Pittman, Victor. Interview about his life and Shoal Harbour.

• Main Author: Vardy, Megan
• Other Authors: Pittman, Victor
• Format: Audio
• Language: English
• Published: 2014
• Subjects: Work; Railways; Pittman; Victor; Jim; Newfoundland
• Online Access: http://collections.mun.ca/cdm/ref/collection/ich_en/id/1002

Interview with Victor Pittman about his life and growing up in Shoal Harbour. The railway and medical services in the area. 00:00 - Victor Pittman talks about moving to Shoal Harbour and growing up; sledding; 02:10 The lumber mill, where his father worked; not doing anything on Sunday; Growing up methodist; 04:18 - Lumber mill activities; 05:30 - Pittman talks about his work in the Air Force; 06:00 - The various places he has lived, his wife and their children; 07:27 - The railway; putting pennies on the train track to flatten them; travel by train; stacks of coal and buying coal for household. 12:50 his father's work as a carpenter; Pittmans early jobs and applying for the air force; 14:05 - the changes when Newfoundland joined Canada; travel in the Newfoundland; 19:50 - The local Doctor, Doctor Cross, having to travel; cars in the area; the rising population in Clarenville area; development in Clarenville and Shoal Harbour; 23:28 - Pittman tells story about his Uncle Jim owning a saw mill and his son getting his arm caught in equipment and the traveling they had to do to get to a hospital and get treatment; 27:20 - Tells story about working in the woods in Miller Town and medical treatment there; 28:54 - tells story of his uncle Jim Pittman who had some medical training and would pull teeth. Pittman talks about getting a tooth pulled and liquid cocaine being used as an anesthetic; Uncle Jim’s accident prone family; People dying; 31:35 - when he was in Miller Town in 1946 the Newfoundland Government set up a mobile x-ray unit and they picked up cases of tuberculosis. Cases of TB in the area. Pittman talks about his mother having pneumonia and hearing the doctor say there was nothing to do but use honey to help her; 34:20 - The cottage hospitals and medical insurance; 35:06 - Getting alcohol from St.John’s; stores and a hotel in the area.