Interview #4

Name: Willie Willcott

Sex: Male

Age: 51

Place and date of birth: St. Alban's, July 7, 1947

Education: Bookkeeper

Religion: Roman Catholic

Occupation: N/A

Number of children: N/A

Phone: N/A

Place of interview: St. Alban's (KM Homes)

Date of interview: January 11, 1999

Interviewers: Carla Collier and Crystal Hoskins

Willie was born in St. Alban's on July 7, 1947. His father Ambrose was born in Conne River and his mother Vera was born in St. Alban's. Willie has six brothers and sisters whose names are: Morris, Richard, Tom, Ross, Madaline, and Clotilda. Willie's childhood home only had four bedrooms. Willie and his brothers shared two rooms, while his sisters shared one room. The first level of his house only had one large room. There was only a stove and a water pump in the room.

Willie remembered the hard times he had when he was young when his father was away working at camp six. Willie and his family had to look after themselves. They would bring in wood and get water from a well. There was no power so they had to use kerosene lamps.

Although times were bad, Willie can remember a little bit about the good times. Every Sunday, he would get twenty-five cents for an allowance to buy a bar, a bag of chips, and cracker jacks.

Christmas was also a special time for Willie. On Christmas Eve, Willie and his family would all gather around and put up a Christmas tree. They had house parties, where the kids would sit on the steps and watch the party. In their stockings that they hung up, they would get oranges, apples, and bars. They would also go to relatives houses and have cake and syrup for treats.

As a child, Willie would play with wooden trucks and cars which he made himself. He also played with log cabins in the woods. He went trouting and catching sprinkle backs in tin cans. Some of Willie's friends were Gerald Crant and Clarence Davis, who he still keeps in contact with today. He also had a horse named Barney, which he hooked up to a cart and rode around their house. They also used the horse and cart to haul kelp to put on potatoes.

Willie remembers that when he went to school, he had to bring splits, wood, and coal for the pot belly stove. There was no bathroom, no running water, and nothing to wear on their feet except Broggs which were five dollars a pair. At recess time they would pick up rocks to help build the church. They also played tiddly, hopscotch, and cowboys and indians. They also had picnics on the Farm road.

He talked about Father St. Croix letting the kids go to school for half a day, or a week and then pulling them out of school to go to work. Father St. Croix believed work was more important than education. Willie said that if anyone stayed out late, the priest would drive them home. When any saints day came around, everyone got a holiday. Some of Willies teachers in school were: Basil Barnes, Molly Willcott, Mildred Trainer, Miss Flynn, Mrs. Hoskins and Bernadette Collier.

Willie remembered that Henry Poole had the first snowmobile. He would bring people across the ice from Milltown to see a doctor. Tom Walsh had the first car and Bill Hartery had the first truck, Conrad McDonald had the first dump truck and Father St. Croix had the first radio. John M.Organ had the first "Tin Lizzy"- an old fashion truck, with a cage on the back made of chicken coupe wire, that was used to haul wood around for people of the community.The first church was called the underground Chapel on Birchy Point. Mass was said in Latin.

Willie recalled the dance hall that was located in the school. People from the community would gather at the dance hall where local musicians Manual Hoskins and John M.Organ would play the violin and accordion. In the back of the dance hall, there was a kitchen where they would serve cake and tea. There were two woodstoves in the kitchen and everyone would sit around a table. They also played Bingo at the dance hall, and paid ten cents for a card. People would tear up pieces of paper to cover their numbers.

Some of the former priests Willie can remember were Father Hayes and Father St. Croix. Willie recalls that Father Hayes was a doctor, a priest, and a dentist. Father St. Croix was the first priest in St. Alban's.

Willie remembered the Christmas Seal boat that would come to St. Alban's once a year. People would meet the boat at the government wharf. They would go aboard and get scratches on their arm to check for TB.

Willie also talked about a place called "Loggers Hill". It was named after Mr. Logger, who used to cut timber to build schooners. Voyce Cove was called Bois Cove after Mr.Bois who lived there.

Some other facts about St. Alban's Willie remembered was the first post office on Birchy Point, and it was operated by Martin Davis. Behind the post office, there was a telegraph office, that was first managed by Miss Fiander and then later by Mary Hunt. There was also a weather station, that Beatrice Collier ran, inside of Bill Collier's store, where they did readings and sent them to Gander. Willie also talked about his families light bill being only $5.76 and it cost twenty-five cents for a money order. He also told us that if there was a medical emergency, people would travel to Harbour Breton to the Cottage Hospital. Some of the home remedies he talked about are boiling down spruce boughs and drinking it for the flu, and using pap and molasses in water and a bread polus.

Willie thought that back in the "old days" people had more freedom to fish, hunt, and get wood whenever they wanted. They could build on any piece of land and they didn't have to get a permit. The main job around was working in the woods where they cut pulpwood ten cents a bundle. The schooners brought wood to Gaultois and places where there no trees. Willie worked on the foundation at Hydro in 1966 for six months, he made $1.40 an hour. Ches Cox and Bert Hunt also worked there. Before Hydro, people used Coleman lanterns until two generators were hooked up at Path End. Willie also recalled using flour sacks for clothes, sails and tents. They also knitted their own woollen underwear. The phone system consists of five or six people on a phone line. Each home had a different ring and when you heard your ring you would answer the phone.

In Willie's opinion some of the positive things that happened in Bay D'Espoir were education, health services, postal services, telephones, home appliances and satellite dishes.