was very quick witted. But she she wasn't, she never left home. She wasn't, didn't enjoy good health tall, and she died in 72. Cancer. Then I was I married Susan. Greg came here to nurse in 1946. And we have four children. Greg is a fisherman. Jeremy has a PhD in labor history and he's assistant professor at Athabasca University. Our daughter Mary next one This is a lawyer in Victoria, Park theory, quatre legal services calm. And then the younger daughter is already here, Jennifer, and she has two children. And we have one other grandchildren. Jeremy is married to Wendy. And they have one son who's now 18 years old. So that's our family. I didn't mention that the youngest child was born after my grandfather died was a baby grace. And she only lived a few months since she died. And we think she probably might have died as well. And Grace point Grace Island was named after her. That's about all covered everybody.

Unknown Speaker 30:49
Now, what I'd like to do is to ask you some questions just about just about what your life was like as a child and the length of your parents. Okay to try to find out more just about everyday life here. How old was your mother when? When she got married? You mentioned she came over?

Unknown Speaker 31:10
She was 2727 years old.

Unknown Speaker 31:15
Where did they first live when they got married?

Unknown Speaker 31:17
They built my father built in 1912 and 1913 legacy started 19 and 1912 and 13 The house is still there. It's owned by Mr. Miyagi now, and it's directly across from CBS AutoChart Ganges Hill. My father had 42 acres up there some of the what's called the highlands Ganges Highlands Cudmore heights and so on was some of that bit of that was his property. And a certainly a part of the baker are these two notice here there's a road running crossguard district can now read road read road and then later on, they built a house when they got out of that house 57 Because it's too big. I mean, at six bedrooms and upstairs it was just too much from her mother and sister and we didn't need that they didn't so they build the house up on Charlesworth road further up Charles started up the hill. So we I lived up there for five years from the time I was I was born in the Old Lady bit of hospital, which is now the Community Center building. And I lived up there until I went to Victoria College and 37 that was overseas I was in the Air Force came back there and worked there until I was married and then we had our own house I lived there all my young life when you

Unknown Speaker 32:40
were when your children were young Did Did you have anyone else except your family living with your family? No,

Unknown Speaker 32:46
no just oh there used to be occasionally people would come in old friends I remember to for instance since I did this trip trip trip road trip here little I remember a little fox terrier dog bite and he died in our house used to be brother brought in there to look after because we don't friend I don't I mean it was when I was very young. I know that Mr. TRIPP died in our homes. I remember Mr. Tripping I remember the little dog I don't remember the last time I remember his dog. But there have been things like that would have a mother that might have some occasionally. She might have had a before I was going to remember very much she might have had a high school girl from I think she had one Lotus Lotus ruffled sister did with us when I was quite young. I think when my brother Jimmy was born, I think because it was a younger brother give him credit but he was drowned when he was seven years old. But he when he was born he was young and five years young man when he was born someone Lotus buckles sister lived with us to help Mother. So there you know people be living to help.

Unknown Speaker 33:54
Right? What? What would she help you? While

Unknown Speaker 33:57
washing I guess looking after children and then keeping the house and doing other things.

Unknown Speaker 34:02
Did you have running water?

Unknown Speaker 34:04
Oh, yes. Oh, yes.

Unknown Speaker 34:06
Did you have electricity?

Unknown Speaker 34:08
No, no, there is no electricity until Joe Trittico didn't come out of a 1937 3637 when rural like I mean, there used to be for instance, our store had two motors that generate electricity. Diesel, but one was standby whenever you needed that one. You never had both of ones. If you got one going and then the other one. But you always had that was my uncle Gilbert had a plant at his house chattering because he had electricity there. A few people had generators. We didn't we use gas lamps, coal and coal oil or kerosene. kerosene lamps.

Unknown Speaker 34:51
What did you use to cook on?

Unknown Speaker 34:54
Wood wood stove. What about later on? It was a few But yeah, like I tell the story. He was telling stories my daughters. When I went to CES, I would call it no one to drive a car anymore. So my mother and father good. Boy

Unknown Speaker 35:14
I don't know if you'd know this being a man. I don't know if you notice details like this, but did you use to do her own laundry? Did she send it out?

Unknown Speaker 35:22
I remember for some period of time, and someone and I don't mean anything derogatory this but because they were called Jimmy John. He was a Japanese. And he was a wonderful little fellow he would come and he would come all dressed up. He got a suit and tie on. He take off his coat and his tie and put on a white apron and get on with the work was cleaning sometimes I've never been cleaning windows. But I remember Washington doing laundry before. Then of course we got no later on. We got we didn't have a gas motor as soon as we got my prison who got a washing machine. But this was before I was watching when you're used to scrubbing board. Jimmy What do Jimmy and I say? Because he just called him yeah, they have no other name. And Harry Jeff was another phone. He never worked for us very much. But he has filled sideboard for people. But Jimmy kept payment and work worked for him. He also worked for the francesi which is 21 or two days but he'd come up to our plates

Unknown Speaker 36:19
on regular basis. Heavier did you have anybody did your mom or dad maybe went to help like around in the property had 40 acres? 40? Yeah, well,

Unknown Speaker 36:29
pretty much it was good man was a wild man. You know we Dad Look at I'm friends with sheep with cow with cow chickens and dad used to work. Milk was in the morning tonight at nights just this one. But occasionally mother would have I remember there's an old Englishman who was a great gardener. And Mr. Spring off, and spring all would come into the garden I've ever been put in this beautiful. He had this wonderful trench with sweet peas. One year mother was greatly satisfied with the spring hauls work and the sweet peas cease to grow on vegetables. Well, yes. Oh, yes. We always do our own vegetables.

Unknown Speaker 37:08
Did you sell any? No.

Unknown Speaker 37:11
No, we kept the way to hospital and give away to people who no idea but we didn't know that many but we I mean, you will never have enough potatoes last winter. We've always had a good feed of new potatoes. And we never we never had enough. Oh, we might have but of course fathers can't

Unknown Speaker 37:27
remember the Kenny.

Unknown Speaker 37:28
Oh yes. Yeah. And we can fish of course. All kinds of Fisher on those days. May was nothing to go out and get half a dozen salmon and may certainly punters but that was just easy in those days. And of course we use Huawei, but they never use cantos. A lot of fruit of course we always had. Oh yes, plums and pears particularly, very fond of pears. Lot of applesauce. Remember that.

Unknown Speaker 38:02
Things like to put up and jars and bass but lots of pickles chutney great amount of pickle. My mother used to me and my wife has finally got the rest of it

Unknown Speaker 38:18
so what was your house like? We lived on a penthouse for

Unknown Speaker 38:22
a while it's still there. You can see it very much. Picture metal I'll have it was was added onto in the 30s the living room it was downstairs there was a great large kitchen, a sort of utility room which wasn't a utility or money is called the glory Hall was sort of designed as a as a down spin. There's better but there was no bathroom in those states downstairs. There was a living room with a fireplace or other dining room with a fireplace living room fireplace and then the place was remodeled in the 30 sometimes and another bedroom added upstairs and another bedroom and no more added to living How many

Unknown Speaker 39:01
bedrooms upstairs altogether then

Unknown Speaker 39:04
12344 and four and a little sleeping place and then there's one downstairs five

Unknown Speaker 39:15
and he always had a bathroom in

Unknown Speaker 39:18
the bathroom inside yes upstairs because we had gravity so he grabbed that dad developed gravity feed water and always had to grab the water coming from the hill way up the hill. And that came down and supply the smokers water.

Unknown Speaker 39:31
So I never expected in and then it was to the

Unknown Speaker 39:35
toilets. And we had hot water the water was heated of course when your stove was on. You had a water jacket there was heating water and when it was hot enough you could have a bath but sometimes the bathroom was quite cold because we no heat no furnace. The furnace later but earlier there's no furnish the house was installed I guess because you had it on the house 1938 But the I remember having I used to grab a cup you know the old ice cup and from the fire in the kitchen

Unknown Speaker 40:13
so did you had one cow did you used to sell milk to the cream?

Unknown Speaker 40:17
No, we never had enough. We used to make our own butter mother used to make her and she would put the milk to settle and landscape cream off and the chickens would hit the milk but it was skim milk go with a creamy yellow. You know we had another Jersey cow in the springtime. Well anytime you get this lovely, but that much the cream on putting them up can see the trade off. But she just

Unknown Speaker 40:52
now I'd like to ask you a little bit about about more about your parents did. Did your parents did your parents belong to any organizations?

Unknown Speaker 41:06
Oh, yes. My father mother both belong to the United Church was Methodist church before it was United Church. They both belong to that all their lives. I think Dad was probably over 50 years he was on the board, a section of Board of stewards very involved in that every Sunday. I mean, I was brought up to go to school, go to Sunday school in church. And I mean, it's always brought up to give money to the church, you know, which which regulates money was active in the IoD during the Second World War. She was a bit Imperial, I'm sorry, young kids go up with Imperial Order the daughter.

Unknown Speaker 41:48
I know a lot of people did knitting but I've heard rumors that in in Victoria, they had a huge produce or canning system set up to send things overseas. And I'm wondering if, if you know,

Unknown Speaker 42:01
you know, while I was away, but most of the time and one thing I do remember is that the did a lot of knitting, did a lot of knitting and also raising money for various

Unknown Speaker 42:13
things to finish for the men overseas

Unknown Speaker 42:17
as well and for conference and things like that. But I know that she wasn't while I was telling what she was activated. She was also active in the ladies aid of the church, just looking for a picture of her house here. I think they to the church, and the IoD the hospital auxilary app was formed. She was interested in the what it was called The Guild of sunshine, which is the early organization of hospital auxilary.

Unknown Speaker 42:51
What would they do that

Unknown Speaker 42:57
they would provide things for the customer for the first and second. That's a view of the house before they would provide things for the patients and things for the hospital and things like that, just like these are the hospital facility does not. But she was and dad of course was very active. And it was an awesome board for 46 years and many times chairman of the board. He was on the school board for 35 years. And of the Ganges that was when they had schools. Each every small school had his own school board. And there's also of course lifelong liberal.

Unknown Speaker 43:38
What was his involvement with politics

Unknown Speaker 43:40
while he was I suppose he was sort of influential in on the island on things that were happening when the Liberals are in power. He carried on long he was Mr. Pearson, who's not Mike Pearson, but George S. Pearson, who started the hospital to hospital care or hospital of the three hospitalization by belonging, belonging to something like Medicare. And he started that he was Minister of Health and he was Minister of Labour too. But dad was a great admirer of that as his campaign manager for the five elections that he got here with silver rose, bullied by mother and father. When he went his last election and a picture of Mr. Pierce, Georgia spiritual that is very active in the liberal party. It was one time he was not only president of the provincial right he was provincial federal. So he's been He was active. He had his always interested in free up till the time he died. He was very active in Liberal Liberal Party.

Unknown Speaker 44:54
Did you have any involvement in that? Politics at that level?

Unknown Speaker 44:58
No. No. See, she was a consumer, she'd come from a conservative family, I suppose to get both Mr. Parrish and so on, but we've sometimes thought that that's enthusiasm for liberals would have been.

Unknown Speaker 45:17
Anyway, but She sounds like she was really active in the community and

Unknown Speaker 45:20
both very active people in the community and highly regarded quite sure by I mean, the people still say, like some people told me, told me the other day, I've got a sense of humor, a sense of humor, because they knew we're in laughter You know? No, they're very active people in the community and also, not aggressively so. But when anybody needed help, they went backwards. Like I remember people say, Oh, Mr. TRIPP died house and several other people in this Lee's family came in the 30s. They were church people very close to mother, dad. The poor little one couldn't look after older sisters. So she was taken to our house, another nurse, Doctor. Then the younger sister stayed with us for a while until she got stablished. So they're always good. You know, the kind of people we knew that sort of haven for a lot of people. And not enough to feed people. She just loved to cook enough to see people to draw her table was, well,

Unknown Speaker 46:30
they had a lot of people would come by for people.

Unknown Speaker 46:33
Sometimes to see my father. If we didn't work on Wednesdays for a long time, or we worked Wednesday afternoon work Wednesday afternoon. Sometimes we do. But once you have to be a time for dad to have fun, you know, work and he'd always have someone working with him. He might have some in Hollywood with his team of horses to see. And of course, those people would always eat, have lunch or they'd have a huge meal. I don't see how they work in the afternoon. The mother would always make sure so she loved feeding. And of course, a lot of family things. Your family. Remember, the time the family and Jesse and my hubby were close all cousins, but they I think probably mother and father, Vic and Jesse told me that they weren't the brothers and sisters. Not that they didn't love them see them. But we saw more of them.

Unknown Speaker 47:21
So there was genuinely a lot of visiting back and

Unknown Speaker 47:24
I used to go with mother and dad in there, whoever it was in the 30s because we had the 1930 Model A we drive down to see people I've ever gone to see old Alfred Russel. He lived where when the early sweat garden and notice that now. And I never got to see him when I was a young boy I've ever gotten seen as a stock that people live in stock road November's going various people. Whether that gold seat was Sunday afternoon has been visiting dad to go to the hospital and after that they don't need to see someone. Maybe the Simpsons in the north, no mother tend to do that more by herself. Because she's a dear friend of Mississippi.

Unknown Speaker 48:01
Mom used to go out and

Unknown Speaker 48:04
drive a car she learned how to treat daughter cells. She got the manual. My brother helped her that she got the car she drove in the flourish.

Unknown Speaker 48:14
So did you used to go up violent very much.

Unknown Speaker 48:17
Were you I remember going off on the ferry occasionally or actually before that I remember going. We used to go by before the ferry started 1930 And I guess I was eight or nine. I remember going by Mr. Pollock's lunch, Mr. Pollack lived at Beaver point. He would have this launch event from Victoria Hardy come around and come into Fulford and then we go to Sydney and go off there and get on the bus. He'd have to leave Falken time. And I remember going to Mother dad one day into Victoria by the bus. And that's the stage. You see, there used to be an introvert go from Sydney to Victoria, the old days. But then that was closed down in the bus, opera. So we used to go to Victoria. Also we my eventually, like mother's parents, my other grandparents came into North Vancouver. And I would often go over there and get a summer job. No, no, there was a young boy because they died before they died when I was 10. But when I was a young boy, I would go by they would take me over to spend time with her mother and father.

Unknown Speaker 49:22
How long would that take you?

Unknown Speaker 49:25
Dependents whether we generally go on a day when the boat had already called it all the islands that take about four hours going back versus married versus generally that was the one person married. Those they were the one funnel principals who did this. They came here on Mondays Tuesdays. Then they went on up to Union Bay and Hornby in Denver. They went to Victoria from here on choosing Victoria. And then they went on up to Union Bay on Wednesdays. came back to Vancouver Thursday and time to come over here again on Thursday. I don't know whether it is Friday but Saturday to Sunday there's a special for summertime. So we were well served by both mentors. But in the in the time the ferry and then my grandparents died because I used to still go and see my aunt my uncle both are married and lived with my grandparents. My mother's my Uncle Arthur and my apparently the grandmother grandfather even stayed together after he died. But those weeks trips like that.

Unknown Speaker 50:39
What else did you did you Belize didn't do together for when you weren't working for recreational we

Unknown Speaker 50:44
used to have for you the Vz whatever on Salzburg. Down on dinnerware, columns road is the Rainbow Road. Less Ramsay owns a place now that we have like three acres or three lots there. And we have a little cabin. And we used to there is there a second. And we used to go there. And that was our cat. And we used to go there for a baby. Stay stayed for a little while. For a number of days. And it was lovely warm swimming the beach next week. So we go there and spend some time out there. Would you go with your family. Now later on when I was older, I go with friends. Like when I was going to Victoria College friends of mine at the moment is from late spring, early summer just before breakup. We stay there. And of course we have a few meals there we cook ourselves. But that's we didn't go there

Unknown Speaker 51:56
I just have a couple of more questions to ask about your dad in the family. Did Did your dad have a lot to do with the kids when

Unknown Speaker 52:03
he was quite busy? Not too much. Mother was a much more dominating influenced my life until I got much older. But but as my father was frightfully busy.

Unknown Speaker 52:13
So he'd be

Unknown Speaker 52:14
at work, work and then beings and other things. So what

Unknown Speaker 52:18
do you usually do one evening? Oh, yes, he'd be home. He'd get

Unknown Speaker 52:21
home at six o'clock, by the car by them. And he'd go home and he probably did early generally have a meeting or he'd be playing chess. He's great chess player. His name is on that I found out the other day. After years of wondering what happened to it. Someone had McGarrett sale. But his name's on that a couple of times. But he was a great chess player. He loved playing chess. And later on he played bridge. But he had his meetings as hostile meetings in the school board meetings and liberal meetings in his church. Would your mom

Unknown Speaker 52:59
and dads go out together?

Unknown Speaker 53:03
Activity? Yes, they would go out to various places. But they didn't. They didn't dance dances, they go to Christmas concert, of course. Things like that that go to which drives. But they didn't go. They didn't drink for both teetotallers. So that's sort of limited, although there wasn't that much drink. But they were called cocktail parties as people did, I don't know. But I spoke with that didn't limit there. But then they had a great group of friends through the church and various things in various organizations. There's mostly I think they are probably closer to the church. Like most of your friends, the Parsons family. They were married the same year as brother dad. And she came here as a young bride herself, as one Senior Brother, about a month later a month earlier. And they through the church, they were lifelong friends. And then the doctor, Dr. Lawson, who's here in the art of the piano, the Lord. He was a doctor at the hospital is also a dear friend of mine. And the group within the church, we're very close. And those are the people who tend to mean I played with everybody and anybody but you know, and I'm going all over the place because I used to have a lovely time in the summertime. Going on our trucks, all of the sorting out the groceries to give to people and helping the drivers know.

Unknown Speaker 54:34
When you were charged, you have work that you're expected to do.

Unknown Speaker 54:37
Yes, I've worked in chores at home. And when I know the colleagues are on and then I always worked all summer long or to the store sometimes. Sometimes I work to the patient. I've got a couple of stories that I've written about my early childhood Saltspring and there we used to finish them or to the star and the work in the office. Were all around the place. But you got to know I never wish on my cousin that they helped one time helped bring them making sausages one summer that I didn't like that job. I like the trucks. And of course, as soon as when I was 14 years old, I was driving the trucks to drive my cupboard around to see that he was go out with my job, don't get in the summertime, every morning and get there before 10 o'clock. And drive the car radio and the door would open above the platform, bring a chair I bring his chair very close and he had great arms, you know, he could get himself in. And then I'd be able to turn away, close the door. Drive down and we had the wheelchair come down the store. And I'd be able to drive right in close open the door and open above the ramp in the previous share in there and getting in and then take him into he'll he will be behind his chair all the time. And then get into the elevator and the elevator you pull up my rooms, because I was never allowed to start pulling when my cousin's his oldest boy or Laurie Jackie would go up or someone would go above and as soon as it got up enough that I can but I guess I had regular chores. And I did do as I say the star was it was a lovely place to work. Fantastic. It those big elevators? Where are these? elevators? Ladders along the side and alongside each side of the ladder reach up and stuff.

Unknown Speaker 56:37
Fascinating. When did you start? How old were you when you first five,

Unknown Speaker 56:42
nine or 10?

Unknown Speaker 56:44
What would you do at that

Unknown Speaker 56:45
age? I'll help Mr. Page in the future. I get 10 cents. Help Mr. Page, I'm so upset. I would help them weigh out things I measure on gas to be for deliveries next day or Monday or something. I usually on Saturdays they don't really Saturday until I got promoted. And then I went to the grocery store.

Unknown Speaker 57:11
I want to ask you about school.

Unknown Speaker 57:14
Where did you go to school? You know whether whether the Catholic Church is a great road. That was originally when I went there, there was a two room school just been made into a school. But I started school there. Five or 26 There are two teachers. And I was at one grade one for grades five to eight. And I went there from one to eight Patreon has been seven years because I skipped one summer. And then I went down to the small the old school. And my first teacher was Mr. William. And he taught all subjects for 910 11 and 12. And he was crippled he had braces on his legs. And he kept going. And then Jonathan was okay. He was there two years I guess. Jonathan was 10 and I don't know. And then we have so many people. So many kids in the school, John foot which was trying to teach everybody every Shabbat How

Unknown Speaker 58:25
many kids do you think there were at that point?

Unknown Speaker 58:28
When the end of the 46 so then they hired another teacher, Mrs. Separate? Who was this girl? They are hurt. She was a she's a fabulous teacher? Well, she was terrific. I mean, topless she could. And she had a ton that you just you know, she could put you down so quickly. And, and of course those days, you know, this teacher was always right. And she was always like, they just put a wall. You know, it's big, big long. But I guess it was a 60 foot anyway, they just cut right across the middle. And what happens to them is there this This is Miss Grove was in the other half she taught science and math and so they sort of went back and forth. He got history and literature. Friends.

Unknown Speaker 59:14
What do you think about the education? What do you think now looking back on the education that you got?

Unknown Speaker 59:20
Fantastic. It was best I mean, far better than I think they get and also although we come away with an awful lot of stuff. Whenever you know when you're quiet you're quiet. I mean, I think great wonder for noise and we advance teachers drive and we marched into school. And we jack Allen was our he's a good friend of mine is Sister Mary, my cousin Colin. And even though he was a they came here 11 years old. So he played the march, march. But

Unknown Speaker 1:00:00
with the girlfriend and the boys they were still separate. No, no, no, no, no,

Unknown Speaker 1:00:07
no, no, no, they couldn't afford to. I didn't think I end up separately remember correctly. But I think we got a good education. I was very lucky I never had to work. Don't have to work with anything as far as school schoolwork because I was able to call the college and then I went back on my own and I paid one way

Unknown Speaker 1:00:42
you went to the what grade did you go up to on Saltspring.

Unknown Speaker 1:00:48
And then I got my junior before I was 17. And then I went 37 three through nine, the college that I was one of the lucky few because my parents could afford it didn't cost and stayed with the alums for a while. And that they were whose encouragement living outside he'd been on the island was a fallen boy play the march. And I stayed first year and went to they drove us to the same college together. And we got the old memory bus or number eight streetcar made up to go first of all it was up to.

Unknown Speaker 1:01:48
And then I went to normal school 3940 That's the old landstar with a clock. Yeah, that was the 50th anniversary the other day in the spring of 1940 class, but then on the airport. Can you tell me a little bit about the depression here? Well, we knew it was on was happening. And there were a lot of people who had difficulty getting enough to eat and generally tell you stories, which may or may not believe be believed by some people. But I recall one time I mean, we had last week, we had a store. My father, my uncle's got there, they I know they got I think they paid themselves and we'll say $7 a month. That was their salary, which was quite a bit. It wasn't attached with very little cash. But I can remember when I was 14 years old, it's been 3435. And I always used to drive around and go back home and we were going around the butcher shop. And of course those days we didn't have a cool room. We just set it up to try to cool and keep me cool, but we couldn't keep it on weekend. And there was crazy shoulder release to get that wrap it up. So now drive out to the assembly stop and

Unknown Speaker 1:03:19
don't help I want my uncle would like to see any kind of score that we can sell his shoulder belts are slowly revealing he was all taken

Unknown Speaker 1:03:37
aback happened many times. You know people like that will not speak. I mean a lot of people are very say a lot of different clothes and mortgage and things like that we never did. But the things we did. We had I mean, there are people who didn't. I remember when I was working the store first started Turkey, there are people that are no credit. But they always got they wouldn't be allowed to have to donate cigarettes, but they could have attacked by Siemens crossed off those cigarettes, tobacco papers and that's a terrible thing to do, possibly, but at least it's not going to get somebody smoked. But they would have their order would have to be vetted. And then it because they there was no money to pay the bills and the bills were hundreds of

Unknown Speaker 1:04:34
dollars. How do you How did your business suffer a lot for that or did you just keep a fairly you know, try to

Unknown Speaker 1:04:40
well they tried to but then of course don't forget to you can't share it suffered. But you see, this is another thing of our business data dividend also depression. You know why? Because my grandmother that was the only money she had to live off. Sure she was running a boarding house but that wasn't much money because she was taking in waves in the streets. Her body has never made any money but she had to hurt. Her money was invested. So all during the service and paid a dividend because granny has had money. And granny was one of the largest shareholders in the company. So she had money every month. And that's where it came from. I mean, everybody else got a little bit. So, no, there's, as far as I was concerned. I know that I always had clothes I went to school is what runs through schools. One boy he was, he could buy me out three times a day. He was a very successful logger, but he had no shoes and I was walking down with me he's bigger than I am overnight. I was walking down the hill with a major help my shoes, my boots, right nice boots. Socks, boots. Oh, my God, walk to school all day long. And then, of course, the sheets suffered the weather and washed the seats always dirt and filth. So she's, so I told him this. While he doesn't. I don't care. You know, I always have shoes and socks when the other people went barefoot. You know, I know that. But I was lucky. A very fortunate young boy I know that was a depression because a lot of poor people are hungry. And I know that our family tried to feed them that they could and protect them my grandmother.

Unknown Speaker 1:06:24
So can you tell me a little bit more about the boarding house?

Unknown Speaker 1:06:27
Oh yes, it was a fabulous place to die in Rome and AC everybody worked with a store aged grandmother that clerks and they had their lunch there and they had a ticket sometimes with a punch ticket but they always had I think we paid 25 cents. I think we need a certain amount every month. And no one came dressed like this with just a shirt. In the wet Did you wash your hands and there are a whole series of jackets there. And even everybody the warehouseman it'd be out of the truck drivers. They had a jacket put on before they came to the table because you never ate it vanished without a jacket off. You'd never work never He never did she do her own cooking? No She She did a lot of cheat a lot of work but the heavy work there wasn't it wasn't that much of a party house. I mean they're young she has two young girls so they come and work for and go to school. Go to high school they stay with Granny and went to high school

Unknown Speaker 1:07:44
she had people cooking for her for instance first of all it would freestyle push it all those daughters to help her and Mary in that video remain stays and Jessica was quite young man. And Jessie was only about 11 They were very they're a great delta and then she when she got older but her sister that Maggie would never married at Madison she she was always everybody's beck and call parents and grandmother against she was wanting people who want and every family I guess she wasn't supposed to get married because she was everybody's beck and call to anybody sit down make her come and someone's going away to the hospital and anyway so now back to depression. Yes, I knew it was I tell him I told him I knew there was a depression and I was on the lucky ones I remember those families that purchased

Unknown Speaker 1:08:49
my uncle Gavin sold them some property and said Look I'll buy them all listed the mortgage so it was a lot of things done. They are generous by me and my parents my uncle's

Unknown Speaker 1:09:13
just some questions well, with your life so you you lived here until you finished high school and then you went where did you come back at all to

Unknown Speaker 1:09:23
Toya stone? Yes, I was back in the summer. I worked really Summer. Summer 37 Summer 38 Summer 39 And of course summer 40 I'm just waiting to get in the airplane. Because I joined up you know I joined but I had called October November. So yes, I was here during that time. And when I went to college was back and I used to be home for Christmas of course at home on the weekends. There's lots of money in Victoria. 70 years old.

Unknown Speaker 1:10:03
What? What sort of things were what was life like for teenagers on the island?

Unknown Speaker 1:10:08
Oh, we were always busy. We had sports at school, a basketball team. We had I remember all that all sorts of things. I can't remember how old I did was when I did certain things. For instance, the Cushing Lake, biking down the push, coefficient, a great fire. And I remember trying to skate because I never could skate because we didn't get an occasion yet so far. There's lots of there's lots back around the school. A lot of chores to cut wouldn't get in. And everybody did that. So when you weren't doing that interesting, I mean, you weren't when you were sort of into high school, you might go to a dance but we probably get thrown out of

Unknown Speaker 1:11:04
those activities like dances

Unknown Speaker 1:11:06
for a while, actually, we had our own dances in high school. You know, we had our high school dances every week not a sock sock hop nonsense we dress up did you play tennis? No. I think my mother my mother and father goes play called dad was one of the charter members of golf club and I played golf but I don't play now to play tennis

Unknown Speaker 1:11:41
in high school, or were they older?

Unknown Speaker 1:11:45
Some of the high school played tennis yes it was a different group of people class those days were the length and people they tended to be thanks very much themselves or their family a lot of families that are no longer you will know the names now. Throughout here they're jumping in a lot of English people came here gradient Glucksman started with 9990 A lot of the odd married English was a little bit of money some of the great deal of money and then they married they established in sort of different different systems

Unknown Speaker 1:12:32
they were kind of every

Unknown Speaker 1:12:35
game every business people they live in they own a business for today they invest the money in the software I'm trading

Unknown Speaker 1:12:44
oh yeah so that was like definitely conservative and with those people shop at that store

Unknown Speaker 1:12:52
yes I was ever in the trading company until I was just sometime before the war there know we didn't just talk about

Unknown Speaker 1:13:10
it was was that the founders you know like Mr. Bullock

Unknown Speaker 1:13:15
Oh my dear friends, like the layers kernel layer do they had some money made a stress. Jack Smith and I are good friends back that his father was one of these chaps who came down with quite a bit of money. But those are people who were and they were all conservatives.

Unknown Speaker 1:13:35
Would you would you play with their kids? Oh, yes.

Unknown Speaker 1:13:38
They went to school with private schools. I mean, a lot of private schools here on the island a lot of times, Paulson's which was down early down, three Ganges. optimate the switches were just by the gas station. So gas station there that was a private school know that Olson was not at Olson was across from me. And then there was one off the side where we'd have Benson 2930

Unknown Speaker 1:14:17
Did they tend to take the credit trail for private schools to

Unknown Speaker 1:14:22
last too long? Yes often. of all, they were private that Mrs. Mrs. Morehouse School. That was in the 30s So that was a you know we're Churchill road is what we used to call a hill it goes up point, man hill. It was just just across the entire system. And that was Mrs. She had a separate Hastings Hastings house while actually that was major Rollins place.

Unknown Speaker 1:14:50
There was a school there for some years no I was crap thrown Sitting across across I began to spam Hill man Hill

Unknown Speaker 1:15:10
was that lady rolling that there was a check that Reagan did there were people who for short time someone told me Oh can I must check that out because

Unknown Speaker 1:15:29
the next week there was another one up above I think about the training company somebody a couple of years set up the school day

Unknown Speaker 1:15:40
maybe but I don't know because Mr. Harris he is and then he moved up throughout the training company so that his voice

Unknown Speaker 1:15:51
but I don't know if there's ever school there at all awful lot of private schools from the side because of the British

Unknown Speaker 1:15:58
people that's it but you would you play with the kids at school so we do not

Unknown Speaker 1:16:04
see that much. But until we went to public school, and then we would play but you wouldn't see that because you you didn't go to their place of their you know, their their parents were particularly good friends, you know, close friends. So it is like a different they knew each other and then things like I said the IOTV she worked with the people in that group but and they would have been IOD G or things but they wouldn't be visiting back and forth to different community

Unknown Speaker 1:16:46
a little bit about the different races that's when a little people today finds it a bit unusual the number of Japanese people and black community

Unknown Speaker 1:17:01
well they were always looking for the picture of a school here and you see all the Japanese people are

Unknown Speaker 1:17:10
Japanese children with the other children before before

Unknown Speaker 1:17:14
Well, I used to play with them now years I've ever gotten down to start down this road here with us we are down there. And we I mean I used to go back there I like to see him I don't know where he is he's just anytime there's any so because we used to build up a ramp so you'd go way down on it. And a lot of little sisters that were there any an older brother who just can't he did laundry? He had laundry that's what they went across the road and so on. But that's what they did. That laundry, but no we

Unknown Speaker 1:18:03
is not too many. Not too many. brownface is one of the earlier ones. That's that's this is the Catholic Church. There's Mormon West. Here and Jackie beato. Only one Japanese there. No Japanese there. That's what it but then the other ones one was my little brother and it fell here. 1234. That group that's the there's one little brother there.

Unknown Speaker 1:18:45
So bear with those children? Well, you know how in school, sometimes children set up little groups where certain people are in? Well, they're out. And would you say that there was anything to do with

Unknown Speaker 1:18:57
playing ball around and pick up it always choose myself? Or you know, just save as it might not choose? Well, I can't but some guy couldn't hit a ball or catch a ball the same night who wouldn't want him on their team but they drive.

Unknown Speaker 1:19:10
So it depended on what you could do.

Unknown Speaker 1:19:14
As always that way because you see we always for instance, we started with a lot of different races here. They would call it never bothered us at all. Maybe because it wasn't. My father used to have a lot I knew he did a lot of business with a blank always had. And they are just as good customers as people they have some of them in pay the bills too often. Some of them always pay do it the same way. So there were people rather than blacks I never thought of. I mean, we didn't we didn't have that much to do with them that I remember later on they used to either went to dances very much when I forget the days with dances. I don't ever remember dancing, not because I don't know why not but I don't try to help girls I want to dance. But I know the All the women's in the and the goddess was there a terrific dancers. But I mean, they could do a lot deaths I couldn't do the early stuff that they're already dancing back and forth. But I never know I just danced with him but not because he didn't want to dance with you. But other people don't pose it as these tend to be older phones. plugged in at work? I don't know. Yeah, but they were, they weren't.

Unknown Speaker 1:20:34
What about telling the Japanese people they never came

Unknown Speaker 1:20:37
up with things like that? They would be? Maybe they will be at the odd Christmas concert if they have something to do. But I mean, I don't know. I can't say for sure. But I don't think I ever saw the parents. They must have come but I don't know if they ever came to Christmas concerts. But I know that a few of them they had a small

Unknown Speaker 1:20:56
did the Japanese community tend to stick to themselves?

Unknown Speaker 1:21:02
Pretty well, because you see, we just played ball who was school and if there's a football game on a match, they are they can get away to say was when I was working with somebody who had to Father said yes or no, you can't go you got to work today. Well, okay, that was it. You know, we didn't go play football that day or that Saturday. But the Japanese are hardworking. Characters. They worked hard. They worked hard. They played they played at recess a little bit after school, but not too much. They had to get home. But as soon as I went down to garlands, girls, go sledding, he would come out there

Unknown Speaker 1:21:42
do you think that they had the same, you know, place in the communities any any other?

Unknown Speaker 1:21:47
Yeah, they certainly had a lot of things, trucks and cars and the boats and things like that. They didn't they didn't run for school board. They didn't go to the hospital board. You know, that sort of thing. They didn't get involved in community affairs. Maybe they wouldn't they would be allowed to? I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. But it was expected of them either. Now, maybe it wasn't expected. So I really don't know. Because I at that time, they're, they're my friends. She remember, she was my soul sister, younger than I was. But we all knew them in high school. In high school.

Unknown Speaker 1:22:39
Anyway, they just they weren't. They weren't a complete part of the community. And maybe it was as much their fault as the communities. Because there was never any, we we were used to all kinds of different people here. Yes.

Unknown Speaker 1:22:57
Were there any Indian kids or?

Unknown Speaker 1:23:01
Well, yes. There we see the providers that are up in the north edge of school that is the North Vesuvius school, we call it our next call and also centers closures called facilities. COVID is probably they were they tend to be their friends, if you can see pictures of the earnings of the 30s. There you see a lot of black his lobbying efforts. And of course, it's disappeared. After a while. I mean, there's so many there are these quarters?

Unknown Speaker 1:23:30
Does keep up any any problems.

Unknown Speaker 1:23:33
Not often there was a very different he's playing a long time. Yeah. I mean, it didn't make any difference. Me. I never thought of it. But

Unknown Speaker 1:23:41
we did families that you knew if it did, you know, that would say you can't play with so and so because they're I don't know, you never heard of anything.

Unknown Speaker 1:23:51
There may have been but I mean, as much likely talking about the whiteboard, because you know, you've done something wrong.

Unknown Speaker 1:24:00
That's right. But it seems to be more individual based. So you went away to the ward for quite a few years. And when did you come back to live until

Unknown Speaker 1:24:17
1945.

Unknown Speaker 1:24:19
And then, did you get married after that?

Unknown Speaker 1:24:25
And we weren't living out here for five years. I went to the store, sector, the company and I'd gotten teaching certificate before the war. And I guess I was low man on the totem because my father is still active. And three of my older cousins, and I'm the youngest. And nationally personally like to take a leadership role. So I left that school in Nanaimo and got my degree, BA degree by degrees. then I taught in the high school at Belmont University High. And then it would happen. I was principal of school in North Ontario to an Eskimo school. They went Ottawa for two years to work in adult education and then became a supervising principal for the whole of the Arctic district. And that was superintendent education for all schools and assignments. Oh, really. I mean, I've had a lot of fun my life I've been involved things I wanted to do. And I fairly senior positions. And then I when I decide not to go the Territory Governments, committee and affairs, was Indian Affairs, no burden with Harold Cardo. And his high horse. That was very interesting. Yeah. And then I spent a year and a half as as part of the STEM education consultant, in a temporary sort of candidate school rather than Canada. And that was very few people. Actually, the President then used to work for me and he kind of liked to live in North Korea for him. The government paid me Yeah, I went on, I was on loan. And then they stopped that arrangement. I mean, the government didn't. We didn't have the money because we didn't have the money to pay me my salary. I left them in Vancouver for a year. And I was at a lovely title, their senior consultant comma education and lots of fun toured around the province I took a couple took a position just before I retired for three months to the web had stepped up but didn't suffer pay to be a district super delegate, which was wonderful. And I was going to travel up to Fort St. John and and Prince George visited every school fort where like the back the landing

Unknown Speaker 1:27:00
Yeah. When did you

Unknown Speaker 1:27:05
did you retire?

Unknown Speaker 1:27:08
Retired when I was 56 years old, I had a magic number. And until I retired to get back here. I thought I was going to be I thought I was going to be bored. So I took out an estate license. My license and I had to get work within a year because I wrote the stands and is ready Vancouver to do remote work for US hospitals, Gil Humphrey owns the company. Dan was manager and president. And he said to me about me. We're gonna be I'm gonna be able to do a shoot and I got just bought a boat. Anyway, did. I enjoyed it very much. It was fun meeting new people. But the hassle of having to know all I mean, I figured well, I don't need to know all the listings on the response. No. In other words, I figured I quit. Lucky. I mean, it was in the good years. 7980 81. And I made lots of those gears.

Unknown Speaker 1:28:09
When you came back to Spain, did it strike you that it had changed?

Unknown Speaker 1:28:13
Oh, yes. But yes, it it changes a lot. In what way? Is there more people who didn't know, Prince Viateur boy going going up and going down meet the boat, saying are walking on Ganges. You see a strange face who say who said oh, they just moved here they thought so and so's places. Now you go to Ganges, and among called 1000 people you see one one person you know that was happening. But I got to know a lot of people to real estate. And then I was on the school board for a while I was at the hospital board. I'm a very heavy neck of the Legion very interesting. I think it's a very important organization, veterans and service officer past presidents. And I guess I get three or four calls a week from people who are older people, you know, veterans in New York veterans with new systems and it's very interesting. You know, you're being useful to people. And that's what leadership is all about. The people think so please go and drink beer. Sherman got a license to serve here. But we also have I mean are great. We have to keep the idea of the memory of the stock president made alive and also into circles or left. So it's interesting