Wilfred Oxford

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(Wilfred Oxford – Full Interview.)

Wilfred Oxford: Interview by Louise Janes, September 16, 1988
Louise: This is September 16, 1988 and this is Louise Janes. I’m speaking with Mr. Wilfred Oxford in Reidville. Mr. Oxford I wanted you to give your permission for us to use this tape whenever we want to use it.
Wilfred: Yeah

Back

On Coming To Reidville

Louise: Thank You. Now then Mr. Oxford when were you born?
Wilfred: Ahh, June 4th, 1931.
Louise: And when were you born…where were you born?
Wilfred: In Deer Lake.
Louise: In Deer Lake. And ahh, when did you come to Reidville?
Wilfred: Ahh, about 1938…39? Around there.
Louise: And why did you come?
Wilfred: Well…. I guess there was.. we had invitation from Herb Reid, I think, or Dad did that ah, well Reidville was only just beginning and he wanted people here so he told Dad (William

Oxford) if he’d come he would give him a piece of land. (Oh) That’s the reason why we came here.
Louise: Oh, I see. And that was in 1930??

Wilfred: Around 1937 I dare say he asked.
Louise: So how old were you when you came up here?
Wilfred: Ahh, ‘bout eight years old, I’d say
Louise: Eight Years Old. Where did you settle then?
Wilfred: Ahh, up here, up in Reidville.
Louise: Not in the same spot you’re in now?
Wilfred: No, not now. Up this far, up there.
Louise: Past the school?
Wilfred: No, just up there where that old barn is too.
Louise: Oh. I see. Up there.
Wilfred: Yeah. (Oh yeah).
Louise: And how many of ah, how many were you in the family?
Wilfred: Ahh, there was four, four of us in the family at that time.
Louise: Four children (Yeah) and your mother and father. So you all moved up. How did you get up here?
Wilfred: Well, walked I guess.
Louise: You walked?
Wilfred: We ah, lived in the Old Tramway see, before that.

Louise: Oh, I see. Where’s that now?
Wilfred: That’s in ah, well in the old Tramway, you know where Wilf White lived down there? (Oh Yes). Will in, ‘bout a mile in past that, in the old Tramway. Ah, Dad was workin’ in the camps in there and ah, went in there and build, build a house in the old Tramway.

Louise: Build a house in there?
Wilfred: Oh yes, we lived in there for ah, perhaps two or three years, I guess. (Did ya?) Before we came here. (He was workin’ there?) He was workin’ in the camps in there. (Yeah).
Louise: And how many people lived in there?
Wilfred: I think there were three families in there at the time.
Louise: Who were they?
Wilfred: Ah, one I think was Tim Reid, I don’t know if you know old Tim Reid, you don’t know him? They was from Bonne Bay and I don’t know who the other family was, for sure, I know Mom would know.
Louise: And and you, you .. Your father built your house there?

Wilfred: Dad built a house in there, well a log cabin, you know. (Yeah) Das all ‘twas dem days, a log cabin.
Louise: And where did you go to school then, not from there, did ya?
Wilfred: No, went to school up here, after we moved here.
Louise: There was a school here?
Wilfred: Yeah, I didn’t start school ‘afore I was nine. (Is that right?) Yeah. Cause there was no other school, eh. (Yeah, yeah)
Louise: But you’re not the oldest in your family, are you?
Wilfred: No, Margaret, poor Margaret.
Louise: Oh yes, yeah yeah, and ah, so then why did your father move away from the Tramway?
Wilfred: Ahh, well he just came here to, you know, he got the piece of land and he could his farming, you know just for our own.
Louise: Oh you did some farming, did ya?
Wilfred: You know, just for our own use, well he did sell, you know, some stuff. (Yeah)

Louise: So what did he grow?
Wilfred: Ah, potatoes, turnip and carrot, everything you know that you need. (Oh, I see. And ah) Sheep ‘en goats and all that stuff, eh. (Did ya?) Yeah.
Louise: So Mr. Reid gave ya the land?
Wilfred: Yeah, he gave, he gave poor dad the land, yeah. (Yeah)
Louise: And how much did he get?
Wilfred: Ah, I think it is ‘bout seven acres, altogether.
Louise: Oh yeah. Yeah. So did he use all that for farming?
Wilfred: Well, not all of it, no. Just , you know, what he needed, so.
Louise: Yeah. And did your father do anything else besides eh..
Wilfred: No that’s all just work in the woods, and eh, did a bit of farming.
Louise: Was the land cleared?
Wilfred: Not when we got it. No. (No) That was all timber eh when we came here. (Yeah)
Louise: Now how many people were living here then, when you came here?
Wilfred: Eh, it was ‘bout four families, I guess.
Louise: Is that all?
Wilfred: Das all.
Louise: Who were they?
Wilfred: Ah, Doug Reid, Herb Reid, Sandy and Stead Reid, their brother they lived across the river, over there (oh yeah) and ah, that’s ‘bout all I guess at that time. (Author’s Note: William Thomas and Mary Ann Reid with their youngest children were also here at that time.) I think Mr. Rumbolt, Zeke Rumbolt, he came here after.
Louise: Oh yeah. And ah, what was it like when you ah, you walked here you say?
Wilfred: We walked here from, you know, the old Tramway when we came here, we walked here, just old trail das all.
Louise: Now, your house wasn’t built?
Wilfred: No (No?) Well poor dad built the house, you know while we lived in there he built this one ‘nough to move from one to the other. (Oh yeah) Yeah (yeah)
Louise: So what was it like now when you came here?
Wilfred: Well, was all, all woods you know you couldn’t see anywhere, just when we moved here just a little spot big enough to build a little log cabin, das all they had that time. Log cabin you know. (Yeah) And ah, all this down here this was all woods, trees. (Now.) We were right in the forest.
Louise: Now, these people who were living here, were they near you?
Wilfred: Oh yes. Right alongside, Herb Reid was there and Doug Reid on top of the hill there.
Louise: Now where did these people come from?
Wilfred: Bonne Bay.
Louise: From Bonne Bay, and how long had they been here?
Wilfred: They were only here ‘bout ah, no more than a couple years I guess, before we came here.
Louise: I see. So did they farm too, or did they work at..
Wilfred: They didn’t. You know, just their own you know farm for their selves. (Oh yeah) ‘nough to ah get you through the winter.
Louise: Yeah. Did they work in the woods to or ah?
Wilfred: They worked in the woods too; everybody worked in the woods (Yeah)

Back

(On School)

Louise: So ah when you came here now there was no school? (No) No, so how soon now was the school built?
Wilfred: ‘twas only another year after we got here.
Louise: Yeah, and was it the same little school ‘tis there now?
Wilfred: No, it was a different place, ‘twas over ah, over this way farther. It was a little, ‘twas only a old shed like, das all ‘twas, poor Uncle Tom Reid had there eh. And he turned into a school. (Oh, I see.) Five or six of us das all.
Louise: That’s all there was?
Wilfred: Yeah.
Louise: And who was the first teacher?
Wilfred: Ah, ah I can’t remember but ah,I think it was ah, forgets he’s name now, he’s from Deer Lake, was it, not Tumey was it, no wife knows his name, I forgets now. Yeah, I think it was Willoby Thomas, not sure you know.
Louise: Now, were there all the grades in that school?
Wilfred: Ahh. Yes well was only ah, you know grade one at that time, cause we was all young you know.
Louise: Yes, so you didn’t need grade eleven.
Wilfred: No, we didn’t need grade eleven. (No) Starting off, you know.
Louise: Who were the, can you remember who the first few pupils were?

Wilfred: Ah, yeah well, was me and Margaret, my sister, and ah, Lorne Reid, and Willis Reid, and I think a little later was Garfield Rumbolt and Zeke, Scott and all of them eh.
Louise: Oh! They all went to school here too? (Yeah) yeah.
Wilfred: So ah, wasn’t that many, you know.
Louise: Yeah, and ah, so this man Mr. Thomas, he taught all the classes? (Yeah) yeah.
Wilfred: He taught all the classes
Louise: And what was the school like?
Wilfred: Well, it wasn’t (Chuckling) it wasn’t in good shape. You ah, you only use same thing now fer, use fer a barn. Das all, you know. ‘twas only old shed like eh?
Louise: And how did you heat it?
Wilfred: Jest stove, wood stove.
Louise: You had to ah, bring your own splits?
Wilfred: Bring your own splits and wood, take turns lightin’ the fire. (Yeah) The older ones, like eh.
Louise: So did you start school like in September when..?
Wilfred: Well, I’m not sure (Yeah) I imagine we did.
Louise: You went right through?
Wilfred: Yeah
Louise: And ah, what did you use for seats?
Wilfred: Well, jest old tables made up, das all, chairs, you know, old desk made up.
Louise: Yeah. But the government now, paid the teacher?
Wilfred: Ah yeah (yeah).
Louise: And ah, what kind of subjects did you take, can you remember that?
Wilfred: Well ah, just Arithmetic and stuff like that.

Back

(On Tramway and More School)

Louise: So now when your father moved here did he bring all he’s furniture an’ dat from the other house? Like his stove. (Yeah) and what happened to the houses there, back out there?
Wilfred: They were just left there, and rotted away, das all.
Louise: Oh I see. So how long did it take you now to walk from the Tramway where you lived to here? Can you remember that?
Wilfred: Uhmm? Take us a good hour I guess.
Louise: Did it?
Wilfred: We had to walk out from in the Tramway and then walk up from down here.
Louise: Now what was the Tramway used for?
Wilfred: It was used for Bowaters, for ah tran… for transporting ah, goods into their camps eh.
Louise: Oh, I see. And ah, was the public allowed to use it?
Wilfred: No, well sometimes, you know, if they wanted to go in, like me and mom now, when I was young, we used to go in and get off in on the barrens go blueberry picken’ eh. And on the way back then they’d pick us up again.
Louise: Oh, I see. Were lots of berries?
Wilfred: Oh yes.
Louise: Whadda you mean now, the barrens? Where would that be?
Wilfred: Blueberry barrens, das in the Tramway, up towards Cormack, now eh, Tramway used to pass through Cormack, see.
Louise: Oh, did it? Oh yeah.
Wilfred: Yeah. You know where the co-op store was in Cormack, (Yeah) well the Tramway used to pass right down on the back of that, go on up through eh, up through right up to Eddies (Aides) Lake.
Louise: Oh, I see. And it was for the wood was it? Transporting the wood or, or anything?
Wilfred: No, no just for the men, trans.. takin’ the men to the camps and portage and you know like.. (Oh) das right, you know.
Louise: You didn’t use the wood on that?
Wilfred: No, no didn’t use for haulin’ wood.
Louise: Oh, was just for the men, getting’ them back and forth.
Wilfred: Das right, getting’ the men back ‘en forth ‘en portage, you know.
Louise: I see. So how long did you go to school now?
Wilfred: Me. I went to school until I was fifteen.
Louise: Yeah. And what grade did you get then?
Wilfred: I went, I took grade nine but I never, never wrote my exams. I had to go to Deer Lake an’ write exams and I was shy, I wouldn’t write ‘em. (Chuckling..)
Louise: And ah, did you still go to the same school?
Wilfred: No.. A little while after, they used that one for ‘bout two or three years, I guess, and then they built one up on the, where this one is up on there now.
Louise: And was it always a two room school?
Wilfred: Yeah
Louise: Oh I see. So who.. you don’t remember the teachers who were.. ?
Wilfred: No I don’t.
Louise: And you can’t really remember the year can ya?
Wilfred: No, I don’t remember the year. I know we had one teacher, a girl teacher name Sadie Baker, but ah, we had different teachers. Mr. Budden (Bugden), I don’t know if you know Mr. Budden (Bugden), we had him. (From?) He was from? I don’t know where, but he teached in Deer Lake after.

Back

(On Life In Reidville)

Louise: Oh yeah. Mr. Oxford was there any roads here when you came?
Wilfred: Ah, no. No roads. Our only transportation was ah, in winter time the dog team and summertime we had to use boat, row back and forth in boat. Down to Pine Tree it was called, at that time.
Louise: Oh yeah. Would that be motor boat?
Wilfred: Nope. Row boat.

Louise: Just a row boat?
Wilfred: Just a row boat. Yeah.
Louise: And ah, so if you wanted to go get groceries was there either store here?
Wilfred: No store here.
Louise: So you had to do everything in Deer Lake.(Everything in Deer Lake) And you went back and forth all the time.
Wilfred: Das right.
Louise: Same thing if you wanted to mail a letter I sup.. Was it?.
Wilfred: Same thing. Go to Deer Lake.
Louise: Did you go very often?
Wilfred: Not very often, ‘bout once a week.
Louise: Once a week. (Yeah) yeah. Would that depend on if the weather was good or?
Wilfred: Oh yes, if the weather was good.
Louise: Yeah. But Deer Lake was practically settled then was it? (Das right) When you were in..? Yeah. And now if you wanted to go ah, like how close was your nearest neighbor?
Wilfred: Ah, uhmm, the nearest one was ‘bout ah, three hundred feet, I guess.
Louise: Oh, Das all?
Wilfred: Douglas Reid up on the hill there. (Yeah) Cause he had a little log cabin there too. We had a log cabin there. An’ only right alongside, eh.
Louise: So the four families who were here they close together?
Wilfred: Right close together.
Louise: Yeah. So now I suppose they visited back and forth all the time?
Wilfred: Oh yes.
Louise: Yeah. And ya had good times did ya?
Wilfred: Good times, ya.
Louise: Did the women a, did the women a .. quilt together or do things like that; knit together?
Wilfred: Well not really. No, no.
Louise: Were the women busy in the gardens?
Wilfred: Oh yes. (Yeah) yeah. Well the women I guess did most of the gardens because you know, the men was away most all the time, workin’ in the woods.
Louise: So the farming wasn’t ah, a way of living. (No, das right.) It wasn’t your livelihood.
Wilfred: No it wasn’t our livelihood, jest the winter food, like eh.
Louise: So did.., how did you keep your food then?
Wilfred: Well we had a cellar, built a cellar, you know.
Louise: Yeah, I see. And what did you do for water when you came here?
Wilfred: Well, we had to use River water first. When we came we bring it from the River, eh, but little while after Mr. Reid, Herb Reid, he had a well and we used to bring it from there, eh.
Louise: Did he dig the well himself?
Wilfred: Oh yes.
Louise: Yeah, did he dig it by hand?
Wilfred: Dig it by hand.
Louise: Yeah. Now how far did you have to go for that?
Wilfred: Oh, I guess ‘bout a thousand feet, I guess, had to bring water.
Louise: Is that right? So did you people then get your own well, eventually?
Wilfred: Oh yes, yeah.
Louise: Yeah. Your father?
Wilfred: I dug one here, handy ‘bout here where I lives to now.
Louise: Oh, I see. You dug it by hand too?
Wilfred: By hand, yeah.
Louise: Now, but you didn’t have running water in the house?
Wilfred: Oh no, no running water, no hot water, nothing like that.
Louise: No, and a bathroom?
Wilfred: No bathroom, well just a outdoor.
Louise: Yeah (yeah) So there was no roads, and ah, ah now how would you get, you would just go through the trees would ya?
Wilfred: Das right, just a trail, das all, you wanted to go anywhere.
Louise: So you were really close to your neighbours?
Wilfred: Oh yes.
Louise: What about Christmas now, what was Christmas like?
Wilfred: Well, ah, you know was quiet, janneying and all this stuff, you know. (Yeah) Always janneying, that was the real thing then, dress up an’ go out janneying. (Yeah) You know, wasn’t many people so you only get four or five come in to a time.
Louise: Yeah, I suppose you played cards and things like that did you?
Wilfred: No, ‘twas no such things as cards in them days.
Louise: Was there either church here?
Wilfred: No church here.
Louise: Was there ever a church here?
Wilfred: No.
Louise: No
Wilfred: The only way we used to have church here was ah, the Anglican Minister come up the school, eh.
Louise: Oh I see.
Wilfred: Have a church service.
Louise: How often would he come?
Wilfred: Well, I think he used to come once a week. (Is that right?) One time.

Back

(On Marriage and Births)

Louise: So now ah, how long were you here then before you got married?
Wilfred: Ah, well I came here in (19)39, and I got married in (19)52, I believe it was.
Louise: Oh, so you were here ‘bout thirteen years.
Wilfred: Thirty nine….Yeah (Yeah and how..) longer than that wouldn’t it? I was twenty-one when I was married.
Louise: ‘Bout twelve years I’d say. You were nine when you came here. (Yeah) yeah.
Wilfred: (Muffled) nine, ten…. Thirteen.
Louise: And ah, how’d ya meet your wife?

Wilfred: Well, met her in Deer Lake.
Louise: In Deer Lake? (Yeah) You’d go back and forth then a lot would ya?
Wilfred: Go back and forth then, well at that time I met her I had a pickup then, eh.
Louise: Oh, the road was through?
Wilfred: A while after that they put the road through.
Louise: Oh I see.
Wilfred: Well Bowater’s had a road up so far as the Tramway down there.
Louise: Yeah
Wilfred: And then a little while after that they connect the road up to Reidville.
Louise: I see. And ah, so you met her in Deer Lake?
Wilfred: Met her in Deer Lake.
Louise: Yeah. Where was she from?
Wilfred: She was from, well she came from Kitty’s Brook to Deer Lake, (I see.) and she lived in Spillway. (Yeah.) She was up town one night and I was down town and we met.
Louise: What were you doin’ now up town, er down town?
Wilfred: Well, just down around (To the stores or just) with the crowd. No just with (Bummin’ around?) down, bunch used to go down foolin’ round Deer Lake. (Yeah) Lookin’ fer a girl I suppose. Ha, ha. (Yeah, das it I guess.). (Chuckling).
Louise: And so ah, how long did ya go out with her before you got married?
Wilfred: Ah, ‘bout two years.
Louise: Yeah. Did you have a wedding?
Wilfred: Oh yes.
Louise: Where was that?
Wilfred: Down to her Mother’s.
Louise: Oh I see.
Wilfred: Had a get together down there.
Louise: Had supper?
Wilfred: Had supper, yeah.
Louise: And so then you moved up here did you? Moved back up here?
Wilfred: Moved back up here.
Louise: Yeah. And so where did you live then first?
Wilfred: Ah, first when I got married we lived down with Henry Reid, he used to live down the road there farther, eh. (Oh yeah.) We lived with him until I built my house, then we moved in here. I think it was in (19)54 I think we moved in.
Louise: I see. So was there very many people living here then?
Wilfred: Ah, there was a few, there was ‘bout, at that time I guess there was ‘bout ah, ten or fifteen families, I guess.
Louise: Oh, is that all, in 1954?
Wilfred: That’s all. Wouldn’t very many.
Louise: Now was the water through then? There wasn’t a town council or anything then was it or community council, I mean?
Wilfred: No water then, we just had our own well in under the house at that time.
Louise: And you had it comin’ through?
Wilfred: Comin’ we had a pump then, a hand pump at that time. (Oh yeah). Until we, then we got the electric pump.
Louise: So now, what about the scho.. when your wife wanted to have her baby did she go back and forth to the doctor or did she have a midwife, or what?
Wilfred: A midwife first.
Louise: I see. And who was the midwife?
Wilfred: Ah, Miss. Tracey.
Louise: Oh, she not here now, is she?
Wilfred: No. And Mrs. Young, Mrs. Johnny Young, in Spillway, she was midwife too eh.
Louise: Oh I see.
Wilfred: She born a couple.
Louise: Did she? Here in the house?
Wilfred: Ah, down to her mother’s house.
Louise: Oh yeah, and would you have to pay her now?
Wilfred: Ah, yeah I think we did. Yeah
Louise: You don’t know how much?
Wilfred: No I don’t know, somewhere ‘round ten or fifteen dollars.
Louise: Oh yeah. And now if you wanted to have it Christened or whatever, you’d have to go to Deer Lake, would ya?
Wilfred: Have to go to Deer Lake, yeah. Or get the Minister to come up.
Louise: And there was never ever a church here?
Wilfred: Never ever a church. Well I never mentioned about the Salvation Army. They used to have church over in Mr. Feltham’s house, over in Junction Brook.
Louise: Oh yes.
Wilfred: We used to go over there to church, see.
Louise: Oh, you went across the River?
Wilfred: Went across the River and walked over the church.
Louise: Now would that be every week?
Wilfred: Ah, practically every week. Yeah.

Back

(On Junction Brook and Various Topics)

Louise: Now there were people living across the river too.
Wilfred: Das right.
Louise: Now, how many people were over there, how many families?
Wilfred: Ah, I guess there was eight to ten families first when we came here, er just after we came here.
Louise: Yeah. Now ah were they there before you?
Wilfred: I can’t remember, but I think they were. (Yeah) Harry Janes, and like I said, Feltham, Mr. Sam Feltham, and Harry Janes, Abe Feltham and all ‘dem, they lived over there.
Louise: I see. So did you visit back and forth there very much?

Wilfred: We used to go back and forth.
Louise: Did ya? (yeah) yeah. Had good times like that or..?
Wilfred: Oh yes, yeah.
Louise: It’s not very far across was, is it?
Wilfred: No, not that far. It’s ‘bout half a mile over to Uncle Sam Feltham’s. No when we were younger we used to go across in boat and winter time we go across on ice, over an’ chasin’ the girls, you know. (Chuckling)
Louise: So they had a church, they didn’t have a church, they had church in someone’s house?
Wilfred: In their house. Yeah.
Louise: And ah, what about stores now?
Wilfred: No, no stores.
Louise: Nothing here at all. (Nothing here.) So everything you needed, well you had your own vegetables (yeah) and you had your fresh milk did ya?
Wilfred: Yeah. My mother had a store, but I don’t know what time she started the store, could be in the early forties, could be ‘round forty-five (Oh yeah) she had store.
Louise: So how did you get your land now when you wanted to build your house?
Wilfred: Will this land here, I jest moved here and build on it. Will Herb Reid you know saying he told me, it was his land, to build here, so I just build here, das all.
Louise: So did you have to buy it or anything?
Wilfred: No, no.
Louise: You just got your grant.
Wilfred: Well I haven’t got the grant, not yet, you know, not for this.
Louise: Haven’t you?
Wilfred: Not yet, but it is in process now.
Louise: I see. Yeah (Uhmm). And your house was the same very same one we’re in now?
Wilfred: Yes.
Louise: Yeah. Well after you got married?
Wilfred: After we got married, yeah. Same one.
Louise: So your children go to school here now?
Wilfred: They did, yeah.
Louise: All ‘dem.
Wilfred: Ahh, yes, I think they did.
Louise: Now did either one ‘dem get their grade eleven or did they?
Wilfred: Oh yea, most all of them got their grade eleven.
Louise: Here, in this school?
Wilfred: No, not in this school, in Deer Lake.
Louise: Oh yeah.
Wilfred: Yeah, they went up here ‘till grade five or six I think and then they went to Deer Lake.
Louise: Yeah.
Wilfred: I said all of ‘em went to school but I don’t think the last two I don’t think did.
Louise: Not up here?
Wilfred: No, I don’t think so. Then again they started in Deer Lake.

Louise: Oh did they? Go back and forth..
Wilfred: I’m not now, ah, ah, but I think they did tho’. I guess they had to get their grade one en’ two up here, three.
Louise: So now ah when, you came here at nine years old there were people livin’ across the river then?
Wilfred: Yes.
Louise: So did you go back and forth very much?
Wilfred: Not at that time.
Louise: Not at that time.
Wilfred: When I got old enough, you know.
Louise: Yeah.
Wilfred: We wouldn’t allowed out thro’ the gate ‘till I was goin’ into fifteen years old.
Louise: Is that right?
Wilfred: No. I don’t know why, but I guess when you are growing at that age you have so much, when you come home from school you never had time to go anywhere.
Louise: So now, what kind of chores now did you have to do?
Wilfred: Well, we had to bring water when we came home from school. Bring our barrel of water. Then we had to get our splits in, our wood and time we got all that in ‘twas supper time. (Yeah.) And after supper we had to do our homework and go to bed, that was it, you wouldn’t ‘llowed out, like the young ones are today.
Louise: Did you have any special social evenings you know, in the community, now that you remember as a young boy. What would be a special evening for you, anything that..?
Wilfred: Nothing, no.
Louise: No?
Wilfred: No. But for the older ones you know at their Reidville (muffled??) they used to have a few dances up here. Old time dances.
Louise: Where would they have those?
Wilfred: In the school.
Louise: Yeah (yeah.) Now was that a, ah integrated school or just a denominational?
Wilfred: Just a Denominational school.
Louise: Oh was it? Who owned it then?
Wilfred: I suppose the Anglican, I guess.
Louise: Oh I see. So there were more Anglicans here than any other.
Wilfred: Das right, just ‘bout all Anglicans.
Louise: So now ah, were there many animals around, like you know, moose and rabbit.
Wilfred: Oh yes, all the time.
Louise: Yeah.
Wilfred: Yes. All kinds of moose, rabbit and others.
Louise: So did you hunt very much?
Wilfred: Ah, after I got up like twelve or thirteen, you know I used to go rabbit catchin’. Teacher I told you ‘bout, Mr. Budden (Bugden), me an’ him used to go set a few snares eh. (After school?) After school.
Louise: Did you get rabbit?
Wilfred: Oh yes, yeah.
Louise: There were lots of rabbits?
Wilfred: Lots of rabbit.
Louise: Did you have to have a license then?
Wilfred: No, no license.
Louise: What about berry picking now. Did you do much berry picking?
Wilfred: Oh yes, yeah, We always, every year you know, you get your raspberries and blueberries, get your jam fer the winter, each winter.
Louise: The raspberries now they were around here, were they?
Wilfred: Oh yes.
Louise: Yeah, but the blueberries, you ..
Wilfred: Yeah, we had to go, well across the river mostly, on the barrens over there eh.
Louise: Oh you go and ..
Wilfred: Specially over there where the airport is, over there on that side.
Louise: Is that right? Lots of berries.
Wilfred: Loots of ‘em, yes.
Louise: You’d go up in boat?
Wilfred: Go across in boat, there where Garfield Rumbolt used to live, walk in through (I see.) and pick away.
Louise: And ah, what about.. did you make butter or anything like that?
Wilfred: No. I don’t think, nothing..
Louise: And what about soap? Did your mother ever have to make soap?
Wilfred: I don’t believe.
Louise: No. What about the clothes. Did she make all the clothes or did she, could you buy it or..?
Wilfred: She made, she made a lot of it, you know. (Yeah.) Yeah, knit our own mitts and socks.
Louise: Yeah, and ah what about the barber, things like that. Would you (Well ah..) Who cut your hair?
Wilfred: My father always cut our hair.
Louise: Did he?
Wilfred: Yeah. He always did, yealp. And when my boys was growin’ up I cut, I used to be their barber eh (Yeah.) cut their hair you know.
Louise: And what about policemen now, if you needed a policeman what would you?
Wilfred: Well, Deer Lake you know.
Louise: Had to go to Deer Lake?
Wilfred: Had to go to Deer Lake das the only place, Rangers then. (Yeah) Yeah.

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(On Daily Life)

Louise: So what year would you say now that there was.. that Reidville really started?
Wilfred: Uhmm, I wouldn’t know. I dare say in the early fifties you know, it was getting, buildin’ very good then.
Louise: But you came here in ah, (19)36 thirty??
Wilfred: No ‘bout thirty eight. (19)38.
Louise: Thirty-eight was it?
Wilfred: Thirty-nine, ‘round there.

Louise: And it wasn’t ah,??
Wilfred: No it wasn’t anything then. No.
Louise: No. What kind of tools did you use now, or equipment did you use in your farming for your gardens an’ that?
Wilfred: Well ah, jest a horse, and horse and plow, and ah, das ‘bout all I guess. Jest horse an’ plow.
Louise: You planted by hand, did ya?
Wilfred: Planted by hand yeah.
Louise: Now where did you get your seeds an’ dat?
Wilfred: Well buy it all in Deer Lake. (Oh Yeah.) Buy seed in Deer Lake, an’ fertilizer
Louise: Used all that, did ya?
Wilfred: Yeah. Used to bring our fertilizer up in boat. That was 125 llb. sacks then. Used to have da bring it from the River up to our garden on the handbar we used to call it then.
Louise: Yeah. (yeah) What about fishing now. Were there lots of trout in the river were they?
Wilfred: Oh yes, thousands of trout. Yes.
Louise: And salmon?
Wilfred: Salmon. Well I didn’t salmon, not then ‘cause I didn’t know anything ‘bout salmon, but ah you know, trouting well we was always at that.
Louise: That right? (yeah) Yeah. Did you ever make rafts or anything?
Wilfred: Oh Yes. Always made rafts.
Louise: But the river now up.. wasn’t all that rough here, was it?
Wilfred: Not here. No
Louise: So now, when you moved here did you ever go to Corner Brook for any reason or anything?
Wilfred: Not, no not first when we moved here.
Louise: The road was through tho’ was it?
Wilfred: To Corner Brook?
Louise: Yeah.
Wilfred: Oh yes.
Louise: But it wasn’t paved?
Wilfred: No just a gravel road.

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(On Working)

Louise: Yeah. Did you ever go in the woods now and stay, you know, did you cut wood for a living after you were married?
Wilfred: Ah yes. (Yeah.) Camps, you know.
Louise: And you had to go and stay all week did you?
Wilfred: Stay yeah, fer two weeks (two weeks?) two an’ three weeks, winter time we stay ‘bout three weeks.
Louise: Yeah. And ah where was that now?
Wilfred: That would be up in the White River area and ah, Goose Arm.

Louise: How would you get up there?
Wilfred: Ah, walk winter time.
Louise: Oh, I see. And what would you use snowshoes?
Wilfred: Snowshoes.
Louise: How long a walk was that now?
Wilfred: The longest walk we had winter time was eleven miles. We used to walk from ah, well we go up Cormack Road, then park our machines there and we walk in White River Road, eleven miles on snowshoes.
Louise: How long would that take you?
Wilfred: Oh, ‘bout two hours, two and a half hours.
Louise: Is that right? (yeah.) What were the camps like then?
Wilfred: Well, they wouldn’t very good. (no?) No, camp at that time, camp was just build around with poles and just canvas on the poles. The one that we stayed it – bunkhouse. (I see.) And ah, just a old oil drum for a stove and that a go out in the night time, ten o’clock, and then ah, used to have a cookie on and ah, he come out ‘round five o’clock in the morning and light it up again. Be awful cold then.
Louise: Yeah. (yeah) What were the bunks like?
Wilfred: Well we had our springs and mattress you know, at that time, but first when I went in the woods we had only jest the board and the boughs to lie on. First. It was hard.
Louise: That was when you were young? Young fellow?
Wilfred: Yeah that was ‘bout (19)47 forty-seven, I guess.
Louise: What was the pay like?
Wilfred: It wasn’t very good. (no) No. First when I started was I got ah, six-eighty a day ($6.80), when I started off first.
Louise: And what would that be for now, so many cord of wood would it?
Wilfred: Well we were working on wages, on wages you get $6.80 a day, das fer ten hour days.
Louise: I see.
Wilfred: Wouldn’t much at all, was it?
Louise: No. Now what would, what were the meals like?
Wilfred: Well, the meals were good fer that time.
Louise: How long would you be up there now before you come home?
Wilfred: Two weeks. (Two weeks.) At the most.
Louise: You’d have to walk back then too, would ya?
Wilfred: Walk back. Yeah
Louise: Just stay one night?
Wilfred: Stay home.. you came home on Saturday, and stay home Sunday, you go back again Monday morning.
Louise: I see.
Wilfred: Just one day home.
Louise: I see. What did you do now in the evenings, after you came home and had your supper? Like from in the woods when you were in the camp? You had your supper, what would you do then?
Wilfred: Well all we do then, at that time was play cards, I guess.
Louise: Play cards.
Wilfred: Play cards all night long. Until, well you go to bed nine o’clock, half past nine.
Louise: Yeah
Wilfred: You had a hard days work ahead of ya next morning so couldn’t stay up too late.
Louise: I suppose you told stories?
Wilfred: Told stories, yeah.
Louise: Sing?
Wilfred: Well, some people did, you know.
Louise: Yeah.
Wilfred: They had the guitars, the violins, and the according, all that stuff, you know.
Louise: I see.
Wilfred: Specially fellers from Bonne Bay, they had, they were good singers.
Louise: Oh they were from..ah, from..
Wilfred: Das right, people from Bonne Bay
Louise: Yeah. And ah, did you ever hear tell of the Woodland Echo?
Wilfred: Oh yes, we listened top that every Saturday night, I believe it was.
Louise: Saturday Night? Yeah.
Wilfred: Oh yes, every Saturday Night we listened to that.
Louise: Yeah. What was that like?
Wilfred: Well that was.. it was alright you know, was singing.
Louise: All singing?
Wilfred: Singing yeah. (yeah.)
Louise: And was it the sort of thing that more or less reported on the woods working or anything like that?
Wilfred: Oh yes, yeah. That’s right.
Louise: Could you make request or anything?
Wilfred: I ah, I’m not sure. I don’t think you could.

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(On Farming)

Louise: So now you never ever sold any, your father never ever sold any of his crop did he?
Wilfred: Oh yes, he used to sell potato
Louise: Did he? Where did he go?
Wilfred: Well, to Deer Lake.
Louise: And how’d he get it down Deer Lake now?
Wilfred: Well I guess winter time take it down on dog team or horse.
Louise: Would he take vegetables in the winter still?
Wilfred: Well, he could take ‘em down, could wrap ‘em up and ah take ‘em down.
Louise: I see.
Wilfred: But mostly in the Fall of the year, you know, he’d sell it before it get too cold, eh.

Louise: Yeah. And what would he, did he have a truck or any , how would he get down?
Wilfred: Well like I said, in 1949 we bought our first truck.
Louise: In 1949?
Wilfred: Yeah. ’48 Ford he had then.
Louise: Yeah.
Wilfred: And then we used to use our truck, eh.
Louise: Yeah. How much did he sell a sack of potatoes for?
Wilfred: At that time, I’d dare say ‘bout $1.50 – $2.00 , I guess.
Louise: Yeah.
Wilfred: Like I say, we had sheep, and goat. We used to sell goat meat (Did ya?) and mutton, stuff like that you know (Oh I see.) lamb.
Louise: Now who would you sell that to? Down Deer Lake or?
Wilfred: Down Deer Lake, yeah.
Louise: Cause I suppose everybody up here had their own?
Wilfred: Das right, everybody had their own.
Louise: And there wasn’t very many ..
Wilfred: People in Deer Lake, you know.
Louise: How much would you sell that for now? Can you remember?
Wilfred: I can’t remember.
Louise: Did you sell milk? The goats milk?
Wilfred: No (no). Drink that our selves.
Louise: Drank that yourselves.
Wilfred: Had lots of milk.
Louise: Did you have cows? Or anything?
Wilfred: Never ever bought a cow. (no) Horse
Louise: What about hens?
Wilfred: Had hens. Had our own hens all time. Yeah. Never had ducks or anything like that, just hens.
Louise: Yeah. Turkeys?
Wilfred: No.
Louise: What were the winters like then?
Wilfred: Well, I guess, handy ‘bout the same as we are getting now, only it didn’t look the same cause everything was snowed in and ‘twas no roads ploughed. We had lots of snow. Cold.
Louise: So how’d you clear the land now?
Wilfred: With a horse.
Louise: Horse?
Wilfred: Cleared it with a horse. Hook the horse on the stumps and haul them out. Sometimes you’d have a, what you call a capsom made up eh, go round and round with the horse (yeah) big stumps you haul them out that way. Everything was done with a horse.
Louise: So now ah, are you pleased, are you happy with your move here, to Reidville?
Wilfred: Oh yes, yeah. (yeah) I wouldn’t leave it now, for the world. (Yeah.) No (no)
Louise: Do you have anything else now to tell me?
Wilfred: Not really. (no) I guess there’s lots to tell if I could think about it (yeah)
Louise: Thank you.

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