Thistle, Betty. Interview about her life in Mount Pearl and St. John's.

• Main Author: Abbott, Lisa
• Other Authors: Thistle, Betty
• Format: Audio
• Language: English
• Published: 2001
• Subjects: Migration/settlement; Towns; Wars; Communities; Thistle; Betty; Newfoundland
• Online Access: http://collections.mun.ca/cdm/ref/collection/ich_avalon/id/6234

Betty Thistle talks about her memories of summers spent in Mount Pearl Park in the 1930's, living in St. John's, and the beginning of World War II 00:00 - Betty Thistle talks about Rupert and Roland Morris who owned all of Glendale; Her father bought land from one of the Morris brothers; 03:18 - Places named after the Morris family; 03:50 - Talks about her childhood. Born in 1931 the same year her parents built the cottage in what is now Mount Pearl; Spent every summer there until 1942; What was in the area; 05:22 - Talks about Twin Falls and learning to swim; Other activities; 06:12 - Calls the area a “rustic community”, how many families were there, and where the houses were; 08:06 - Talks about the men forming a country club a the tennis club pavilion and what activities happened there; 09:47 - Being an only child; her grandmother; her family tree; 11:56 - Leisure activities, traveling in her uncle's car, going to Seal Cove for picnics; 13:15 - Talks about the James Pearl estate which was abandoned; Tells story of shining flashlights on people skinny dipping at Twin Falls; Seeing a drunk man at the swimming pool shouting at people; 16:32 - Talks about where her family home was located, bordered by Park Avenue, the railroad, and Valley View Avenue; Describes the home; 19:29 - Tells story about saving money and walking to Ruby Lester’s on Topsail Road to get a hot dog and a drink; American soldiers coming to Mount Pearl with their families for picnics. The first time she had a hamburger; 22:06 - Talks about people living in the area year round; 23:15 - Where most of the homes were at that time, the streets; 26:42 - In the winter they lived at the top of Springdale street in St. John’s; Went to Holloway School and Prince of Wales College; 29:00 - Talks about their uniforms at school; the boys and girls having separate classes; 31:42 - Music lessons; 32:58 - Talks about gardens in Mount Pearl, and tells story about stealing strawberries; 35:57 - Talks about getting mail in St. John’s; 38:12 - Thistle talks ...