Item AAAB2860 - Angelo Branca interview : [Itter & Marlatt, 1977]

CALL NUMBER: T2619:0001 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Strathcona neighbourhood : the Italian community PERIOD COVERED: 1896-1920 RECORDED: Vancouver (B.C.), 1977-02-14 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Angelo Branca discusses background and childhood: father in gold rush, 1896; father's import business; learning of his background through oral history, 1911, as father returns to Italy briefly; deliveries as child for grocery store; mucky sidewalks at Hastings and Main; games as a child; teachers at school; discipline in the home and at school; sense of humour of teachers; change of his ;vocation to law on father's advice; singing at Italian dinners; sister as a singer. TRACK 2: Discusses: physical work and chores; Italian picnics; lack of existing documentation of Italians in Vancouver; immigrants coming being those who needed new opportunity; Mr. Branca's father's reason for immigrating; story-telling amongst his father's friends; San Carlo opera company coming to Vancouver; the Avenue Theatre; Charles E. Royal players at Empress Theatre; early movie theatres; seeing opera recently in Verona; Italy; Italian banquets in Vancouver; his sister as a talented singer.;

CALL NUMBER: T2619:0002 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Strathcona neighbourhood : the Italian community PERIOD COVERED: 1905-1977 RECORDED: Vancouver (B.C.), 1977-02-15 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Discusses: Powell St. grounds; Burnaby farm; family; schooling; early success in law profession; assimilation of Italians into Canada; Fathers at Sacred Heart school; description of church interiors at Easter and Christmas; father's import business; speech making; Italian language. TRACK 2: Discusses: philosophical sayings and proverbs in Italian, and the poetry of learning them; discipline in the home; notes changes in parental guidance since WW II; brief history of union of the provinces of Italy; Strathcona residents from Veneto and Udine area; small community problems; community ;pride and jealousy; retention of ethnic customs.;

CALL NUMBER: T2619:0003 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Strathcona neighbourhood : the Italian community PERIOD COVERED: 1900-1940 RECORDED: Vancouver (B.C.), 1977-02-15 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Discusses: manual labour by first minority groups; discrimination problems; Janet Smith case of 1924; False Creek prior to WW I; maps of area viewed; location of family's home in area; street; cars, hotels and theatres; first Woodward store; Crosetti, Branca and Tosi stores on Main Street; stores at corner of Union and Princess Street; area of Water St., 70 years ago; Europe Hotel; Angelo Calori. TRACK 2: Discusses: sewage outlet at foot of Raymur St.; reclamation of False Creek park; builder of Union Street homes in 1900s; Hogan's Alley; distribution of brothels in area; police control and toleration of them; lack of crime in area; rum running; bootlegging.;

CALL NUMBER: T2619:0004 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Strathcona neighbourhood : the Italian community RECORDED: Vancouver (B.C.), 1977 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Branca discusses: lawyers in '20s and '30s who influenced him; his first car, a Russell-Knight (?); early driving conditions in Vancouver; learning to box from George Paris; boxing in general; his father's business partner, John Crosetti; Branca's father as a colourful character. (End of interview)