Item T0799:0001 - 0002 - Margaret Cunningham and Willy Palmer interview

CALL NUMBER: T0799:0001 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1965-10-07 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mrs. Margaret Cunningham and Mr. Willy Palmer recall incidents from their early years on Salt Spring Island. Mrs. Cunningham discusses her family background; her father, Raffles Purdy; his sister and brother-in-law, Samuel and Emily Beddis, who came to Salt Spring Island in 1884. Raffles Purdy taught school for twelve years in the central community; the Beddis family settled in the Beddis Road area. Margaret Cunningham discusses early settlers including Black families; Akerman family; Bittancourt family; settlements at Vesuvius; Fernwood and Central; St Mark's Church; the Mouat family; Collins family; Norton family; Stevens family; lack of medical services; history of Mrs. Cunningham's house, formerly the Stevens boarding house; fruit farming on the island; mixed farming; transportation of produce to the market; and Mr. Henry Wright Bullock. TRACK 2: Mr. Willy Palmer continues this tape with his family history. He and his mother came to Victoria in 1904 and to Salt Spring in 1906. His mother was the housekeeper for Mr. Bullock from 1906 to 1918; Mr. Palmer later took charge of Mr. Bullock's farm, eventually renting a portion of the Bullock property. He shipped fruit produce until 1946 when it became unprofitable to continue fruit farming. Mr. Palmer discusses the Salt Spring Island Creamery. He describes the Bullock house and property; the employees who were ;former residents of the Protestant orphans home in Victoria; the eccentricities of Mr. Bullock; his gifts; lavish dinner parties; treatment of his employees; old-fashioned attitudes; clothing he provided; picnics; his generosity. Mr. Palmer recalls the Mouat family and the start of the business; transportation into Ganges; the coastal boats; Reverend Wilson; the Central settlement; Starks family; Black settlers; Mr. Jones, an early school teacher; Mr. Bittancourt.

CALL NUMBER: T0799:0002 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1965-10-07 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mrs. Cunningham recounts some anecdotes about Mr. Bullock; some early businesses on Salt Spring; the Mouats; Seymour's jam factory; the tie-mills; agricultural shows; Mann Hall; Stevens boarding house; Beddis family; the early "English" society; the stone quarry at Vesuvius; Black settlers; Indians; and Reverend Wilson's paintings and diaries. Mr. Palmer concludes the interview with reminiscences about life on Salt Spring. [TRACK 2: blank.];