Living Heritage Podcast

Have you ever had a nut king? Do you know what a silver mint is? Did you know chocolate and candy were produced in Bay Roberts in the 1950s? Listen to this podcast to learn about Adler’s Chocolate Factory in Bay Roberts. Terra discusses the research she has completed at the Centre for Newfoundland Studies, and the interviews with two women who worked at the factory, Irene Mercer, and Margaret Sparkes. Tune in to hear about the work the women did, the uniforms they wore, and the friends the made.

In this episode we discuss some of the projects the ICH (Intangible Cultural Heritage) Office is working on this summer. First up Dale, and Terra discuss their research in Bay Roberts on significant sites in the town. During the second part of the podcast, Dale introduces Rachael, who is working out of our office this summer in collaboration with the Craft Council of Newfoundland and Labrador. Rachael is working on two projects including craft at risk, and the history of 275 Duckworth Street.

In this podcast, Folklore MA candidate Katie Crane talks to us about her studies in the field, escape rooms, pirate lore, coffin hardware, and her recent participation in “The Thrill of the Dark: Heritages of Fear Fascination and Fantasy” Conference in Birmingham, UK.

Katie Crane is a student in the Public Sector program of Memorial University’s Department of Folklore. She has worked for the LB-MC-OC Museum, the Historic Sites Association of NL, and for Admiralty House Communications Museum.

2019 marks a century since the first nonstop flight across the Atlantic and Admiralty House is creating a new exhibit titled "Field to Flight". The exhibit will highlight some of the major players of a historic race and feature Margaret Carter, a St. John’s women and her perspective on the race. We chat with Museum Manager Sarah Wade about the air race, but also manage to talk about Twinkletoes the cat, fur coats, and beer!

We talk about the places and stories that make Bay Roberts special, and ask for your help in identifying locations of folkloric and historic interest in the community. We talk about children's games and Cable Avenue verandahs in an interview with best friends Wanda and Roxanne, and then sit down for a chat with Sandra Roach of Coley's Point, and Margaret Ayad of Bay Roberts. Listen to the end, and you might pick up some tips on staying safe from the fairies!

Valentine’s memories from Daphne Gillingham and Susan Mitchell; Claudia Earle and Nancy Knight share some somber Easter memories; Betty Rumbolt talks about Easter buns; Peggy Snow recalls the Littledale May Walk while Shirley Ryan and Patricia Whalen reminisce on cold plate and Marysvale garden parties; Frank Beson of Windsor and Juanita Keel-Ryan of Bailey's Cove, Bonavista light a torch for Bonfire Night; and we finish with Joan Keating and her memories of the downtown St. John’s Christmas Raffle.

Everything from the Terra Nova Motors jingle with Linda Kane, to memories of mill baskets with Barbara Smith (and a mill workers recitation by Terry Penny), memories of railway disasters with Clayton Tipple and Baxter Tuck, an olfactory memory of the railway cook car with Lindo Palmer, and newspaper tales with Bryan Blackmore and Joe Moore. Plus, an update on our future Solomon’s Lane project!

On 18th of February 1942, over 200 American sailors died when the USS Pollux and USS Truxtun ran aground during a winter storm near St. Lawrence, The two ships, accompanied by the USS Wilkes, were headed for Argentia  American navy base carrying war supplies. Due to the rescue efforts of the people of St. Lawrence and Lawn, 186 men survived the ordeal. We chat with local historian and tour guide Carl Slaney about the dramatic event.

In October 2018, Heritage NL staff rushed down Water Street to rescue an old shop sign from the business of Lewis and Grunia Ferman, Jewish merchants and WWII resistance fighters. We look at the legacy of immigrant merchants in Newfoundland, with clips from interviews about both the Ferman shop, and the multicultural shopkeepers of Windsor who are featured in a new Virtual Museums of Canada exhibit.

In this episode, Holly Everett discusses her research on roadside memorials, grave markers, memorial assemblages, and culinary tourism as well as the 50th anniversary of MUN's Department of Folklore, and the upcoming Folklore Studies Association of Canada conference. Holly Everett is an Associate Professor in Folklore at Memorial University, cross-listed with the School of Music’s Ethnomusicology program. She is the author of Roadside Crosses in Contemporary Memorial Culture (2002).