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Recording Details: Keith Pratt T3 [Tape Three]:

SIDE A 00:00:00 -- 00:01:19 Discussion about where PEI railway station managers lived during the early part of the 1920s; railway, trains, train stations, 1920s. 

SIDE A 00:01:19 -- 00:03:45 Keith talks about his Italian heritage and his grandfather's immigration to West Prince; Italian, immigration, West Prince, pack peddlers. 

SIDE A 00:03:45 -- 00:05:44 Discussion about one of the first cars after the war; cars, taxis, driving. 

SIDE A 00:05:44 -- 00:06:32 Keith shows Dutch pictures of the Pratt store; stores, Pratt's Store. 

SIDE A 00:06:32 -- 00:10:59 Discussion about his grandfather and his friend Louis Rene who immigrated here with him, the stores they built and their friendship; friendship, shotgun wedding, Pratt, Louis Rene, stores, immigration, trains, railway. 

SIDE A 00:10:59 -- 00:11:54 Discussion about his father's name, how he came to run the store, his grandmother, and when she passed away; Spanish Flu, general stores, Pratt's Store. 

SIDE A 00:11:54 -- 00:13:17 Discussion about the Halifax Explosion and how it affected PEI; Halifax Explosion, trains. 

SIDE A 00:13:17 -- 00:19:26 How the Pratts bought and sold Irish moss and the different things he bought for the store, with mention of poverty and store credit; poverty, store credit, Irish moss, credit. 

SIDE A 00:19:26 -- 00:20:29 Keith talks about how wonderful the local families were and their trustworthiness; kindness, trust. 

SIDE A 00:20:29 -- 00:25:29 Keith talks about giving out credit to a local family and the kindness that used be everywher in those days; trust, Gallant, credit, groceries, store credit, kindness. 

SIDE A 00:25:29 -- 00:27:32 Keith talks about Jean's brother, being convinced he would re-incarnate as a seagull, and the lone gull that would always visit after his passing; reincarnation, seagulls. 

SIDE A 00:27:32 -- 00:30:22 Discussion about entertainment and some of the religious halls in the area that would have performers; entertainment, hockey, halls, performers, skating. 

SIDE A 00:30:22 -- 00:31:46 Keith tells the tale of how he and a good friend were once kicked out of church; church, friendship. 

SIDE A ends at 00:31:46.

SIDE B 00:31:54 -- 00:33:51 The story about being kicked out of church continues; church, friendship. 

SIDE B 00:33:51 -- 00:37:35 Keith talks about the local church hall and how the different denominations would have preachers come through; Christian, Protestant, preachers, church. 

SIDE B 00:37:35 -- 00:38:52 Herman's medicine show and some of the performances they would do; entertainment, medicine, Herman. 

SIDE B 00:38:52 -- 00:39:59 Keith speaks about a family of Germans who may have been in a Canadian POW camp during the war; WWII, POWs, Germans. 

SIDE B 00:39:59 -- 00:40:50 Keith talks about a man by the name of Taylor who had a traveling puppet show and moving pictures to watch; puppets, entertainment, movies, film, moving pictures, travelling. 

SIDE B 00:40:50 -- 00:48:28 Keith talks about the witch Will Riley and how he could put curses on people; witches, curses, ghosts, Will Riley. 

SIDE B 00:48:28 -- 00:49:35 Keith talks about the 5000 dollar income tax bill he received and how it was the government's fault; income taxes, taxes, Liberals. 

SIDE B 00:49:35 -- 00:52:06 A story about the prank he pulled on the Fisheries Officer Walter Bernard involving salmon; pranks, tricks, DFO, Walter Bernard. 

SIDE B 00:52:06 -- 00:54:45 How Keith became a proud Conservative and why it was all the Liberals' fault; Liberals, Liberal, politics, Conservative, Conservatives. 

SIDE B 00:54:45 -- 00:55:45 Discussion about big families; big families. 

SIDE B 00:55:45 -- 00:57:44 Discussion about Christmas and their store; Christmas, Pratt's Store. 

SIDE B 00:57:44 -- 00:58:28 Keith talks about the extreme poverty during the Depression; Great Depression, 1930s, poverty. 

SIDE B 00:58:28 -- 01:01:35 Keith talks again about credit and and the poor families during the Depression; Great Depression, credit, store credit, 1930s, poverty. 

SIDE B 01:01:35 -- 01:03:41 Discussion aboud shipping Irish moss and where it went; shipping, Irish moss. 
 Tape ends at 01:03:41.

Overview:

Interviewee(s):
Pratt, Keith

Playing Time:
01:03:42

Interview Date(s):
2003-07-17

Interview Summary:
Keith Pratt talks about how his grandfather came to live in West Prince and his grandfather opening the Pratt general store and the hardships that were incurred by everyone during The Great Depression. Other topics touched on in this recording include witches, Irish moss, being kicked out of church, and how Keith became a Conservative because of the Liberals.

Place(s) Discussed:
West Prince, PE

Time(s) Discussed:
1920s, 1930s

Rights Information:
All content on this site is made available for personal research and private study only. Any other reuse, reproduction, or re-purposing may require the permission of the rightsholder(s); please contact the UPEI Library for more information on permissions/clearances.

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