Interview # 33

Name: Margaret Long

Sex: Female

Age: 81

Place and date of birth: May 17, 1917

Education: Grade four

Religion: Roman Catholic

Occupation: Homemaker

Number of children and where they live: 12

Vivian - St. Joseph's Cove Francis - St. Alban's

Evelyn - Ottawa Isabelle - Ontario

Margaret - Ontario Kathleen - Milltown

Collita - Milltown Joan - St. Alban's

Ann - St. John's Leonard - Ottawa

Mervin - Pittawawa Judy - Ottawa

Ben - St. Alban's

Phone: 538-3170

Place of interview: St. Alban's

Date of interview: February 25, 1999

Interviewers: Leah Marshall and Dale Willcott

Margaret's father was Ben Morris from Harbour Galley. Her mother was Francis from St. Alban's. When her parents met, they settled in Harbour.Galley. This was where Margaret and her three siblings grew up until they resettled to St. Alban's in 1937 or 1938.

While residing in Harbour Galley they would play card games such as 120's. Her sister would play solitaire quite often. Her mother did not agree with this. She said it was playing cards with the devil. This made Margaret avoid playing that kind of game but it did not stop her sister from playing. There were not many other children to play with in Harbour Galley. Only six other families lived there. Much of their past times was spent on helping her mother with chores because her father was away. He owned his own schooner. He would deliver goods to areas such Grand Bank. They did chores such as hooking mats, cleaning, cooking, gardening, and milking goats. In the fall they would pick berries and go to Gaultis to sell them. Not every time they would get money. Sometimes they would get gifts. They would also sell eggs to the people of Gaultis. The reason they went to that particular area was because this was where the merchants lived. They knew they would get their items sold because merchants always had money.

There was no school in Harbour Galley. Her mother used to teach them at home. This was the same with the church. The priest would only visit Harbour Galley three times a year. One visit was for first holy communion. Her mother would have the rosary every other Sunday at their church. If it was more comfortable for her to have the rosary at her house, she would hold it there. When bigger celebrations took place people had to travel to St. Alban's to attend church. In order to get confirmed Margaret had to go to St. Alban's. She did not mind this at all. She loved to visit her relatives and friends.

Because the population of Harbour Galley was small, the doctor only came when it was necessary. For example, if someone had injured themselves really badly, he would visit. The doctor had to travel from Hermitage to attend the sick. If the weather was bad he would stay at Margarets house until he could make it back. Margaret and her sister Kathleen loved this because they would play cards with him every night. They thought they were the big shots of Harbour Galley because the doctor was staying at their house. One common disease that was present in Harbour Galley was T.B. Margaret would call it "old age". She said it was a disease by which you "got sick and die quick". She was fortunate that no one in her family had it.

When Margaret was asked about holidays such as Christmas, Valentines Day, and Easter she said that she enjoyed each one but her best holiday was when she went to St. Alban's every Summer or every chance she could get. For Christmas she recalled how she would get toys, dolls, and dresses every year. When she was older, she would go to Raymonds Point after Christmas day. A dance would be held there every night. Margaret stayed there until after the new year. For Valentines Day and Easter Margaret would make cards to send to her friends. Margarets way of life continued like this until her family resettled to St. Alban's.

When the issue of resettlement was, discussed Margaret was very excited. She could move to a bigger area where there were more people her age. Harbour Galley never had this to offer. Her father wanted to move to Harbour Breton because it was closer to Grand Bank and there were larger amounts of water. He was worried that his schooner would be grounded because of the vast low tides at St. Alban's. There was also no wharf there at the time. Margaret and her mother convinced her father to move to St. Alban's because they had many relatives and friends there. Margaret's mother wanted to return home.

Way of life in St. Alban's was different compared to Harbour Galley. There were some things you had to do. For example, church attendance was mandatory. If you did not attend church you probably would be excluded from dinner and the priest would look for you. Sometimes he would mention that people were missing. This would make the ones who did not attend feel embarrassed. Margaret enjoyed going to church. She also enjoyed the fact that there were more people in St. Alban's to hang around with. She even married a man from St. Alban's.

In 1940 on St. Anne's Day, Margaret married Leonard Long. After the mass in Conne River was over, they were married. The party was held at her parent's house. Over a hundred people were invited. Guests were served cake and tea all day and the dance was held on the back porch. While the guests were celebrating their marriage, the newlyweds were visiting the sick. Once completed they returned to the dance. Leonard returned to work the next morning. "You had to work, there was no time for holidays."

Margaret never had a full time paying job. "I worked for myself and for my mother. She recalled once making $40.00 for providing accommodations for two men from Milltown for two weeks so they could attend school. Doug Sutton and Fred Strickland were her boarders. With the money she made she bought items for her family such as food.

At the age of forty Margaret got the measles. This was a tough time for her because she was also pregnant. She almost lost her life. Her brother stayed up all night and watch over her. Every one was worried.

According to Margaret the best thing that ever happened to Newfoundland was Confederation. The baby bonus helped her out a lot. She used the money to provide for her children. "It was their money, not mine." Margaret said.

Although she lived at Harbour Galley, St. Alban's is her home. Harbour Galley is still a part of her earlier years. She will never erase those memories. She is happy that she resettled to St. Alban's.